The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide
The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide is the UK’s most trusted resource for parents seeking the very best in education. Celebrating academic excellence, creativity, and achievement, it highlights schools that deliver exceptional results and inspiring environments for pupils to thrive.
Award Overview
The definitive guide to the UK’s best schools
The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide is the trusted resource for parents seeking the very best in education for their children. Celebrating academic excellence and outstanding achievement, this guide highlights schools across the UK that consistently deliver exceptional results and provide an inspiring environment for students to thrive.
From renowned independents to top-performing state schools, The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide offers a comprehensive overview of the institutions setting the standard in education. It’s not just about grades – the guide also recognises schools for their commitment to fostering creativity, character, and ambition in every pupil.
Benefits of Participation
Inclusion in The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide delivers both reputational and practical advantages
Prestige &
RecognitionInclusion in the guide affirms your school’s status as one of the UK’s leading educational institutions, highlighting excellence in academic and holistic achievement.
Marketing
AdvantageFeatured schools may license the official Good Schools Guide logo, a trusted symbol of quality to display across prospectuses, websites, and admissions materials.
National
VisibilityCoverage in The Sunday Times provides a high-profile platform to showcase your school’s strengths to parents, students, and the wider community.
Trust &
ConfidenceIndependent recognition from one of the UK’s most respected publications reassures parents and guardians, strengthening confidence in their school choice.
Award Categories
The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide recognises excellence across both State and Independent schools regionally for categories including:
- Independent School of the Year – National
- Independent School of the Year – Regional
- Independent Preparatory School of the Decade
- Independent Secondary School of the Year
- Schools Ranked First for Academic Performance
- Top Schools by Academic Excellence
- Comprehensive School of the Year
- State Primary School of the Year
- State Secondary School of the Year
- State Secondary School of the Year
How to Enter
The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide is editorially curated and data-driven — schools do not pay to enter. Inclusion is based on published performance data and editorial assessment.
- Data submission: Schools are evaluated using publicly available exam results and performance indicators, along with additional context where appropriate.
- Editorial review: The Sunday Times editorial team analyses academic outcomes and considers wider factors such as value added, student experience, and whole-child development.
- Verification: Schools may be contacted to clarify information or provide further details to ensure accuracy.
- Ranking & publication: Eligible schools are ranked within league tables and profiled in the annual Good Schools Guide supplement.
- Logo licensing: Schools featured in the guide may license the official Good Schools Guide logo for use in prospectuses, marketing, and admissions campaigns.
Request access to this award
Congratulations on being listed in The Sunday Times Good Schools Guide.
To celebrate and maximise your success, we are delighted to offer a special marketing package which consists of the official awards logo.
Please complete the form to request access to logo license options. Your request will be reviewed by our team and if approved, you will receive a notification with access details via email. If you do not receive a notification within 24 hours, please call us on 020 7711 7826.