The Independent Sixth Form Colleges who published A Level Exam Grades for Summer 2011

It is more difficult to rank 6th form colleges than independent schools, because many of them do not release their results or they provide them in inconsistent formats. For this table, we have used the results (audited and unaudited) of those colleges, which are prepared to publicise them. We have simply taken the percentage of total A level entries, which were grades A or B. Some colleges would argue that A level resits should be excluded, but most of those were taken in January anyway and perversely their inclusion can sometimes depress the overall average grades. We have not included GCSEs because many colleges do not offer them or focus either on resits or short term GCSE courses. Some colleges are very selective on entry criteria whereas others may specialise in taking students with previous poor exam performance in order to transform their results. Thus you may need to ask colleges about their added value performance.

Please be aware that exam success is only one criterion in the search for a sixth form college. You are encouraged to read our free downloadable eGuide on how to select an independent sixth form college.

	A + B %	Name	Day / Board	Boy / Girl	Day £	Board £
1	98.06	Cardiff Sixth Form College	Both	Co ed	12,000	21,000
2	92.29	Concord College - Shrewsbury	Both	Co-ed	11,700	26,550
3	88.30	Albemarle Independent College - London	Day	Co-ed	15,990	NA
4	85.40	Hurtwood House - Dorking	Both	Co-ed	NA	33,600
5	84.38	Abbey College - Cambridge	Both	Co-ed	19,900	29,400
6	83.78	D'Overbroeck's College - Oxford	Both	Co-ed	18,525	28,050
7	82.71	Chelsea Independent College	Both	Co-ed	NA	NA
8	82.11	Cambridge Tutors College - Croydon	Both	Co-ed	16,650	NA
9	80.73	Brampton College - Hendon	Day	Co-ed	14,185	NA
10	80.10	Duff Miller College - London	Day	Co-ed	NA	NA
11	80.00	Mander Portman Woodward - Cambridge	Day	Co-ed	NA	NA
11 =	80.00	Albion College	Both	Co-ed	NA	NA
13	77.80	Bosworth Independent College - Northamptonshire	Both	Co-ed	NA	NA
14	77.04	Fine Arts College Hampstead	Day	Co ed	NA	NA
15	76.00	Abbey College - London	Both	Co-ed	16,800	NA
16	73.00	Mander Portman Woodward Independent College - Birmingham	Day	Co-ed	NA	NA
17	71.15	Welbeck - Loughborough	Boarding	Co-ed	NA	NA
18	69.23	Padworth College - Reading	Both	Co-ed	11,850	24,900
19	63.26	CATS Cambridge	Both	Co-ed	20,625	30,615
20	62.80	Ealing Independent College	Day	Co-ed	NA	NA
21	62.00	Abbey College - Manchester	Both	Co-ed	15,500	NA
22	60.70	Abbey College - Birmingham	Both	Co-ed	12,850	25,200
23	59.80	Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College - London	Both	Co-ed	18,900	NA
24	57.61	Rochester Independent College	Both	Co-ed	13,500	25,176
25	57.42	Davies Laing & Dick - London	Day	Co-ed	16,800	NA
26	56.00	Oxford International College	Both	Co-ed	NA	NA
27	55.19	David Game College - London	Both	Co-ed	13,000	NA
28	53.05	Worksop College	Both	Co-ed	15,345	23,520
29	50.55	Cambridge Centre For Sixth Form Studies	Both	Co-ed	17,304	28,899

Note.1. In the case of sixth form colleges there are quite a few gaps in our data, because the information is not freely available or the college will not supply it. In general colleges which refuse to supply results, seem to have something to hide and we suggest you ask them about their track record if you are considering them.

Note 2. However, exam results are not the only criteria by which to judge a college (read our eGuide on selection factors click here). Indeed a few of the colleges in this TOP 30 table are quite selective on their admissions. Be aware your child may not necessarily thrive in a high pressure academic environment – take advice.