The Maynard School has scooped a prestigious award in a competition run by Journal publisher Archant to find unsung heroes

The Maynard School has been crowned best day school at the Archant Good Schools Show Awards.

The awards were launched earlier this year in a bid to highlight those successful schools and unsung heroes, striving to make a difference.

People were invited to vote online in one of 10 catagories, including best head teacher and best school dinner.

The prestigious Archant awards were presented by Tom Parker Bowles at Olympia, in London, as part of the Archant Good Schools Show.

Archant publishes the Exmouth Journal and its sister newspaper, the Exmouth Herald.

Maynard School headmistress Bee Hughes said the school was ‘thrilled and delighted’ to have been voted as one of the top day schools in the country.

She said: “This fantastic achievement is testament to our outstanding staff who enable young women to meet challenges with confidence and reach their full potential.

“I would like to thank everyone who voted for us. We shall continue to offer an excellent experience in every respect for all our students.”

The school was ranked as the highest performing independent school in Devon and Cornwall in The Telegraph’s results league tables.

In 2011, 90 per cent of A-Level students and 95 per cent of GCSE students gained A*, A or B grades.