A new study by Reach PLC has named Kingston the number one local authority in England for secondary school performance, putting it at the top of the class out of 294 areas nationwide.

Despite ranking 126^th overall in the national 'Best Places to Live' index, Kingston outshines every other borough when it comes to education.

The rankings, based on data from a wide range of public services and lifestyle indicators, highlights Kingston's excellent educational standards.

Local secondary schools achieved an impressive average Attainment 8 score of 59.1, compared to the national average of 45.9, as well as a Progress 8 score of 0.65, with 0 being the national average.

Attainment 8 and Progress 8 are measures used to assess how well pupils perform in their GCSE's and how much progress they make between primary and secondary school.

These results put Kingston's schools ahead of every other area in the country, reflecting the borough's reputation for educational excellence.

The study found that the borough does well in other areas too.

NHS services rank 25^th nationally, with a media waiting time of 11.4 weeks and 79.8% of residents rating their GP services as 'good'.

Regarding crime, Kingston sits roughly in the middle of the pile, coming in at 124^th out of 294.

The crime rate is 66 per 1,000 people, which is relatively low for London but higher than many suburban areas across the country.

However, one area where Kingston is lagging is access to local amenities.

It ranks 254^th out of 294 nationally, with relatively low numbers of pubs, parks, and community facilities.

There are 40.5 parks and play areas, 38.1 pubs, and 36.4 community facilities per 100,000 people.

Despite this mixed performance, Kingston remains a top destination within the capital, thanks largely to its schools and healthcare services.