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:
5. Brampton Manor Academy
Up from 10th place last year, Brampton Manor is a secondary school with a selective sixth form in the Newham borough, East London. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 49.67 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
6. Colchester Royal Grammar School
This is a selective Christian boys’ secondary school in Colchester, Essex, with a mixed sixth form. Although a past Ofsted inspection raised concerns about serious weaknesses, monitoring visits since found school leaders were taking effective action. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 49.64 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
7. Pate’s Grammar School
Again up from 11th place last year, Pate’s is a secondary grammar school and sixth form in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It is selective, meaning prospective pupils have to pass a test or meet certain criteria to get in. In the 2023/24 academic year, it had an A Level point score of 49.57 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google
8. London Academy of Excellence
The London Academy of Excellence is up from 14th place last year. It is a sixth form college in the Newham borough, East London, and is a free school - although it is affiliated with a number of prestigious private schools like Eton College. 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 49.49 - giving it an average grade of A. | Google