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 | Taunton School, 39.80 (B) |
| Area covered | Somerset |
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 Somerset for A level results start with Taunton School, which has the highest average point score per A level entry at 39.80 (grade B), followed by King's College Taunton on 38.50 (grade B) and Millfield School on 38.11 (grade B-). Wells Cathedral School sits just behind in fourth on 38.06.
Eight schools are ranked, all on a single measure: the average point score per A level entry, where A* is worth 60, A is worth 50, B is worth 40 and C is worth 30. The grade shown beside each figure is the DfE's fine-grade expression of that average, and the student count is the number of A level students in the cohort.
Which private schools in Somerset have the best A level results?
| Rank | School | Town | A level average point score | Average grade | A level students | Pupils | Day or boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taunton School | Taunton | 39.80 | B | 108 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 2 | King's College Taunton | Taunton | 38.50 | B | 76 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 3 | Millfield School | Street | 38.11 | B- | 271 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 4 | Wells Cathedral School | Wells | 38.06 | B- | 88 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 5 | Queen's College | Taunton | 36.92 | B- | 38 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 6 | Wellington School | Wellington | 36.20 | B- | 71 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 7 | King's Bruton | Bruton | 36.04 | B- | 75 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
| 8 | Downside School | Radstock | 33.84 | C+ | 43 | Co-educational | Day and boarding |
The figures run from 39.80 at Taunton School down to 33.84 at Downside School, which is the only ranked school at grade C+. Taunton School and King's College Taunton are the only two at grade B, and the five schools from Millfield School in third to King's Bruton in seventh all sit at grade B-.
Within that range there are two clear clusters. Taunton School (39.80), King's College Taunton (38.50), Millfield School (38.11) and Wells Cathedral School (38.06) occupy the top four places, with the last two of them separated only narrowly. Queen's College (36.92), Wellington School (36.20) and King's Bruton (36.04) form a second group in fifth to seventh, and Downside School (33.84) stands alone in eighth.
Cohort sizes differ sharply, so the averages carry different weight. Millfield School has 271 A level students against 108 at Taunton School, whilst Queen's College has 38 and Downside School 43, so a handful of results can move the smaller schools' figures further. All eight schools are co-educational and all offer day and boarding places, so the table says nothing about single-sex or day-only options.
Are there girls' or boys' private schools in the Somerset ranking?
None of the eight ranked schools is single-sex; every one is listed as co-educational, so the table contains no separate girls' or boys' school to compare.
The highest-ranked co-educational schools are Taunton School on 39.80 and King's College Taunton on 38.50, both in Taunton. A parent who wants a single-sex setting would need to look beyond this ranking, because any such school without published A level results in the DfE tables does not appear here.
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Enquire about this tutorWhich private schools in Somerset take boarders?
All eight ranked schools offer both day and boarding places, so boarding is available at every school in the table, from Taunton School in first place to Downside School in eighth.
The boarding schools are spread across the county: Millfield in Street, Wells Cathedral School in Wells, King's Bruton in Bruton, Wellington School in Wellington and Downside School in Radstock, alongside the three Taunton schools. Because the day and boarding offer is the same throughout, location and cohort size separate the schools more than boarding availability does.
Which Somerset town has the highest-ranked private schools?
Taunton has the highest-ranked private schools in Somerset, with three of the eight: Taunton School in first on 39.80, King's College Taunton in second on 38.50 and Queen's College in fifth on 36.92.
Street follows with Millfield School in third on 38.11 and Wells with Wells Cathedral School in fourth on 38.06. Wellington School (36.20), King's Bruton (36.04) and Downside School (33.84) complete the table from their towns of Wellington, Bruton and Radstock.
What does the Somerset A level ranking leave out?
The ranking leaves out any school that teaches the International Baccalaureate and has few or no A level entries, because the DfE's A level average only exists for schools with A level cohorts.
It also covers a single measure, the average point score per A level entry, so it says nothing about GCSE results, pupil numbers below sixth form, entry requirements or fees. The student count beside each school shows how many A level students sit behind the figure, from 38 at Queen's College to 271 at Millfield School.
How the schools are ranked
The ranking covers every independent school in Somerset 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
- Millfield School (ranked 3)
- Wells Cathedral School (ranked 4)
- Queen's College (ranked 5)
- Wellington School (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 is the best private school in Somerset for A level results?
- Taunton School has the highest average point score per A level entry among the ranked Somerset private schools, at 39.80 (grade B), across 108 A level students. King's College Taunton is second on 38.50 and Millfield School third on 38.11, based on the latest DfE performance tables.
- How many private schools in Somerset are ranked?
- Eight Somerset private schools are ranked, each on its average point score per A level entry from the latest DfE performance tables. Schools on the same figure would share a rank, and the table runs from Taunton School on 39.80 to Downside School on 33.84.
- What does the average point score per A level entry mean?
- It is the average number of points earned for each A level entry, where A* is 60, A is 50, B is 40 and C is 30. The DfE also expresses the average as a fine grade, so 39.80 at Taunton School appears as grade B and 33.84 at Downside School as C+.
- Which is the top girls' or boys' private school in Somerset?
- The ranking contains no single-sex school, because all eight ranked Somerset schools are co-educational. The highest of them is Taunton School on 39.80, with King's College Taunton on 38.50 and Millfield School on 38.11 completing the first three places.
- Do Somerset private schools with the highest scores also have the biggest cohorts?
- Not always. Millfield School has the largest cohort with 271 A level students and ranks third on 38.11. Taunton School has 108 students and ranks first on 39.80, whilst Queen's College has the smallest cohort at 38 students and ranks fifth on 36.92.
- Do the Somerset private schools in the ranking take boarders?
- Yes. All eight ranked schools are listed as day and boarding, including Taunton School, King's College Taunton, Millfield School, Wells Cathedral School, Queen's College, Wellington School, King's Bruton and Downside School, so boarding places are available throughout the table.
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