Key Facts
| Measure | Average point score per A level entry (DfE 16 to 18 performance data) |
|---|---|
| Data year | 2024/25 (final) |
| Schools ranked | 7 |
| Highest figure | The Queen's School, 47.59 (A-) |
| Area covered | Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington, Halton |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
On the latest DfE performance tables, the best private schools in Cheshire for A level results start with The Queen's School in Chester at 47.59, followed by The King's School in Chester at 46.48, The Grange School in Northwich at 45.39 and The King's School In Macclesfield at 45.05. Seven schools are ranked, all on one measure: the average point score per A level entry in the Department for Education's performance tables.
Each entry is scored as A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40 and C = 30, and the grade beside each figure is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average, with the number of A level students shown so you can see how many results sit behind it. Schools on the same figure would share a rank, though none do here.
Which private schools in Cheshire have the best A level results?
| Rank | School | Town | A level average point score | Average grade | A level students | Pupils | Day or boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Queen's School | Chester | 47.59 | A- | 35 | Girls | Day |
| 2 | The King's School | Chester | 46.48 | A- | 107 | Co-educational | Day |
| 3 | The Grange School | Northwich | 45.39 | A- | 77 | Co-educational | Day |
| 4 | The King's School In Macclesfield | Macclesfield | 45.05 | A- | 76 | Co-educational | Day |
| 5 | Alderley Edge School for Girls | Alderley Edge | 36.21 | B- | 26 | Girls | Day |
| 6 | The Hammond | Chester | 34.00 | C+ | 10 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 7 | Abbey Gate College | Chester | 33.73 | C+ | 41 | Co-educational | Day |
The figures run from 47.59 at The Queen's School down to 33.73 at Abbey Gate College, and the table splits into two groups. Ranks 1 to 4 sit between 47.59 and 45.05, all graded A-, whilst the figures fall to 36.21 at rank 5, Alderley Edge School for Girls, graded B-. Ranks 6 and 7, The Hammond at 34.00 and Abbey Gate College at 33.73, are graded C+ and sit closest to each other.
Girls' schools occupy two places, The Queen's School at rank 1 and Alderley Edge School for Girls at rank 5, and no boys-only school is ranked. The other five are co-educational, from The King's School in Chester at rank 2 to Abbey Gate College at rank 7. Six of the seven are day schools; The Hammond, at rank 6, is the only one listed as day and boarding.
Cohort sizes differ sharply, from 107 A level students at The King's School in Chester to 10 at The Hammond. The Grange School (77) and The King's School In Macclesfield (76) have similar numbers, as do The Queen's School (35) and Alderley Edge School for Girls (26) at the smaller end. An average built on 10 students tends to move more with each individual result than one built on 107, so the smaller cohorts are best read with that in mind.
Entry points and fees at the ranked Cheshire schools
Fees and entry points vary widely across the ranking, so the table below sets them side by side for the schools with an admissions guide on this site; each figure comes from the school's own website and carries the academic year it applies to.
| School | Entry points | Day fees per term | Fees year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The King's School | 7+, 11+, 16+ | £6,826 (incl. VAT) | 2026/27 |
| The King's School In Macclesfield | £6,582 | 2026/27 | |
| Abbey Gate College | 7+, 11+, 13+, 16+ | £6,907 (incl. VAT) | 2026/27 |
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Enquire about this tutorWhich Cheshire private girls' schools have the highest A level results?
The Queen's School in Chester has the highest average point score of the girls' schools at 47.59 (grade A-), which is also the highest figure in the whole ranking, from 35 A level students. Alderley Edge School for Girls is the only other girls' school ranked, at 36.21 (grade B-) from 26 students, in fifth place.
Which Cheshire private schools take boarders?
Among the ranked schools, The Hammond in Chester is the only one listed as day and boarding, and it sits at rank 6 with an average point score of 34.00 (grade C+) from 10 A level students. The other six ranked schools are day schools, so a family wanting boarding in Cheshire will find one option in this table, and its small cohort means the figure rests on few results.
Which Chester private schools are in the ranking?
Four of the seven ranked schools are in Chester: The Queen's School (rank 1, 47.59), The King's School (rank 2, 46.48), The Hammond (rank 6, 34.00) and Abbey Gate College (rank 7, 33.73). The remaining three are in Northwich, Macclesfield and Alderley Edge, so a family in Chester sees the widest spread of figures within one city.
What does the Cheshire ranking leave out?
The ranking covers A level entries only, so a Cheshire independent school that teaches the IB, or enters few students for A levels, may have no figure to place in the table. It also ranks one measure, average point score per A level entry, and gives no view of pastoral care, entry requirements, fees or the subjects each sixth form offers, all of which are worth checking directly with the schools on your shortlist.
How the schools are ranked
The ranking covers every independent school in Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington and Halton with a published average point score per A level entry in the Department for Education's 16 to 18 performance data, ordered from highest to lowest, with schools on the same figure sharing a rank. The figure counts A level entries only and is not adjusted for pupils' attainment on entry, and many of these schools select by entrance assessment.
The data is the Department for Education's own download from Compare school and college performance, so anyone can reproduce the order from the same file; the data year and source are listed in the key facts above.
Admissions guides for the ranked schools
- The Queen's School (ranked 1)
- The King's School (ranked 2)
- The Grange School (ranked 3)
- The King's School In Macclesfield (ranked 4)
- Abbey Gate College (ranked 7)
Related guides
- Best private schools in the UK and London by A level results
- Independent school fees compared
- What is a bursary? Private school bursaries explained
- 11+ and 13+ scholarship exams explained
- Boarding schools in the UK
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Frequently asked questions
- Which private school in Cheshire has the highest A level results?
- The Queen's School in Chester has the highest average point score per A level entry at 47.59, graded A-, from 35 A level students. The King's School in Chester follows at 46.48 with 107 students, and The Grange School in Northwich is third at 45.39. All figures come from the latest DfE performance tables.
- Which is the top girls' school in Cheshire for A levels?
- The Queen's School in Chester, at rank 1 with 47.59 (grade A-). The only other girls' school ranked is Alderley Edge School for Girls, at rank 5 with 36.21 (grade B-) from 26 A level students. Both are day schools.
- Is there a boys' school in the Cheshire ranking?
- No boys-only school appears among the seven ranked. Five schools are co-educational: The King's School in Chester, The Grange School, The King's School In Macclesfield, The Hammond and Abbey Gate College. The other two, The Queen's School and Alderley Edge School for Girls, are girls' schools.
- How many Cheshire private schools are ranked?
- Seven Cheshire private schools are ranked, from The Queen's School at 47.59 to Abbey Gate College at 33.73. Schools are placed highest figure first, and any schools on the same figure would share a rank, shown with an equals sign. No two schools share a figure in this table.
- What does average point score per A level entry mean?
- It is the average number of points earned per A level entry, with A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40 and C = 30, taken from the DfE's performance tables. The grade shown, such as A- or C+, is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average.
- Which Cheshire private school offers boarding in this ranking?
- The Hammond in Chester is the only ranked school listed as day and boarding. It stands at rank 6 with an average point score of 34.00, graded C+, from 10 A level students. The other six ranked schools are day schools.
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