With the increasing number of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education graduates, there has been a need for more schools to be set up to accommodate them all.
As a result, several private secondary schools that provide the same quality of education as public secondary schools have been established.
So therefore below is a list of the top ten leading secondary schools in Kenya that boast a rich educational heritage, with numerous esteemed secondary schools that foster academic excellence, character development, and leadership skills.
These great secondary schools have consistently produced outstanding students who excel nationally and globally.
These schools offer rigorous academic programs, talented faculty, and supportive environments that nurture students’ growth. In this article, we will be exploring the top 10 leading secondary schools in Kenya.
Read Also: Top 10 Best Secondary Schools in Ghana, 2025
Top 10 best secondary schools in Kenya
1. Light International School LIS
Light International School was opened in the year 2001, offering the International Cambridge curriculum from kindergarten to A-Level.
Light International School also offers Pearson BTEC qualifications, a business option. Having registered excellent results in both O-Level and A-Level, we boast of vibrant alumni who are in high-ranking universities around the World and positively impacting the job market.
Light International School is located in a beautiful, quiet and serene environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
It has spacious classrooms fitted with smart boards and projectors, which are warmly decorated with relevant teaching/learning aids.
In other words, Light International School is a unique culturally diverse school with a mosaic of many colours that exist in a warm harmonious way where everyone finds a place to successfully fit.
2. Brookhurst International Schools
Brookhurst International School is a multicultural, coeducational, progressive, value-based day and boarding school in Kenya.
Brookhurst International School offers the highest standard of British curriculum education from year 1 to A level. The school is notable among Kenya’s international schools for providing a wholesome education for the last 10 years.
Brookhurst International School’s superb campuses are located in the serene environments of Kiserian and Lavington.
The campus hosts numerous learning and extracurricular facilities for its preparatory and high school students. Brookhurst’s Lavington campus is neatly tucked away in the heart of Lavington located in Nairobi County.
Brookhurst offers the British national curriculum that is accredited by Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel. The institution’s curriculum affords students a chance to gain access to leading universities both nationally and worldwide.
3. Chemelil Sugar Academy
Chemelil Sugar Academy is located within the compound of Chemelil Sugar Company in Kisumu County, this academy has both a primary school and a secondary school.
The secondary school, staffed by highly qualified and experienced personnel, has consistently attained very high standards of performance in both KCSE examinations and extra-curricular activities.
Chemelil Sugar Academy is one of the few mixed secondary schools in Kenya that offers a high level of discipline combined with good educational standards.
4. Kianda School
Kianda School therefore is an all-girls private secondary school located in Nairobi County, offering the 844 system of education.
It was started by the Kianda Foundation way back in 1977 and has over the years produced responsible and hardworking women who aim for excellence in all areas of their lives.
This school gives the girls an all-round education, produces good results in national exams, and has sent many of its graduates to universities in Kenya and all over the world.
5. Light Academy
Although Light Academy has not been in existence as many of the other private schools, it has managed to produce an excellent crop of students who have made a mark locally and internationally.
The academy has several branches in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Malindi. The 844 boys’ secondary schools in Karen, Nairobi County, and Mombasa County produce academically competent individuals who not only excel in examinations but are also morally upright and socially responsible members of society.
All students who get the opportunity to study through the Light Academy institutions leave with the values of integrity, leadership, honour, and trustworthiness firmly attached to them.
6. Sunshine Secondary School
Sunshine Secondary School is a boys’ boarding secondary school located in Nairobi County, opposite Wilson Airport.
The institution was established in 1995 by retired President Daniel Arap Moi. At the time of its inception, there was a high demand for boy’s boarding facilities in Nairobi.
Currently, this school features in the top ten schools yearly in the KSCE examinations.
Sunshine aims to be the leading Christian institution in Africa, instilling in its students values that contribute to sound character formation, and giving them motivation for academic excellence.
7. Wamy High School
Wamy High School is currently one of the best Islamic schools in Kenya. It is located in Nairobi County and is a mixed-day school that offers an integrated 844 curriculum (a combination of Secular and Islamic curriculum).
Since its inception, this school together with the primary school has continued to produce students who achieve academic excellence in national examinations.
Wamy High School aims to mould its students into responsible citizens with good morals through its holistic quality education based on Islamic values.
8. Mary Mother of Grace Boys’ Secondary School
Mary Mother of Grace Boys’ Secondary School is located in Rumuruti, in Laikipia County.
This institution is sponsored by the Catholic Church and was founded in 1990 by Father Guiliano Gorini. Under Father Gorini’s leadership, this school has given several boys from the local community an opportunity to pursue secondary education.
In other words, the culture of oneness and academic excellence that thrives within this school has led to excellent results in the KCSE examinations over the years.
Moreover, Mr. Paul Mbatia, the school’s physics teacher, has emerged as the best physics teacher countrywide for two years in a row.
9. Pioneer High School
Pioneer High School is a private boys’ boarding secondary school located in Maragua, in Muranga County.
Pioneer High School attracts top achievers who are looking for a challenging environment that pushes learners to their academic limits.
This school is also an ideal choice for students who are interested in aviation training, as it is one of the few schools in Kenya that integrates aviation into its curriculum.
10. Anestar Precious Girls’ Secondary School
Anestar Precious Girls Secondary School is a private girls’ day school that is part of a consortium of high-performing schools that includes Anestar Boys’ High School.
Anestar Precious Girls Secondary School is located in Lanet, in Nakuru County.
This institution offers the 844 curricula, and consistently produces good results in the KCSE examinations, currently outshining its brother school, Anestar Boys, Located only three kilometres from where the original school was established, this school provides accessible, good quality education for students from Nakuru town.
Conclusion
Kenya’s top secondary schools have set high standards for academic excellence, leadership, and character development. Institutions like Light International School, Mary Mother of Grace Boys’ Secondary School, Sunshine Secondary School and others being highlighted have consistently produced outstanding students who excel nationally and globally.
These secondary schools’ commitment to nurturing young minds and fostering a culture of excellence has yielded remarkable results.
Their impact extends beyond academics, shaping future leaders and citizens. In addition, Kenya’s best secondary schools serve as models for educational excellence, inspiring future generations to strive for greatness.
