Chelmsford Grammar School Named England's Best State Secondary in Telegraph Rankings

King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS) in Chelmsford secured first place in a national ranking of England's state secondary schools, achieving a perfect score of 40 out of 40 in The Telegraph's education guide.

The school, based on Broomfield Road, topped the newspaper's September 2025 rankings, which compared state-funded secondary schools using ten measures of academic performance and school provision.

KEGS was one of four schools to achieve the maximum score, but finished first after the newspaper applied an additional GCSE performance measure to separate schools with equal points.

The result placed the Chelmsford grammar school ahead of hundreds of state secondary schools across England.

How Did KEGS Achieve First Place?

The Telegraph's guide assessed schools against ten criteria, including academic attainment, pupil progress, attendance, class sizes and other indicators.

Each school could achieve a maximum of 40 points.

When schools finished with equal scores, their positions were determined using the proportion of pupils achieving grade 5 or above across five core GCSE subject areas.

At KEGS, 96% of pupils achieved the required standard in the 2023/24 academic year, compared with a national average of approximately 18% cited in the ranking.

That performance helped the school secure the top position.

The ranking was published in September 2025 and should not be confused with a new government league table or an Ofsted assessment.

Four Schools Achieved Perfect Scores

Four schools received the maximum 40 points in the Telegraph guide.

Chelmsford also had another school among the leading performers.

Chelmsford County High School for Girls appeared in seventh place nationally, achieving 39 out of 40 points.

The results meant that two Chelmsford grammar schools featured among the country's ten highest-ranked state secondary schools in the guide.

KEGS Receives Exceptional Grades in 2026 Ofsted Inspection

The school's academic performance has also been recognised in a more recent inspection.

Ofsted inspected King Edward VI Grammar School in February 2026, with its report published in June.

Under the newer inspection framework, schools are assessed across several areas rather than receiving a single overall effectiveness grade.

KEGS received an Exceptional grade for achievement and an Exceptional grade for its sixth-form provision.

The school also received Strong Standard grades in curriculum and teaching, inclusion, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance.

Safeguarding requirements were judged to have been met.

The findings provide a more recent assessment of the school's educational provision, separate from the Telegraph's 2025 rankings.

Strong GCSE and A-Level Performance

KEGS has maintained strong examination results across GCSE and A-level qualifications.

In 2025, 87.5% of GCSE grades awarded to pupils were at grades 7, 8 or 9.

At A-level, 91.1% of grades were A*, A or B, with 69.9% awarded at A* or A.

The results underline the school's established record of academic achievement.

However, examination results and league-table rankings are only part of the information families may wish to consider when choosing a school.

Admissions arrangements, curriculum, pastoral support and the needs of individual pupils are also important factors.

About King Edward VI Grammar School

King Edward VI Grammar School is a selective state-funded academy in Chelmsford.

It educates boys in its main secondary school and admits both boys and girls into its sixth form.

The school is led by headteacher Natalie Wilson and provides education for pupils aged 11 to 18.

Alongside academic studies, KEGS offers extracurricular activities including music, drama, sport and other clubs.

Its former pupils include artist Sir Grayson Perry and actor Joe Thomas, known for his role in The Inbetweeners.

Chelmsford Schools Recognised Nationally

The Telegraph's rankings highlighted the strong examination performance of Chelmsford's selective grammar schools.

KEGS achieved the highest position nationally, while Chelmsford County High School for Girls also appeared in the top ten.

The rankings are based on the newspaper's own methodology, rather than an official government designation of England's best school.

For parents considering secondary education, the Department for Education publishes individual school performance information, while Ofsted provides inspection reports covering a wider range of educational standards.

The Telegraph's September 2025 result, together with the more recent 2026 Ofsted findings, provides further evidence of KEGS' strong academic record.

Further information:

Sources: The Telegraph's September 2025 state secondary school guide, contemporary reporting of the rankings, Department for Education school records, Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report and published 2025 examination performance data.