Lowbrook Academy named Primary School of the Year in prestigious Sunday Times list

The headteacher of Lowbrook Academy has said he is ‘delighted’ after it was named the top primary school in the South East on a prestigious Sunday Times list.

The 33rd edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026 was released on Friday, December 5 and features a list of the top primary, secondary state and independent schools.

Lowbrook, in the Fairway in Cox Green, is no stranger to the list and is regularly ranked among the best state primary schools.

This year, it was ranked in first place regionally for the South East, and in second place nationally.

Academically, the school said it places its language, oracy and literacy ‘at the heart of learning, treating effective communication as a ‘passport to life’.’

It added that the curriculum is ‘enriched by cultural experiences, positioning arts and sports as ‘the soul of our school’, and reinforcing learning through the use of thematic weeks and real-world projects which ‘foster imagination and ‘awe and wonder’.’

Lowbrook head Dave Rooney said: “I’m delighted that the pupils, staff, parents and governors’ hard work has been recognised with this achievement.”

The guide includes a searchable national database of more than 2,000 schools by name, town, postcode and local authority.

Alongside assessment and academic results on a school-by-school basis, Parent Power gives parents the opportunity to compare the performance of a given school with other schools in the same area, local authority and nationally.

St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School, in Altwood Road, also made the top 50 for the South East, coming in 43rd place for the region.

For state secondary schools, Langley Grammar School is the top performing school in East Berkshire, and appears alongside several other Slough grammar schools.

The school in Reddington Drive has been ranked in ninth place for the South East and in 29th place nationally.

Headteacher David Harding, said: “We are very pleased that the school has been recognised in the Sunday Times 2026 school league tables.

“Langley Grammar School has consistently performed well in these rankings, but this year’s results are particularly strong.

“We are placed 29th nationally – an improvement of two places on last year – ninth in the South East region, and first in Slough among state secondary schools.

“These excellent outcomes reflect the commitment shown by last year’s Year 11 and Year 13 students throughout their GCSE and A-level courses, as well as the dedication and hard work of our staff in teaching and supporting them.”

Slough grammars Upton Court (13th), Herschel (17th), and St Bernard’s (23rd) all appear in the top 50 for the South East, alongside Sir William Borlase’s in Marlow (16th) and Burnham Grammar (37th)

Elsewhere, Eton College has featured in the list of top secondary independent schools in the South East.

The historic college ranked in 3rd place regionally and in 14th place nationally.

An Eton College spokesperson, said: “Eton is proud of the academic achievements of our boys which not only reflect their own hard work but also the passion and dedication of our teachers.

“However, Eton does not measure success on rankings or results alone. We encourage creativity, innovation and enjoyment through a broad vision of education based on wide-ranging academic and co-curricular opportunities, where much learning takes place beyond the classroom.”

Helen Davies, editor of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future.

“But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.

“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”

For more information, visit: https://www.thetimes.com/best-schools-league-table/secondary/article/secondary-schools-revealed-2026-g9w9n8rqw