The Sunday Times has published its annual list of top performing schools.

In the top ten list of Wales' state schools there are two newcomers.

The highest-ranked is Radyr Comprehensive School in Cardiff, which sits in third place in Wales.

Results are strong with 67.7% of entries attaining A* to B at A-level, while at GCSE 32.1% of entries gained A* or A grades, a higher score than Wales’ top performing state school overall, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, also in Cardiff.

However, top place in the GCSE stakes goes to the Bishop of Llandaff, another Cardiff school, where exactly 40% of all GCSE entries returned the top two grades.

Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay, is the second new entry to this year’s Welsh state school top 10. It ranks 9th with just under two-thirds of all A-levels sat this summer securing A*, A or B grades.

Credit: PA

The list of the top 2,000 state and independent schools is compiled using the latest academic results and includes links to schools’ most recent inspection reports.

The rankings in the secondary school league tables are determined by the percentage of examination entries gaining A* to B grades at A-level this summer and the percentage of entries returning A* and A grades at GCSE.

The top ten state secondary schools in the Wales

1 Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, Cardiff - UK rank 182 (2015 - 254)

2 Bishop of Llandaff, Cardiff - UK rank 190 (2015 - 223)

3 Radyr Comprehensive, Cardiff - UK rank 192

4 Cowbridge Comprehensive - UK rank 233 (2015 - 264)

5 Crickhowell High - UK rank 245 (2015 - 235)

6 Ysgol Y Preseli, Crymych - UK rank 253 (2015 - 318)

7 Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen - UK rank 255 (2015 - 229)

8 Builth Wells High - UK rank 285 (2015 - 316)

9 Ysgol Eirias, Colwyn Bay - UK Rank 287

10 Olchfa School, Swansea - UK rank 357 (2015 - 304)

The definitive guide, which can be found at: www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower