Trinity Mirror has published a comprehensive guide to secondary schools in England and Wales in ten of its titles.

The publisher’s data unit has used 21 measures compiled from publicly-available data to rank hundreds of schools.

The results was published as a supplement in ten of the group’s titles on Saturday.

They were: the Manchester Evening News, Wales Daily Post, Western Mail, South Wales Echo, Newcastle Chronicle, The Journal, Teesside Evening Gazette, Birmingham Mail, Coventry Telegraph and Liverpool Echo.

Trinity says its ranking system gives a “more sophisticated” evaulation of schools than the government’s national league tables which only look at GCSE results.

As well as results, the TM rankings take into account factors like attendance, ratio of teachers to pupils and the health of the school’s finances.

A press statement today said:  “National league tables only look at GCSE results – which may mean schools that help all pupils make progress across several areas beyond results are overlooked.

“The Trinity Mirror ranking system aims to give a far more sophisticated evaluation of schools – and to provide parents with a better idea of which schools will help their child prosper, no matter what their background, at a time of the year when they are selecting a school for their child.”

Andy Jones, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University said “This is bound to be of great interest to parents and the general public.

“I think the range of data you are using gives a far more comprehensive view of a school’s performance than the national league tables.”