AN Oxford independent school has been named as the best co-educational establishment in the country.

But state secondary and primary schools in Oxfordshire have failed to make it into league tables showing the top 100 in Britain.

Magdalen College School in Cowley Place, East Oxford, was named in The Sunday Times Schools Guide as fourth best independent school in Britain.

It is the top co-educational school after all-girls’ schools took the top three places.

There were five independent schools across the county which were named in the top 100.

Other independent schools in Oxfordshire to make it on to the list were St Helen and St Katharine in Abingdon in 24th place, while Oxford High School was 31st, Abingdon School was 51st, and Headington School was 82nd.

Magdalen College School master Dr Tim Hands said he was pleased, but was not a fan of league tables.

He said: “I know this sounds like a false kind of pitch but I really take less and less interest in the tables.

“The reason is that we are measured on part of the schools’ output and they don’t necessarily measure it very accurately.

“Many schools are fortunate and have very able pupils, whereas some don’t have such able pupils.

“Every league table is different as well. For example, in the Department for Education table we were 361st because of the way it is judged.

“However, I am very pleased. Particularly because it showed we have the highest results for A-Levels, which must be a very well done to the pupils and the teachers.”

Dr Hands added that Oxfordshire has a higher proportion of independent schools across the county in comparison to the national average, which could explain why there was a high number of county schools in the league table.

This summer a record 47 pupils from Magdalen College School got into Oxford or Cambridge universities, meaning more than a third were off to Oxbridge.

But no state secondary or primary schools in Oxfordshire made it into the top 100 of their respective lists.

Sue Croft, headteacher at Oxford Spires Academy in Glanville Road, East Oxford, said: “It means we have to step up and make sure that in the next couple of years all the Oxford city schools should be working really hard to get up into these leagues.

“The thing is, you have a selective system against a non-selective system, so schools can choose what students go to the school and you can get better results, even if there isn’t necessarily better teaching.”

“There are some very good schools in Oxfordshire, exam results are improving, and I do think there are going to be improvements across the city,” Ms Croft added.