Everything you need to know about UK Independent Education

top independent schools

By A Level Results - 2024

There are various criteria to consider when looking for the best school for your child and perhaps the most obvious measure of a school’s success is in their results.  It is important to be aware that there are a number of factors that determine where a school sits in those tables and there will also be other factors to explain why some schools are in and others not. The table below has been compiled through a comparison of a number of well-regarded and reliable sources, including The Times and The Telegraph.


The results reflect the pupils’ performance over all and should not be regarded in isolation.

RankA LEVEL A*/ASchoolGenderRegionBoarding2023 Rank2023 A*/A %Rank Change
190.7Cardiff Sixth Form CollegeCo-edWalesDay, Boarding194.70
289.5St Paul’s SchoolBoysLondonDay, Boarding785.15
388.9St Paul's Girls' SchoolGirlsLondonDay388.10
488.4Westminster SchoolCo-edLondonDay, Boarding984.85
587Brighton CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding1382.48
686.8St Michael’s School LlanelliCo-edWalesDay, Boarding1779.111
786.1King's College School WimbledonCo-edLondonDay1182.84
885North London Collegiate SchoolGirlsLondonDay2676.618
984Guildford High School for GirlsGirlsSouth EastDay685.9-3
984Wycombe Abbey SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding2974.920
1182.2The Godolphin and Latymer SchoolGirlsLondonDay1878.57
1281.9The Perse SchoolCo-edAngliaDay1978.27
1381.4Magdalen College SchoolCo-edSouth EastDay885-5
1481City of London SchoolBoysLondonDay2776.413
1580.8Latymer Upper SchoolCo-edLondonDay2576.710
1580.8Wimbledon High SchoolGirlsLondonDay3571.920
1780.6King Edward VI High School for GirlsGirlsWest MidlandsDay2177.74
1880.1City of London School For GirlsGirlsLondonDay586-13
1979Alleyn's School, DulwichCo-edLondonDay2177.72
2078.5Highgate SchoolCo-edLondonDay1182.8-9
2178Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for GirlsGirlsAngliaDay23772
2277.2Hampton SchoolBoysLondonDay417019
2377Reigate Grammar SchoolCo-edSouth EastDay2476.91
2377St Mary's School AscotGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding676244
2576.8Withington Girls’ SchoolGirlsNorth WestDay3174.36
2676.6Eton CollegeBoysSouth EastBoarding1580.1-11
2776Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ SchoolBoysAngliaDay1481.7-13
2875.4South Hampstead High SchoolGirlsLondonDay3571.97
2975.3Royal Grammar School GuildfordBoysSouth EastDay2876.3-1
3075Bancroft’s SchoolCo-edAngliaDay4768.317
3075James Allen’s Girls’ SchoolGirlsLondonDay1082.9-20
3075The Cathedral SchoolCo-edWalesDay487.4-26
3075Tonbridge SchoolBoysSouth EastDay, Boarding1679.7-14
3474.4University College School, HampsteadCo-edLondonDay5067.916
3574.3Putney High SchoolGirlsLondonDay5965.724
3674Concord CollegeCo-edWest MidlandsDay, Boarding496813
3674St John’s College, CardiffCo-edWalesDay5267.616
3873.3St Albans High School for GirlsGirlsAngliaDay3870.20
3973Kingston Grammar SchoolCo-edLondonDay566617
4072City of London Freemen’s SchoolCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding7460.134
4171.1Merchant Taylors’ SchoolBoysAngliaDay3970.1-2
4271Benenden SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding915749
4271Caterham SchoolCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding756033
4470.4Abingdon SchoolBoysSouth EastDay, Boarding3970.1-5
4570.1Notting Hill and Ealing High SchoolGirlsLondonDay5067.95
4670St Albans SchoolCo-edAngliaDay8259.136
4769.5Cheltenham Ladies’ CollegeGirlsSouth WestDay, Boarding3373.1-14
4769.5Royal Grammar School NewcastleCo-edNorth EastDay3771.1-10
4969.3St Swithun’s SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding7260.823
5069Winchester CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding2077.9-30
5168Eltham CollegeCo-edLondonDay3074.4-21
5267.5Trinity School, CroydonGirlsLondonDay6065.38
5367Francis Holland School - Sloane SquareGirlsLondonDay676214
5367Oundle SchoolCo-edEast MidlandsDay, Boarding666313
5367Radley CollegeBoysSouth EastBoarding676214
5666.8Nottingham High SchoolCo-edEast MidlandsDay8857.632
5766.3Wellington CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding4868.1-9
5865Norwich High School for GirlsGirlsAngliaDay8558.427
5964Ardingly CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding8657.827
6063.7St Helen and St KatharineGirlsSouth EastDay3473-26
6163.2Dulwich CollegeBoysLondonDay, Boarding5666-5
6263Epsom CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding8358.921
6263Oxford High SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay9057.328
6263St Dunstan's CollegeCo-edLondonDay8857.626
6263Walthamstow HallGirlsSouth EastDay9854.836
6662.2The Leys SchoolCo-edAngliaDay, Boarding9256.326
6762St Catherine’s, BramleyGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding7360.36
6762Surbiton High SchoolGirlsLondonDay6065.3-7
6961.5King Edward’s School, BathCo-edSouth WestDay5466.3-15
7061Burgess Hill GirlsGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding8458.514
7160Downe HouseGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding6464-7
7160Ruthin SchoolCo-edWalesDay, Boarding4569.5-26
7359.9Colfe's SchoolCo-edLondonDay8657.813
7359.9The Grange SchoolCo-edNorth WestDay7859.95
7559.5The Abbey School ReadingGirlsSouth EastDay7959.54
7659.4Marlborough CollegeCo-edSouth WestDay, Boarding7560-1
7759Sheffield High School for GirlsGirlsYorks/HumberDay7061.3-7
7759St Mary's CalneGirlsSouth WestDay, Boarding4170-36
7958.3Exeter SchoolCo-edSouth WestDay7061.3-9
8058Howell's School Llandaff GDSTCo-edWalesDay4469.6-36
8157.2Roedean SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding9455.513
8256.9Churcher’s CollegeCo-edSouth EastDay9256.310
8256.9Ibstock Place SchoolCo-edLondonDay9555.213
8455.5Leicester Grammar SchoolCo-edEast MidlandsDay4669.1-38
8555Francis Holland School, Regent’s ParkGirlsLondonDay7560-10
8654.9Bristol Grammar SchoolCo-edSouth WestDay10053.214
8754.8Charterhouse SchoolCo-edSouth EastDay, Boarding96559
8854Canford SchoolCo-edSouth WestDay, Boarding5466.3-34
8953.9Redmaids' High SchoolGirlsSouth WestDay6364.2-26
9053Leicester High School for GirlsGirlsEast MidlandsDay8159.4-9
9053St Helen’s SchoolGirlsLondonDay6265-28
9250.4The Harrodian SchoolCo-edLondonDay5366.7-39
9350Abbey College CambridgeCo-edAngliaDay, Boarding96553
9443Rougemont SchoolCo-edWalesDay5666-38
9525Portsmouth High SchoolGirlsSouth EastDay, Boarding6464-31

If you would like to find out more about these or any other schools, please contact our experts for a free consultation.

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Sioban has been a rock of support and encouragement for us these past few months. We finally accepted - quite late in the day - that our daughter's current school is not the right fit for J. We were overwhelmed with the prospect of finding a new school that could properly support our daughter academically whilst providing the right balance of pastoral care. I underwent extensive research into education consultants and after our first phone call, knew I had found someone I could trust in Sioban. Sioban spent the time getting to know us as a family and more importantly J. as a person and consequently was well positioned to find a school that we believe will help J. thrive academically and help her become a confident young woman. Having been through this process recently myself, I know how daunting the prospect is of putting one's faith in a stranger to manage the future of our most loved one and can hand on heart say we would not be on our road to happiness without Sioban.
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Parent, Kent
I can’t thank you enough for the help you gave me when my daughter was struggling at her school at the time. It was so such a support to me that you listened to the problems we were having and your knowledge about the other schools that were on offer was fantastic. All the organising of visits and talking to the schools about our requirements on our behalf helped us make a very successful informed choice of which school to move to. A. gained the grades she needed to get to the university she wanted which she would not have done without your help and advice to go to a school which she achieved in. She is in her second year at - university studying languages where she has this year achieved a first in German and Dutch and a 2:1 in Russian. Thank you again and I would highly recommend you and the service you provide to anyone looking for a new school.
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Parent, Bermuda
We are from Bermuda and wanted help and guidance both with the process applying for boarding schools in the UK for the 6th form and selecting a suitable school for our son to do his A levels. We had an introductory interview with Sioban, with our son. We left it a little late but Sioban immediately put our mind at ease and guided us seamlessly through the whole process, finding for us a number of excellent schools which were well matched to my son’s abilities and interests and provided invaluable help with liaising with our short-listed choice schools and dealing with their requirements, including personal statements. We felt fortunate to have worked with Sioban, who is very knowledgeable, warm, friendly and caring - she kept in contact well after we had secured a place at a great school just to check up on us - and would highly recommend her to assist anyone looking for help, guidance and reassurance when looking for the ideal school for their child. “.
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Veryan Larmour
Admissions Officer (Lower Sixth entry) at Tonbridge School
Sioban has previously approached Tonbridge and owing to her insight, careful preparation and wisdom as an ex-Headteacher, we were delighted to offer places to her clients. Sioban is always calm, well prepared and most importantly kind. Her candour gives me confidence to work with her, in addition to her perceptive comments and knowledge of which school fits well for each client.
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Lou Wivell
Former Director of Admissions at Kingsley School
I have had the pleasure of working with Sioban for a number of years, since she first started working as an Education Consultant. In that time, Sioban has been thorough and detailed with her knowledge of students that she has recommended to me. She really understands the needs of the child and carefully selects schools that she knows have the relevant support for that child to flourish. Her passion in finding the right school is second to none and she works tirelessly with the families and schools to achieve that aim. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Sioban and I hope to continue working with her in the future.
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Jackie Fisher
Director of Boarding, Lime House School Carlisle
Sioban has introduced a number of students to Lime House School which have resulted in very successful placements. Sioban 's knowledge of the educational system and the ability to place students in suitable establishments is testament to her professionalism and empathy she shows for each of her students. The continued support she offers her students is exceptional: from the initial introductions to the school to leaving the educational establishment and moving on to higher education should that be appropriate. Sioban is always keen to make firm and lasting relationships with any of the education bodies she works with and this is much appreciated by those schools. I have always found Sioban to be honest and hardworking. She is a credit to her profession and has played a pivotal part in the lives of so many students.
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