Key Facts
| Measure | Average point score per A level entry (DfE 16 to 18 performance data) |
|---|---|
| Data year | 2024/25 (final) |
| Schools ranked | 4 |
| Highest figure | Brentwood School, 42.91 (B+) |
| Area covered | Essex, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
On A level results, the best private schools in Essex by average point score start with Brentwood School at 42.91 (grade B+), followed by New Hall School at 41.62 and Chigwell School at 41.60, both grade B. Felsted School, the fourth, sits at 35.17 (grade B-).
Four Essex independent schools are ranked, all on a single measure: the average point score per A level entry in the Department for Education's sixth-form performance tables, where A* is worth 60, A is worth 50, B is worth 40 and C is worth 30. The grade shown beside each score is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average, and schools on the same figure would share a rank.
Which private schools in Essex have the best A level results?
| Rank | School | Town | A level average point score | Average grade | A level students | Pupils | Day or boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brentwood School | Brentwood | 42.91 | B+ | 134 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 2 | New Hall School | Chelmsford | 41.62 | B | 118 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 3 | Chigwell School | Chigwell | 41.60 | B | 88 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 4 | Felsted School | Felsted | 35.17 | B- | 92 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
Figures run from 42.91 at Brentwood School in first place to 35.17 at Felsted School in fourth, a span that takes the grade from B+ down to B-. Both ends of the table are single schools, with the middle two much closer to each other than to either end.
New Hall School (41.62) and Chigwell School (41.60) form the one tight cluster, both at grade B and separated by a very small margin in the latest DfE performance tables. A parent comparing them will find that the average point score does not distinguish between the two in any practical way, so subject range, location and boarding arrangements usually carry more weight. Brentwood School stands above that pair, whilst Felsted School sits clearly below it.
All four schools are co-educational and all are listed as day and boarding, so the table offers no contrast between girls', boys' or day-only schools. Cohort sizes are fairly close: Brentwood School has 134 A level students, New Hall School 118, Felsted School 92 and Chigwell School 88. Chigwell's average rests on the smallest group, which usually means one or two unusual results move its figure a little more than they would at Brentwood.
Entry points and fees at the ranked Essex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brentwood School | £10,068 | 2026/27 | |
| Chigwell School | £7,266 | 2026/27 | |
| Felsted School | £9,604 | 2026/27 |
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Enquire about this tutorWhich Essex private schools in the ranking take boarders?
All four ranked schools are listed as day and boarding: Brentwood School in Brentwood, New Hall School in Chelmsford, Chigwell School in Chigwell and Felsted School in Felsted. A family can therefore choose between daily attendance and boarding at each of them.
Because the type is the same across the table, boarding does not explain the gaps in the scores. Town and travel time usually matter more in practice, with the four schools spread across Brentwood, Chelmsford, Chigwell and Felsted.
Are there girls' or boys' schools in the Essex ranking?
No girls' or boys' schools appear in the ranking, because every ranked school is co-educational. Brentwood School, New Hall School, Chigwell School and Felsted School each admit both boys and girls.
A parent looking for a single-sex sixth form in Essex will not find one in this table, so any such school would need to be checked separately in the DfE performance tables, which list each school's own A level figures.
What does the Essex A level ranking leave out?
The ranking leaves out any independent school with too few A level entries to be ranked, including schools whose sixth forms teach the International Baccalaureate (IB) in place of A levels. Only four Essex schools meet the measure here, so the table is a partial picture of independent sixth-form provision in the county.
The average point score also says nothing about the subjects taken, the range of courses on offer or the size of individual classes. The student numbers in the table, from 88 at Chigwell School to 134 at Brentwood School, show how many sat A levels and leave the choice of subjects to the school's own published data.
How the schools are ranked
The ranking covers every independent school in Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock 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
- Brentwood School (ranked 1)
- New Hall School (ranked 2)
- Chigwell School (ranked 3)
- Felsted School (ranked 4)
Related guides
- Best grammar schools in Essex
- 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 is the best private school in Essex for A level results?
- Brentwood School has the highest average point score per A level entry among the ranked Essex independent schools, at 42.91 (grade B+) with 134 A level students. New Hall School follows at 41.62, then Chigwell School at 41.60, in the latest DfE performance tables.
- How many private schools in Essex are ranked?
- Four Essex independent schools are ranked: Brentwood School, New Hall School, Chigwell School and Felsted School. Independent schools with too few A level entries, including those teaching the IB, do not have an average point score that can be ranked here.
- What is the top girls' school in Essex for A levels?
- The ranking contains no girls' schools, as all four ranked schools are co-educational. Brentwood School, at 42.91, has the highest average point score among them. Parents wanting a girls' school would need to check other schools' figures directly in the DfE performance tables.
- Do any of the ranked Essex schools take boarders?
- Yes, all four are listed as day and boarding: Brentwood School, New Hall School, Chigwell School and Felsted School. Day pupils and boarders are both catered for at each school, so boarding availability does not separate them in the ranking.
- What does average point score per A level entry mean?
- It is the DfE's average across a school's A level entries, scoring A* as 60, A as 50, B as 40 and C as 30. The grade is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average, so 42.91 at Brentwood School appears as B+.
- Which Essex school has the most A level students in the ranking?
- Brentwood School has the largest A level cohort at 134 students, followed by New Hall School with 118, Felsted School with 92 and Chigwell School with 88. Smaller cohorts can mean the average moves more when individual results vary.
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