A Level results can play a big part in university admission and other opportunities after school - so it’s only natural parents want their children to do as well as they can.
This exam season, the number of top grades achieved by students sitting their A Levels this year grew overall, although the overall pass rate did dip slightly. But there are still lingering gaps in attainment, including between England’s different regions - with the North East unfortunately at the lower end of the scale.
There can be many advantages in sending your child to private school, especially during the important sixth form years. But they are typically a more costly option for families, and high tuition fees and competition for bursaries placing them out of reach for many. As of next year, many will get even more expensive, with a government change meaning they will no longer be exempt from VAT on fees, a move many schools have responded to by putting prices up. Using data from the Independent Schools Council, The Telegraph has created a league table of private schools based on the percentage of their A Level entries during the 2024 exam season - A Levels for most of the UK - to receive a top grade, A or A* for A Levels. Unlike state schools, however, independent schools do not have to share their results - nor are all of them represented by the council. This means that some private schools were not included in the data.
Here were six private schools in the North East that stood out from the crowd - and how much it costs to send your child there:
1. Royal Grammar School
At the top of the list is The Royal Grammar School. a primary and secondary school in Newcastle which takes pupils from the age of seven. In the 2023/24 school year, 69.9% of all of the A Level grades achieved by its students were an A* or and A - landing it in 32nd place on the nationwide rankings. Tuition fees are about £18,100 per year for a senior student (taking into account changes to VAT for private schools from January). | Google
2. Durham High School for Girls
This is an Anglican all-through school for girls in Durham. In the 2023/24 school year, 62% of all of the A Level grades achieved by its students were an A* or and A. It is 53rd in the nationwide rankings. Tuition fees are about £16,950 per year for senior students. | Google
3. Newcastle High School for Girls
This is another girls’ all-through school, in Newcastle. In the 2023/24 school year, 47.3% of all of the A Level grades achieved by its students were an A* or and A. Tuition fees for sixth form students this year will be about £17,300 (taking into account changes to VAT for private schools from January). | Google
4. Dame Allan's School
Dame Allan’s School is an all-through Anglican school in Newcastle. Boys and girls are taught separately during earlier years, although its sixth form is mixed. In the 2023/24 school year, 40.5% of all of the A Level grades achieved by its students were an A* or and A. Tuition fees for sixth form students this year will be about £18,000 (taking into account changes to VAT for private schools from January). | Crest Photography/Supplied