The Independent Sixth Form Colleges who published A Level Exam Grades for Summer 2011

It is more difficult to rank 6th form colleges than independent schools, because many of them do not release their results or they provide them in inconsistent formats. For this table, we have used the results (audited and unaudited) of those colleges, which are prepared to publicise them. We have simply taken the percentage of total A level entries, which were grades A or B. Some colleges would argue that A level resits should be excluded, but most of those were taken in January anyway and perversely their inclusion can sometimes depress the overall average grades. We have not included GCSEs because many colleges do not offer them or focus either on resits or short term GCSE courses. Some colleges are very selective on entry criteria whereas others may specialise in taking students with previous poor exam performance in order to transform their results. Thus you may need to ask colleges about their added value performance.

Please be aware that exam success is only one criterion in the search for a sixth form college. You are encouraged to read our free downloadable eGuide on how to select an independent sixth form college.

  A + B % Name Day / Board Boy / Girl Day £ Board £
1 98.06 Cardiff Sixth Form College Both Co ed 12,000 21,000
2 92.29 Concord College - Shrewsbury Both Co-ed 11,700 26,550
3 88.30 Albemarle Independent College - London Day Co-ed 15,990 NA
4 85.40 Hurtwood House - Dorking Both Co-ed NA 33,600
5 84.38 Abbey College - Cambridge Both Co-ed 19,900 29,400
6 83.78 D'Overbroeck's College - Oxford Both Co-ed 18,525 28,050
7 82.71 Chelsea Independent College Both Co-ed NA NA
8 82.11 Cambridge Tutors College - Croydon Both Co-ed 16,650 NA
9 80.73 Brampton College - Hendon Day Co-ed 14,185 NA
10 80.10 Duff Miller College - London Day Co-ed NA NA
11 80.00 Mander Portman Woodward - Cambridge Day Co-ed NA NA
11 = 80.00 Albion College Both Co-ed NA NA
13 77.80 Bosworth Independent College - Northamptonshire Both Co-ed NA NA
14 77.04 Fine Arts College Hampstead Day Co ed NA NA
15 76.00 Abbey College - London Both Co-ed 16,800 NA
16 73.00 Mander Portman Woodward Independent College - Birmingham Day Co-ed NA NA
17 71.15 Welbeck - Loughborough Boarding Co-ed NA NA
18 69.23 Padworth College - Reading Both Co-ed 11,850 24,900
19 63.26 CATS Cambridge Both Co-ed 20,625 30,615
20 62.80 Ealing Independent College Day Co-ed NA NA
21 62.00 Abbey College - Manchester Both Co-ed 15,500 NA
22 60.70 Abbey College - Birmingham Both Co-ed 12,850 25,200
23 59.80 Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College - London Both Co-ed 18,900 NA
24 57.61 Rochester Independent College Both Co-ed 13,500 25,176
25 57.42 Davies Laing & Dick - London Day Co-ed 16,800 NA
26 56.00 Oxford International College Both Co-ed NA NA
27 55.19 David Game College - London Both Co-ed 13,000 NA
28 53.05 Worksop College Both Co-ed 15,345 23,520
29 50.55 Cambridge Centre For Sixth Form Studies Both Co-ed 17,304 28,899
  • Hurtwood House Top Banner
  • Lansdowne
  • Duff Miller College
  • Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College
  • CCSS
  • Hurtwood House Small
  • Albemarle Independent College
  • Davies Laing & Dick College
  • Oxford Tutorial College
  • Rochester College
  • Best Value College
  • Chelsea Independent College
  • Sussex Barnhouse
  • Cardiff Sixth Form College