Key Facts
| Measure | Average point score per A level entry (DfE 16 to 18 performance data) |
|---|---|
| Data year | 2024/25 (final) |
| Schools ranked | 8 |
| Highest figure | Cheltenham Ladies' College, 48.56 (A) |
| Area covered | Gloucestershire |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
The best private schools in Gloucestershire by A level results begin with Cheltenham Ladies' College on an average point score of 48.56 per entry, followed by Cheltenham College on 44.23, The King's School, Gloucester on 39.94 and St Edward's School on 39.71. The first two sit clearly apart from the rest of the county, whilst the next several are bunched closely together.
Eight schools are ranked on a single measure, the average point score per A level entry in the Department for Education's sixth-form performance tables, where an A* is worth 60, an A 50, a B 40 and a C 30. The letter grade beside each figure is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average, and the student count shows how many A level students sit behind it.
Which private schools in Gloucestershire have the best A level results?
| Rank | School | Town | A level average point score | Average grade | A level students | Pupils | Day or boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheltenham Ladies' College | Cheltenham | 48.56 | A | 137 | Girls | Day and boarding |
| 2 | Cheltenham College | Cheltenham | 44.23 | B+ | 151 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 3 | The King's School, Gloucester | Gloucester | 39.94 | B | 53 | Co-educational | Day |
| 4 | St Edward's School | Cheltenham | 39.71 | B | 34 | Co-educational | Day |
| 5 | Dean Close School | Cheltenham | 38.43 | B | 97 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 6 | Rendcomb College | Cirencester | 38.11 | B- | 34 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 7 | Westonbirt School | Tetbury | 35.82 | B- | 50 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 8 | Wycliffe College | Stonehouse | 34.65 | C+ | 96 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
Figures run from 48.56 at Cheltenham Ladies' College (grade A) down to 34.65 at Wycliffe College (grade C+), with Cheltenham College second on 44.23 (B+). Only these two schools reach a grade above B, and no other school reaches the B+ grade.
Ranks 3 to 6 form the tightest cluster, with The King's School, Gloucester on 39.94, St Edward's School on 39.71, Dean Close School on 38.43 and Rendcomb College on 38.11. The first three share the grade B and Rendcomb College is graded B-, so a parent comparing these four is looking at very similar averages. Westonbirt School follows on 35.82 (B-), and Wycliffe College closes the table on 34.65 (C+).
Cheltenham Ladies' College is the only girls' school in the ranking, no boys' school appears, and the other seven are co-educational. Six schools take both day pupils and boarders; The King's School, Gloucester and St Edward's School are day schools. Cohorts differ sharply, from 151 A level students at Cheltenham College and 137 at Cheltenham Ladies' College down to 34 at both St Edward's School and Rendcomb College, so the averages of the smaller schools rest on fewer students.
Which is the top girls' school in Gloucestershire?
Cheltenham Ladies' College is the only girls' school in the ranking, and it holds first place overall with an average point score of 48.56 (grade A) across 137 A level students. It takes day pupils and boarders, and no other Gloucestershire school in the table reaches its figure, so a parent looking only at girls' schools has one ranked option and a parent looking at the whole county sees it at the head of the table.
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Enquire about this tutorWhich Gloucestershire private schools take boarders?
Six of the eight ranked schools take both day pupils and boarders: Cheltenham Ladies' College, Cheltenham College, Dean Close School, Rendcomb College, Westonbirt School and Wycliffe College. Their figures range from 48.56 to 34.65, so boarding provision alone says little about results. The King's School, Gloucester (39.94) and St Edward's School (39.71) are the two day schools, and they sit at ranks 3 and 4.
Where are the ranked schools located?
Four of the eight ranked schools are in Cheltenham: Cheltenham Ladies' College, Cheltenham College, St Edward's School and Dean Close School, at ranks 1, 2, 4 and 5. The remaining four are spread across the county, with The King's School, Gloucester in Gloucester, Rendcomb College in Cirencester, Westonbirt School in Tetbury and Wycliffe College in Stonehouse. Families outside Cheltenham therefore find The King's School, Gloucester at rank 3 and the schools in the other three towns at ranks 6 to 8.
What does the Gloucestershire ranking leave out?
The ranking covers only schools with A level entries recorded in the DfE performance tables, so a school whose sixth form teaches the International Baccalaureate and has few or no A level entries does not appear among the eight. The measure also reflects results alone. It says nothing about entry requirements, pastoral care, subject range or fees, and the cohort sizes of 34 at St Edward's School and Rendcomb College mean their averages come from far fewer students than the 151 at Cheltenham College.
How the schools are ranked
The ranking covers every independent school in Gloucestershire 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
- Cheltenham Ladies' College (ranked 1)
- Cheltenham College (ranked 2)
- Dean Close School (ranked 5)
- Rendcomb College (ranked 6)
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 Gloucestershire has the highest A level results?
- Cheltenham Ladies' College has the highest average point score per A level entry among the ranked Gloucestershire private schools, at 48.56, which the DfE expresses as grade A. Cheltenham College is second on 44.23 (B+), and The King's School, Gloucester is third on 39.94 (B).
- What is the top girls' private school in Gloucestershire for A levels?
- Cheltenham Ladies' College is the only girls' school in the ranking and it is ranked first, with an average point score of 48.56 per A level entry across 137 students. It takes both day pupils and boarders. No boys' school appears in the table.
- How many Gloucestershire private schools are ranked?
- Eight schools are ranked, from Cheltenham Ladies' College at rank 1 to Wycliffe College at rank 8. Seven are co-educational and one is a girls' school. Schools with few or no A level entries, such as those teaching the International Baccalaureate, are not included.
- What does average point score per A level entry mean?
- Each A level entry is scored as A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40 and C = 30, and the average across a school's entries gives its point score. The DfE publishes this in its sixth-form performance tables, and the letter grade shown is its fine-grade expression of that average.
- Which Gloucestershire private schools are day schools only?
- The King's School, Gloucester (39.94, grade B, 53 students) and St Edward's School in Cheltenham (39.71, grade B, 34 students) are the two day schools in the ranking. The other six take day pupils and boarders.
- Which Gloucestershire private school has the largest A level cohort?
- Cheltenham College has the largest A level cohort in the ranking, with 151 students and an average point score of 44.23 (B+). Cheltenham Ladies' College follows with 137 students, then Dean Close School with 97 and Wycliffe College with 96.
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