SCHOOLS in Colchester have been ranked as some of the best in the country.

The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2020 will be published on Sunday.

Colchester Royal Grammar School has topped the regional rankings in East Anglia for the Parent Power standings.

The 27th edition of Parent Power identifies the 2,000 highest-achieving schools in the UK, ranked by their recent examination results.

Last year, more than 90 per cent of grades at A level at the school were A*, A or B.

It also performed strongly in GCSEs where 82.3 per cent were grades nine to seven and A or A* for exams not under the new system.

The Lexden Road school, which also finished first in East Anglia in 2018, ranked in at number nine in the national league table.

The guide said: “The multitude of high achievers helped the school to remain in the top 10 in the national rankings.”

Headteacher John Russell said: "We are delighted to see such results, which are a testament to the dedication of our outstanding staff, talented students and very supportive parents.

"Our staff provide a huge range of support and enrichment opportunities, and through this focus we aim to send students to the best universities across the world.

"The school has a unique ethos and we have worked hard to maintain the traditional values that are the foundation of our success."

Colchester County High School for Girls achieved third place in the East Anglia table and 16th overall.

It saw 81.2 per cent of pupils at A level grades of A*, A and B. In GCSEs 90.1 per cent got the highest band of grades.

Principal at Colchester County High School for Girls, Gillian Marshall, said: “The high levels of both progress and attainment at CCHSG are only achieved through the huge dedication of both staff and students and the support of their families and the wider school community.

“CCHSG has been educating aspirational young women for over 100 years and as our motto says we are both proud and privileged to be ‘Developing the Leaders of Tomorrow’.

“We pride ourselves on being an innovative and forward looking school and aim to encourage our students to aspire to excellence in everything they do, express their creativity and flourish as individuals.”

The King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford finished second in the East Anglia rankings, splitting the two Colchester schools.

Impington Village College in Cambridge was handed the The Sunday Times East Anglia State Secondary School of the Year award.

A national database by school name, local authority, town and postcode, together with regional rankings are available to Times and Sunday Times subscribers.

Visit thesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower.