Chiswick School A Levels Beat National Averages Again

Spread of strong results across the cohort 'what true success looks like'

Chiswick School sixth formers celebrate their results

August 15, 2026

Students at Chiswick School are celebrating an outstanding set of Sixth Form results. The atmosphere on Burlington Lane was one of pride and relief as students, families and staff reflected on achievements that look set to surpass national averages.

Across the curriculum, performances were exceptional. More than 70% of students studying Maths, English Literature, History, Politics, Philosophy or Sociology achieved grades between A and B. Creative subjects shone just as brightly: an impressive 77% of A Level Art students secured an A or A*, underscoring the strength of Chiswick’s arts provision at a time when creative subjects face national pressure.

Overall, more than 30% of all Sixth Form grades were awarded at A* or A. Early indications suggest that Chiswick School has once again outperformed national averages.

Chiswick School’s results stand out not only for their strength but for their equity. Headteacher Laura Ellener highlighted that, unlike national trends, SEND and disadvantaged students at Chiswick perform on par with their peers—an achievement she described as “what true success looks like.”

Students are now preparing for an exciting range of next steps. Offers secured this year include places at Oxford and Cambridge, Russell Group universities across the UK, competitive Medicine courses and prestigious Arts programmes. The breadth of destinations reflects the ambition of students and the school’s determination to ensure that every young person—regardless of background, starting point or need—can progress to a high-quality pathway.

Head of Sixth Form Christian Williams said, “What makes these results special isn’t just how strong they are, but who is succeeding. Our students have shown that academic excellence and genuine inclusion should go hand in hand. I’m incredibly proud of what they have achieved, but even more excited about where they go from here. Whether that is Oxford or Cambridge, Medicine, an apprenticeship or another ambitious next step, these results open doors – and that is ultimately what a great Sixth Form should do.”

Below is a summary of some of the school’s most exceptional individual achievements:

Chiswick School – Exceptional Individual Results

This year, the gap between the highest and lowest-performing regions in England reached a record 9.6 percentage points. London led the country with 32.7% of A-level grades at A* or A, compared with just 23.1% in the North East and East Midlands—the largest regional divide since the A* grade was introduced in 2010.

St Benedict’s School has announced its strongest A Level results in the school’s history, excluding the Covid assessment years. Among the 114 Upper Sixth students, more than 350 A Levels were sat, with 53% graded A or A* and 82% awarded A*, A or B.

The school reports that the “vast majority” of students secured their preferred university destinations, including places at Oxford, St Andrews, King’s College London, LSE, Durham, Bristol, Warwick, Manchester and Bath.

St Benedict's students with their results. Picture: St. Benedict's School

Standout achievements include:

• Lydia R – A*A A A, Medicine at King’s College London
• Zach P – A* A* A*, Economics at Bristol
• Evie S – A* A* A* A, Economics at Warwick
• Adam AC – A* A* A, Economics at Manchester
• Ruby S – A* A* A*, Management with Marketing at Bath
• Jake B – A* A* A A, Mathematics at St Andrews
• Nicolae D – A*A A, Classical Archaeology & Ancient History at Oxford
• Lettie S – A* A* A*, Design at Loughborough
• Aidan T – A* A* A, Psychology at LSE
• Maria S – A*A A, PPE at Durham
• Zac B – A* A* A* B, Automotive Engineering at Warwick

Students praised the school’s support and teaching culture, with many expressing gratitude for personalised guidance and encouragement.

Headmaster Joe Smith said the results represent “the school’s best-ever A Level results, excluding the Covid years,” adding:

“I want to pay tribute to this remarkable year group… Everyone involved deserves to celebrate today.”

Director of Sixth Form Alex Heald highlighted the cohort’s “commitment to supporting one another and contributing so positively to school life.”

Notting Hill & Ealing High School (NHEHS) students achieved another outstanding set of results, with:

• 22% of entries awarded A*
• 64% achieving A or A*
• 90% achieving A–B*

Nearly half the cohort achieved AAA or better, and 45% secured at least one A* grade.

Headteacher Allison Saunders praised the “intellectual curiosity, perseverance and collaborative spirit” of the students, noting that the school continues to offer a broad curriculum at a time when many institutions are narrowing subject choice.

Top-performing departments included:

• Art & Design, Ancient Greek and Mandarin – 100% A*
• Further Maths, Drama, Latin, Spanish, Religious Studies – 100% A*–A
• Classical & Modern Languages – 78% A*–A
• Economics – 78% A*–A
• History – 79% A*–A
• STEM subjects – 28% A; 60% A–A
• Biology – tripled its number of A* grades

Students will progress to a wide range of courses including Medicine, Liberal Arts, Biomedical Engineering, International Development, Neuroscience, Psychology, Performance Design, Law with German Law and Linguistics. Popular destinations include Durham, Imperial, UCL, Leeds, Newcastle, Bristol, Oxford and Cambridge.

Head Girl Olivia Fanthorpe-Collings said NHEHS had given her “the confidence to pursue Biomedical Engineering,” and she will now study at Sheffield.

St Augustine’s Priory celebrated another year of excellent outcomes, with:

• 48% A*–A
• 84% A*–B
• 96% A*–C

Students secured places in competitive subjects across leading universities. Among them:

• Natania (AAA) – Medicine at Leeds
• Satoko (A*AA) – International Management at King’s College London
• Mahika (A*AA) – Sociology & Philosophy at Manchester

Other destinations include Modern Languages at Bristol, Philosophy at Edinburgh, Classical Archaeology at UCL, Biomedical Sciences at King’s, Marketing & Management at Exeter, and Politics & Criminology at Manchester.

Headteacher Mrs Macallister said, “Today is about much more than grades… each student has her own success story to celebrate.”

Parents also praised the school’s Sixth Form support, with one mother saying her daughter’s decision to stay for Sixth Form “has been absolutely worth it.”

The school is inviting families to upcoming open events to learn more about its Sixth Form provision.

This year, the gap between the highest and lowest-performing regions in England reached a record 9.6 percentage points. London led the country with 32.7% of A-level grades at A* or A, compared with just 23.1% in the North East and East Midlands—the largest regional divide since the A* grade was introduced in 2010.

Nationally, top A-level grades have risen for the third year running, with 28.5% of all grades across England, Wales and Northern Ireland awarded at A* or A, up slightly from 28.3% last year. Although still far below the inflated results of 2020 and 2021, when exams were cancelled and grades were based on teacher assessment, the proportion of top grades has been slowly climbing since the return to pre-pandemic grading standards in 2023.

This year also saw notable differences in outcomes between boys and girls. While more A* and A grades were awarded to girls overall—137,000 compared with 120,900—the percentage of top grades favoured boys, who achieved A–A in 28.9% of entries compared with 28% for girls. This continues a reversal first seen last year, though girls still outperform boys across the broader A–C range, with 79.8% of their grades falling within that band compared with 76.8% for boys. Ucas also reported a record number of 18-year-olds securing a place at their first-choice university.