A Kent secondary has been named the best in the country for the International Baccalaureate.

Tonbridge Grammar School achieved the accolade in a top guide for parents which has been released today.

The UK’s highest-achieving secondary schools are ranked by the first true set of post-pandemic examination results in the 31st edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide.

It includes a national database of more than 1,000 schools, which can be searched by name, local authority, town and postcode.

There are live links to school websites as well as the most recent inspection reports.

Tonbridge Grammar in Deakin Leas teaches girls aged 11 to 16, with a mixed sixth form.

Instead of A-Levels, students study the International Baccalaureate (IB). It involves two languages, social sciences, experimental sciences and mathematics.

For the Parent Power National Awards, it was named International Baccalaureate School of the Year.

The grammar was also ranked as the third top state secondary in the southeast. Its national rank this year is 16th.

Dartford Grammar School came just below this, being fourth on the list for the southeast and 19th overall.

Tonbridge School came second as one of the best independents, with Sevenoaks School fifth.

Helen Davies, editor of Parent Power, said: “The educational landscape continues to be challenging across both the state and independent sectors, and this is the first true assessment of post-pandemic exam results.

“We believe these rankings – and all the additional information on offer in Parent Power – provide parents with a more reliable guide to academic achievement in schools today.

“The guide showcases academic excellence but also celebrates schools who may not be right at the top but are rising, innovating and helping pupils flourish.

“Being a teenager is hard enough, and the past few years since Covid have made life even harder. It is heartening to highlight the achievements of so many students and schools across the UK.

“This year Parent Power includes details on extracurricular clubs, wellbeing initiatives and school lunch menus – chicken katsu seems to be the dish of the day.”

The guide is available online from today (December 1) and as a print supplement with The Sunday Times on Sunday (December 3).