Barnet’s best secondary schools 2025

Trying to find the right school for your child in Barnet? You’re in the right place.

With so many options, many parents find themselves drowning in league tables and Ofsted reports. That’s exactly why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our expert team has analysed the latest 2023/2024 Department for Education data to bring you a list of the top-performing state secondary schools in Barnet.

We show two ranking tables, one for Progress 8 and one for GCSE 9–7 results, and also provide a complete list of all secondary schools in Barnet. This full list includes Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 percentages, and Ofsted ratings where available. The schools in this table are ordered alphabetically rather than ranked, so you can easily see every school in one place, even if some data points are missing.

Top secondary schools in Barnet by Progress 8

Menorah High School for Girls in Cricklewood is currently ranked #1 in Barnet based on its published Progress 8 score of +1.58. Progress 8 is a headline accountability measure used by the Department for Education to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, compared to students with similar prior attainment nationally.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1Menorah High School for GirlsVoluntary aided schoolGirls+1.58Good57.41%
2The Totteridge AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+1.32Good38.08%
3Queen Elizabeth's School, BarnetAcademy converterBoys+1.22Outstanding94.77%
4Hasmonean High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+1.21Good51.74%
5The Henrietta Barnett SchoolAcademy converterGirls+1.09Good96.54%
6St Michael's Catholic Grammar SchoolVoluntary aided schoolGirls+0.98Outstanding78.93%
7JCoSSVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.97Good47.69%
8Finchley Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolBoys+0.94Good43.72%
9Wren Academy FinchleyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.85Outstanding36.51%
10Ashmole AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.85Good45.29%
11London AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.74Good18.09%
12Queen Elizabeth's Girls' SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.74Good35.53%
13The Compton SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.73Outstanding33.35%
14Christ's College FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.7Good31.15%
15Hasmonean High School for BoysAcademy converterBoys+0.7Good39.12%
16The Archer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.61Outstanding41.11%
17Ark Pioneer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.57Outstanding27.9%
18Copthall SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.44Good21.85%
19Whitefield SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.44Good21.36%
20Bishop Douglass School FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.43Good26.11%
21St Mary's and St John's CofE SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good26.94%
22Saracens High SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.42Good25.7%
23St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.4Good20.62%
24St James' Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.32Good23.38%
25Mill Hill County High SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.24Good34.96%
26East Barnet SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.16Good26.94%
27Friern Barnet SchoolCommunity schoolMixed0Good18.29%
28Hendon SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.13Good19.46%
29Oak Hill SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-2.37Good0%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

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Top secondary schools in Barnet by GCSE % 9–7

The Henrietta Barnett School in Hampstead Garden Suburb is currently ranked #1 in Barnet based on the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7. This measure highlights how many pupils achieve the very top exam results, giving a clear picture of each school’s academic excellence.

RankSchool nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
1The Henrietta Barnett SchoolAcademy converterGirls+1.09Good96.54%
2Queen Elizabeth's School, BarnetAcademy converterBoys+1.22Outstanding94.77%
3St Michael's Catholic Grammar SchoolVoluntary aided schoolGirls+0.98Outstanding78.93%
4Mill Hill School FoundationOther independent schoolMixed--58.48%
5Menorah High School for GirlsVoluntary aided schoolGirls+1.58Good57.41%
6The King Alfred SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--52.94%
7Hasmonean High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+1.21Good51.74%
8JCoSSVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.97Good47.69%
9Ashmole AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.85Good45.29%
10North London Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--45.1%
11Finchley Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolBoys+0.94Good43.72%
12Tiferes High SchoolOther independent schoolGirls--42.61%
13The Archer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.61Outstanding41.11%
14Hasmonean High School for BoysAcademy converterBoys+0.7Good39.12%
15The Totteridge AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+1.32Good38.08%
16Wren Academy FinchleyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.85Outstanding36.51%
17Queen Elizabeth's Girls' SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.74Good35.53%
18Shiras Devorah High SchoolOther independent schoolGirls--35.34%
19Mill Hill County High SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.24Good34.96%
20The Compton SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.73Outstanding33.35%
21Christ's College FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.7Good31.15%
22Beth Jacob Grammar School for GirlsOther independent schoolGirls--29.6%
23Ark Pioneer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.57Outstanding27.9%
24East Barnet SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.16Good26.94%
25St Mary's and St John's CofE SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good26.94%
26Bishop Douglass School FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.43Good26.11%
27Saracens High SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.42Good25.7%
28WENTWORTH COLLEGEOther independent schoolMixed--24.73%
29Menorah Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--24.23%
30Mount House SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--23.53%
31St James' Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.32Good23.38%
32Copthall SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.44Good21.85%
33Whitefield SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.44Good21.36%
34St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.4Good20.62%
35Hendon SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.13Good19.46%
36Friern Barnet SchoolCommunity schoolMixed0Good18.29%
37London AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.74Good18.09%
38Pardes House Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--11.19%
39Beis Medrash ElyonOther independent schoolBoys--8.47%
40The Holmewood SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed--4.76%
41Oak Hill SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-2.37Good0%
42Brampton CollegeOther independent schoolMixed--0%
43Orange Tree SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed--0%
44Susi Earnshaw Theatre SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--0%

Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.

Source

All secondary schools in Barnet

Below is the complete list of secondary schools in Barnet, including both state-funded and independent schools where data is available. This table provides an at-a-glance view of each school’s key performance metrics, including Progress 8 scores, the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7, and Ofsted ratings, where published.

School nameTypeGenderProgress 8Ofsted ratingGCSE 9-7%
Ark Pioneer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.57Outstanding27.9%
Ashmole AcademyAcademy converterMixed+0.85Good45.29%
Beis Medrash ElyonOther independent schoolBoys--8.47%
Beth Jacob Grammar School for GirlsOther independent schoolGirls--29.6%
Bishop Douglass School FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.43Good26.11%
Brampton CollegeOther independent schoolMixed--0%
Christ's College FinchleyAcademy converterMixed+0.7Good31.15%
Copthall SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.44Good21.85%
Dwight School LondonOther independent schoolMixed---
East Barnet SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.16Good26.94%
Finchley Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolBoys+0.94Good43.72%
Friern Barnet SchoolCommunity schoolMixed0Good18.29%
Hasmonean High School for BoysAcademy converterBoys+0.7Good39.12%
Hasmonean High School for GirlsAcademy converterGirls+1.21Good51.74%
Hendon SchoolAcademy converterMixed-0.13Good19.46%
JCoSSVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.97Good47.69%
Kisharon SchoolFree schools specialMixed-Good-
London AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.74Good18.09%
Lubavitch Senior Boys SchoolOther independent schoolBoys---
Lubavitch Yeshiva Ketanah of LondonOther independent schoolBoys---
Mapledown SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Good-
Menorah Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--24.23%
Menorah High School for GirlsVoluntary aided schoolGirls+1.58Good57.41%
Mill Hill County High SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.24Good34.96%
Mill Hill School FoundationOther independent schoolMixed--58.48%
Mount House SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--23.53%
North London Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--45.1%
Northway SchoolCommunity special schoolMixed-Outstanding-
Oak Hill SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-2.37Good0%
Oak Lodge SchoolAcademy special converterMixed-Outstanding-
Orange Tree SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed--0%
Pardes House Grammar SchoolOther independent schoolBoys--11.19%
Queen Elizabeth's Girls' SchoolAcademy converterGirls+0.74Good35.53%
Queen Elizabeth's School, BarnetAcademy converterBoys+1.22Outstanding94.77%
Saracens High SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.42Good25.7%
Shiras Devorah High SchoolOther independent schoolGirls--35.34%
St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox SchoolFree schoolsMixed+0.4Good20.62%
St James' Catholic High SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.32Good23.38%
St Mary's and St John's CofE SchoolVoluntary aided schoolMixed+0.43Good26.94%
St Michael's Catholic Grammar SchoolVoluntary aided schoolGirls+0.98Outstanding78.93%
Susi Earnshaw Theatre SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--0%
Talmud Torah Tiferes ShlomoOther independent schoolBoys---
The Archer AcademyFree schoolsMixed+0.61Outstanding41.11%
The Compton SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.73Outstanding33.35%
The Henrietta Barnett SchoolAcademy converterGirls+1.09Good96.54%
The Holmewood SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed--4.76%
The King Alfred SchoolOther independent schoolMixed--52.94%
The London MechinaOther independent schoolBoys---
The Totteridge AcademyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+1.32Good38.08%
The Windmill SchoolFree schools specialMixed---
Tiferes High SchoolOther independent schoolGirls--42.61%
WENTWORTH COLLEGEOther independent schoolMixed--24.73%
Whitefield SchoolAcademy converterMixed+0.44Good21.36%
Woodside SchoolOther independent special schoolMixed---
Wren Academy FinchleyAcademy sponsor ledMixed+0.85Outstanding36.51%

Source

Disclaimer

All data on this page is sourced from the Department for Education’s 2023/2024 Compare School Performance dataset. It includes state-funded and, where available, independent secondary schools. Some schools may be missing data for Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 results, or Ofsted ratings due to unpublished or unavailable figures. Rankings are based only on schools with published data and may not reflect recent changes. Please check school websites for the latest information.

How we ranked the best schools in Barnet?

Why trust our rankings? Our analysis is based on the latest 2023/2024 data from the Department for Education’s Compare School Performance (CSP) database, which publishes official performance data for all secondary schools in England, including both state-funded and independent schools where available.

We’ve created separate tables to highlight top performers in three key areas:

  • Progress 8 (pupil progress from KS2 to GCSE)
  • GCSE 9–7 grades (academic excellence)
  • Overall school listings, with available Ofsted ratings

Schools are primarily ranked by their Progress 8 score. This clever metric doesn’t just reward schools with high-attaining intakes – it highlights the ones that genuinely support student growth by measuring progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs. It adjusts for prior attainment, making it one of the fairest ways to compare schools.

Where available, we also show the percentage of GCSE grades at 9–7 to reflect high academic achievement, and Ofsted ratings for added context. All figures come directly from CSP’s official dataset.

Where Progress 8 data is not available for any schools in Barnet, the corresponding table will not be shown. This simply means that no schools in this area had published Progress 8 scores at the time of the latest dataset, it does not reflect on the quality of the schools themselves.

How to support your child at home

Helping your child succeed at school doesn’t just happen in the classroom, the right support at home can make a big difference. Encourage a regular study routine, provide a quiet space for learning, and take an interest in what they’re covering in lessons. Even small actions, like checking in on homework or discussing what they learned that day, can build motivation and accountability.

If you’re looking for extra structure, our GCSE Revision Resources are designed to make studying easier. With expert-written notes, topic-by-topic exam questions, and mark schemes, your child can practise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it.

Boosting confidence before exams

Confidence can make a huge difference to exam performance. Start by helping your child identify their strengths and weaknesses, then focus revision time on areas that need improvement. Practising under timed conditions can reduce exam-day nerves, while celebrating small wins along the way builds self-belief.

Our GCSE Exam Practice pages include hundreds of past-paper style questions and worked solutions, so students can walk into their exams knowing exactly what to expect. By building familiarity with the question styles and formats, they’ll feel prepared and ready to perform at their best.

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FAQs - best secondary schools in Barnet

Based on the latest Department for Education CSP data, the highest-rated secondary school in Barnet is Menorah High School for Girls by Progress 8 and The Henrietta Barnett School by GCSE 9–7 results. In the case of an exact tie across these measures, the first school in alphabetical order is shown here. For full details and to compare all schools, please refer to the performance tables above.
No. This guide covers state-funded secondary schools only, including grammar, comprehensive, academy, and free schools. Independent/private schools are not included in our rankings.
Applications are usually managed by Barnet local authority. You can find deadlines, admissions policies, and catchment area maps on the council’s official website.
Use Ofsted inspection reports, the Department for Education’s CSP performance tables, and our rankings to compare schools side by side. Visit schools during open days for first-hand impressions.
A Progress 8 score above 0 means students make better progress than the national average. Scores above +0.5 indicate well above average progress, while top-performing secondary schools typically achieve +0.7 or higher. The best schools in Barnet consistently score above +0.8.

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