Leighton Park celebrates another year-on-year increase in top A* grades

Leighton Park families are enjoying excellent A Level results today, including an impressive 19% of students gaining all A*-A grades. Building on the outstanding success of our IB Diploma students, our 2026 cohort were celebrating 66% A*-B grades overall across A Level and equivalent qualifications (including Distinction* and Distinction in vocational courses and grades 7 – 5 at IB). 40% of overall grades were A*-A compared with a national average of 28.5%. A* grades increased to 15% compared with 10% nationally.

Students were celebrating their first-choice university places, representing some of the most competitive programmes in the country as well as prestigious overseas universities. Commenting on students’ university destinations, Jenny Powlesland, Assistant Head Teaching & Learning and leader of the Aspiring High Programme, commented: “We are delighted to celebrate with the students this morning as they receive the results of their hard work. The exceptionally high proportion of students achieving their ambitious first-choice university choices, including Oxford, Imperial College London and multiple competitive destinations such as veterinary courses and music conservatoires, is testament to their efforts and the dedicated support they have received from their teachers, as well as the success of our Aspiring High programme.”

Academic departments enjoyed highly impressive results, with Art (75%), Further Maths (80%), Geography (81%), Mandarin (100%), Maths (71%) and Russian (100%) all achieving over 70% A*-B. CTec Sport students meanwhile achieved 100% A*-A grades.

Luke Walters, Head, commented: ‘These are impressive A Level results to place beside exceptional IB scores and BTec/CTec grades. It is testament to the hard work of our staff and students, and to the compassionate challenge which sits at the heart of the school. Having won the national award for Future Readiness this year, we will look forward to seeing our students flourish in a rapidly changing world. The best of luck to them in the future and hope they will let us know of their further successes, of which there will be many.

I would like to thank Alex Wallace, our outgoing Deputy Head Academic, for his tremendous work and dedication to Leighton Park and welcome Charlotte Wilde, who will lead the school’s academic focus from 1st September.”

The school’s strength in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics has shone through in these results. Antigoni, who will take up her place to study Natural Sciences at Imperial College London commented: “I feel like I have grown so much as a person and a student through my time at Leighton Park – I am really happy with my results and especially my EPQ because it was definitely a challenging topic to write about for. I want to thank all of my teachers and my family for their continued support, and I am looking forward to studying in London!”

Liam achieved 4 A*s to secure his first choice university: “I want to thank my teachers for inspiring me. I’m looking forward to studying Biomedical Engineering at UCL and hope to work on making prosthetics responsive to human control. Jacob’s 3 A*s secure his place to study Biochemistry at the University of Bath enthused: “The school has been so special to me. It has been 7 years of my life which have helped me to become more confident and independent. I would not be the person I am today without this school. I’m so grateful for everyone who has helped me.”

Cameron’s parents were reflective, following his 3 As helping him to achieve his place to study Engineering at Loughborough: “He’s had an amazing time. The school has really nurtured his confidence and helped him find who he is. I think both my boys are happier, nicer people because they came to Leighton Park.”

The Leighton Park Music Department was a Finalist for Best Music Department in the UK for the second year running. This strength was reflected in Max achieving his 3 A*s to study Music at Oxford, as well as other students achieving their places at conservatoires across the country.

Lily will study at Art Foundation next year before going on to study English Literature at Exeter was celebrating her 2 A*s and a B: “I feel like the support from my teachers during A Levels made a massive impact in my overall grades and I am so lucky they believed in me throughout my dyslexia journey. I am very proud to be studying Art and English in future because of their help.”

Alex Wallace, Deputy Head Academic commented: “We are absolutely thrilled with the A Level and vocational results today. To have headline figures verging on 70% is quite exceptional, especially when coupled alongside our IB average of 35 points. We are also delighted to have seen an increase in the number of A*-A grades this summer.

This cohort has shown tremendous resilience, focus and talent in achieving such remarkable results. We are immensely proud of both our students and staff, and I hope they enjoy celebrating these results- they are much deserved. We look forward to watching what happens next to the cohort of 2026, the Changemakers of the future. We will miss them.”

Helen Taylor, Director of Sixth Form, commented: “I am so very proud of all our Upper Sixth students. These fantastic results reflect their hard work, as well as excellent teaching and the support they have received from parents and guardians.”

Leighton Park’s success at Key Stage 5 is recognised by the Government’s most recent analysis for Sixth Form Academic Progress. The latest figures show Leighton Park to be the top performing school in Berkshire and 27th in England for academic progress, one of only eight schools nationally to have always appeared in the top 100.

Leighton Park has been commended for Co-ed School of the Year 2026 in the Independent School of the Year Awards and won Senior School of the Year 2023-24 in the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Awards.

If you are considering studying A Levels, CTEC Sport, BTEC in Digital Film & Video Production or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the next Sixth Form Open Afternoon is on Saturday 26th September, 1.30-3.30m or join our Sixth Form Taster Afternoon on 7th October.

To join us, book online at www.leightonpark.com/visit-leighton-park.

Editor’s Notes

Number of candidates = 80
% A* grades  = 15%
% A*/A grades = 40%
% A*/B grades = 66%
% A*/C grades = 86%
% Overall pass rate A*/E = 96%
Average passes per student = 3.02

For further information on the 2026 A level results please contact John Burnett, Director of External Relations via marketing@leightonpark.com

Images

More images are available for your use on our flickr gallery at: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD2dXG or images to download at https://we.tl/twv8Obp7BpA4g5hdU

Image 1: Students celebrate with Helen Taylor, Director of Sixth Form
Image 2: Lily celebrates with mum