Best secondary schools in Surrey

The most sought after non-secular secondary in town is Weydon School, which sits comfortably in the top 10 per cent of non-selective state schools nationally for GCSEs. Children from six named feeder primary schools get first dibs after looked after children, siblings and children of staff – so catchment alone is way down the list for everyone else. With no sixth form, the majority of pupils head to Godalming College or The Sixth Form College Farnborough post GCSEs. Heavily oversubscribed All Hallows Catholic School – with its impressive facilities, top notch results and notable numbers to Oxbridge – is the first choice for Catholic families in the area (proof of baptismal certificate required).

Woolmer Hill School sits on 25 acres on the outskirts of Haslemere. An impressive score in 2024 put it in the top three per cent of schools nationally for progress. 

Guildford is home to three of Surrey’s top performing and highly sought-after state secondaries, each with its own sixth form. Guildford County School is the smallest, and renowned for its strong music provision, but you’ll pay a premium to live within the half-mile radius that has guaranteed a place in recent years. 

While the larger George Abbot School may be daunting for some, our reviewer was assured that ‘nobody slips through the net’. It boasts an enviable amount of green space, a thriving performing arts faculty and well-resourced SEN department. 

For a blend of strong academics and Christian values, St Peter’s Catholic School is a popular option with most pupils transferring from six named feeder Catholic primaries in Guildford and surrounding towns.

Broadwater School and Rodborough School sit on opposite sides of the town and offer similar GCSE results and Progress 8 scores. 

Students flock from state and private schools to Godalming College post GCSEs. The ‘big but tight-knit’ sixth form offers 40 A level subjects (including BTEC equivalents), timetabled enrichment (Amnesty International to Zumba) and impressive results that often place it in the country’s top 10 of sixth form colleges – plus a handsome 12-acre campus to boot.

Families make tactical moves to be sure of a sought-after place at Hinchley Wood School, where parents describe pastoral care as ‘next level’ and hockey is coached by England professionals. Pupils attending a named feeder primary are prioritised and need to live very close. 

At Cobham Free School, one of Surrey’s few state-funded all-through schools (also detailed in the ‘Primary schools section’), pupils can expect small class sizes, strict discipline and compulsory Latin. Heavily oversubscribed due to small number of places available for year 7 entry – those already attending junior school have automatic entry. 

Pupils from over 100 schools across Surrey and south-west London choose Esher Sixth Form College for their post-GCSE studies. Impressive results, an active students’ union and compulsory extension studies contribute to its popularity but read the admissions policy carefully as the college uses both guaranteed and open application processes for entry.

For confident and ambitious types, Gordon’s School is a non-selective state boarding school with top-notch results, a regimented environment (shares its motto, ‘Semper Fidelis’ [Ever Faithful] with the US marine corps) and a compulsory extended day – ‘period 7’ covers anything from cooking to bagpipe lessons followed by tea and prep. The education is free but even parents of day boarders must be able to afford the annual £10,000+ fees for after-school activities, Saturday school and meals etc. 

There are two further notable secondaries in Woking: high-performing St John the Baptist School, where Catholic children have priority of admission (proof of baptismal certificate required), and free school, Hoe Valley School, with newly opened sixth form. 

Much further west, in Frimley, is Tomlinscote School where pupil make excellent progress and can partake in a plethora of extracurricular activities from Japanese and Mandarin to kickboxing and keyboard club. School operates a fixed catchment area with those living closest prioritised if oversubscribed – which it frequently is. Be sure to check the catchment map before you start thinking of applying.

A reflection of the affluent local area, parents prepared to go down the private route will try their luck at Heathside School first. Very good results, which pupils attribute to ‘amazing teaching staff’ and a small sixth form offering ‘academic’ A levels only. 

Extremely oversubscribed Salesian School in Chertsey prioritises baptised Catholic children from a selection of deanery primary schools. Applicants from other denominations and none are welcome but locals claim that ‘in reality you don’t stand a chance’ if you’re not Catholic. 

Closer to greater London, St Paul’s Catholic College in Sunbury-on-Thames has high expectations and first-rate outcomes, but again pupils without a certificate of baptism or Catholic practice are unlikely to get a look-in.

Grammar schools near Weybridge 

There are no grammar schools in Surrey itself but the north of the county (the likes of Esher, Epsom, Walton-on-Thames) falls into the 10-kilometre ‘priority area’ for all boys’ grammar Tiffin School in Kingston. Entrance assessments are notoriously competitive but with timetabled dance lessons, a boat club on the Thames and over 100 trips a year, it’s much more than an academic hothouse. More than 30 to Oxbridge from co-ed sixth form each year. 

Applicants for The Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston sit rigorous tests in maths and English and need to live within one of 44 designated postal codes, which include Esher, Walton on Thames, Thames Ditton, East and West Molesey, Weybridge and parts of Epsom. Parents say that ‘it’s the school you choose if you want your daughter to be a medic’ but should not be dismissed by creative whizz kids – A level art pieces are regularly used by exam boards to illustrate what A* grade standard looks like. 

There are two star players in Leatherhead. St Andrew’s Catholic School is frequently ranked one of the highest achieving schools in the country, with priority for Catholic children attending a named feeder school or resident in the catchment area. Howard of Effingham School is academically strong, oversubscribed and responsible, in part, for pushing up local property prices. A combination of living in catchment and attending a named feeder primary is the best bet for a place. 

Along the A24, in Epsom, are Surrey’s only single-sex state secondaries. Consistently one of the highest performing boys’ comprehensives in the country, Glyn School has received three consecutive ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspections. Its co-ed sixth form achieves equally good outcomes. Rosebery School for girls gets consistently strong results and is hugely committed to supporting pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. It also boasts the highest number of DofE participants of any state school in the country. 

Whilst the pretty, thriving town of Reigate tends to trump neighbouring new town Redhill in the popularity stakes, outstanding St Bede’s School is heavily oversubscribed thanks to its well above average results and progress scores. As a school welcoming pupils from all branches of Christianity, priority is given to regular worshippers of the Christian churches living in a defined catchment area. Be sure to read up on its highly prescriptive admissions criteria. Reigate School offers a non-denominational alternative with good GCSE results but a tight catchment area. 

There are few state secondaries elsewhere in east Surrey that stand out if academics are a priority but Oxted School, Warlingham School and de Stafford School are satisfactory options. 

For post-16 studies, Reigate College’s results are among the best in Surrey. As the official sixth form of seven secondary schools in Reigate and east Surrey, applicants from partner schools have a guaranteed place provided they meet the minimum entry requirements for the courses they wish to study. 

Surrey County Council outlines its SEND information and services on its website along with a list of secondary special schools and specialist centres. 

The Surrey special schools available to secondary school aged children include those already mentioned in the primary school section.

Limpsfield Grange School in Oxted is the only state school for autistic girls and offers day and boarding places for pupils aged 11-16. The curriculum offers a range of qualifications, and pupils follow a wellbeing programme to develop self-care skills. 

The Park School in Woking is set in a calm residential area with lovely facilities and has a long history of supporting moderate learning difficulties and autism.

Mainstream secondary schools Salesian School, Hinchley Wood School, Howard of Effingham School and Rodborough School provide specialist support for pupils with autism at their on-site Cullum Centres.