A Levels are important, with the grades young people get on them opening doors in their life after school.
Now the schools whose sixth form students really shone in the last school year can be named. The government’s latest performance figures for state-funded schools after the 2024 summer exam season were a little delayed this time around, with secondary school performance data only going live until December. Primary school data came next, and on Thursday (February 13), performance data for sixth form schools and colleges has finally been released.
We’ve created a league table of the best-performing state-funded secondary schools and sixth form colleges across England based on this brand new results data. They have been ranked by their A Level performance point scores, a unique measurement derived from students’ A Level results that gives them a score out of 60. The overall ‘average grades’ their students achieved across their A Level entries have also been included.
For the most part, schools on the list also had an overall Ofsted rating of ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ before this measure was dropped last month, or if they’ve been inspected more recently, had at least ‘good’ grades across the board. This means that the quality of education provided, student behaviour and attitudes, school leadership and management, and student safeguarding all met or exceeded government standards last time the school had a full inspection. Any that did not meet this criteria have been specified.
Here were the 21 state schools that topped the performance charts last year:
13. Reading School
This is a selective boys’ secondary school and sixth form in Reading, Berkshire. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 49.14 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
14. King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
This is a selective secondary school and sixth form in Chelmsford, Essex, which has risen up from 18th place last year with a noticeably higher A Level point score. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 49.02 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
15. Exeter Mathematics School
Another specialist sixth form college for mathematics, this one is in Exeter, Devon, with ties to both Exeter College and the University of Exeter. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 48.71 - a significant jump from last year - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
16. Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre
This is a sixth form college in Newham, East London, affiliated with University College London. Prospective students need to do exceptionally well on their GCSEs to get in. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 48.66 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
17. Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
Heading up north, this selective girls’ school in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, has leapt up from 24th place last year. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 48.39 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
18. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
This is a selective Christian girls’ school in Birmingham, in the West Midlands. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 48.35 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google