The UK’s 10 best private schools, according to 2024 A-level results

If you’re going to pay thousands of pounds for your child’s education, you’re going to want the best of the best. But more cash doesn’t always equal more quality, as revealed by the Telegraph’s guide to the top fee-paying schools in the country, as ranked by the percentage of students who achieved As and A*s in their A-levels.

The surprising part is that many of the country’s most famous private colleges, including Eton, Harrow, and Cheltenham Ladies, are nowhere to be found in the top 10. Instead, taking the top spot was Cardiff Sixth Form College, where nearly 91 percent of students received top grades, which is pretty impressive. At only £24,100 a year in tuition, it’s cheaper than many schools further down the list. What a steal.

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In second place by a small margin was Westminster School, with 87 percent achieving As. Although it is second on paper, it is a bigger school, so a larger number actually got those coveted marks back. However, it’s also nearly £10,000 more expensive a year so you know, pros and cons. You can read more about London’s schools in the Telegraph ranking here.

In third was St Michael’s School, which was incredibly unlucky in that it only missed out on second by 0.2 percent. 86.4 of their entrants came out of education with ideal grades, despite their much smaller intake. A year at St Michael’s will set you back only £15,000 – an absolute bargain in these terms. 

Here’s the full ranking of the country’s top ten private schools according to percentage of students who got at least one A at A level:

The UK’s best private schools by 2024 A-level results

1. Cardiff Sixth Form College: 90.7 percent
2. Westminster School: 87.0 percent
3. St Michael’s School: 86.8 percent
4. Brighton College: 86.4 percent
5. King’s College School, Wimbledon: 86.1 percent
6. Queen Ethelburga’s College: 84.4 percent
7. Guildford High School: 82.7 percent
8. Wycombe Abbey: 82.4 percent
9. The National Mathematics and Science College: 82.2 percent
10. The Perse School: 81.4 percent

You can have a look at the full list, including more stats about each institute, on the Telegraph here.

Higher education with Time Out

So you’ve got your As, but where to now? If you’re stuck choosing a uni, why not check out what the Academic Ranking of World Universities thinks are the best UK unis, this is what QS named the best universities in the country for 2025 and here’s what real students ranked the UK’s best unis for student satisfaction. Plus, these are the UK uni courses with the highest-paid graduates. 

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