Four North London Private Schools Rank in UK Top 20 2026

Key Points

• Four North London Independent Schools in the Top 20: Highgate School, South Hampstead High School, North London Collegiate School and University College School (UCS) are among the top 20 schools in the country according to the latest A-level league table.
• Released by Education Group Britannia UK: The research body produced its annual list of the nation’s top performing schools after A-level exam results were released.
• Highgate No. 5 in the North London List: Highgate School is ranked fifth in the country with 86.5 per cent of grades at A* or A, making it its best performance ever.
• South Hampstead High Sixth Nationally: South Hampstead High School, which celebrated its 150th anniversary this year, is ranked sixth in the country with 83 per cent of grades at A* or A.
• Different School Profiles Represented: The top four north London schools consist of one co-educational sixth form school, one boys’ independent school and two girls’ schools.
• National Top Position Taken by St Paul’s School: West London’s St Paul’s School for Boys topped the national list with 95.5 per cent of grades at A* or A.

North London (North London News) September 1, 2026 – Four independent schools situated across north London have been positioned amongst the top 20 educational establishments nationally in an updated A-level league table compiled by research organisation Britannia UK. Following the national publication of examination results, the newly released data highlights strong academic performances across a range of institution types, including a mixed-intake sixth form, a private boys’ school, and two independent girls’ institutions.

Which North London Independent Schools Made the National Top 20?

As reported by Bridget Galton of the Ham & High, four north London private schools have successfully claimed places within the upper echelons of the nationwide standings published by education research group Britannia UK. The evaluation ranks academic establishments based strictly on the proportion of total exam entries awarded either A* or A grades following the latest A-level results release.

The four institutions highlighted in the top 20 dataset are:

• Highgate School: Ranked 5th nationally (86.5% A*–A)
• South Hampstead High School: Ranked 6th nationally (83% A*–A)
• North London Collegiate School: Ranked 10th nationally (81.3% A*–A)
• University College School (UCS): Ranked 17th nationally (78% A*–A)

The national league table itself was topped by St Paul’s School, an independent boys’ institution located in west London, which registered a national lead of 95.5 per cent of exams at A* or A grade.

How Did Highgate School Achieve Its Highest Academic Ranking?

Highgate School emerged as the highest-ranking establishment within the north London region, securing fifth position in the UK overall. As reported by Bridget Galton of the Ham & High, Highgate recorded a total of 86.5 per cent of all A-level entries at A* or A grades, marking the most successful examination cycle in the school’s recorded history. Furthermore, just over 50 per cent of all papers taken by pupils at the co-educational sixth form received the top A* grade, with 98 per cent of total examinations marked at grade B or higher.

Commenting on the examination results and subsequent national ranking, Highgate Head Teacher Adam Pettitt stated to Bridget Galton of the Ham & High:

“Highgate’s leavers should be very proud of themselves: with just over half of all grades at A*, they have done brilliantly, and with 98 per cent of all exams graded A* to B, they have positioned themselves so well for university places.”

Addressing the factors behind the record-breaking cohort performance, Pettitt added:

“If I’m asked what has made this group of young people break all our records, I’d say that they have been self-disciplined and conscientious, keeping routines going throughout, being in school day in, day out, seeking out and heeding advice.”

What Results Were Reported by South Hampstead High School?

Placing directly behind Highgate in sixth position nationally was South Hampstead High School, located in Belsize Park. A member of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), the institution recorded 83 per cent of its A-level results at A* or A grade. The news comes during a milestone academic year for the school, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

Despite national trends indicating a widening performance gap where male students achieved a higher proportion of top grades overall, South Hampstead High School registered significant individual successes. The school reported that one in five of its students attained straight A* grades across all subjects, while a quarter of the cohort secured at least three A* grades.

As reported by Bridget Galton of the Ham & High, Headteacher Anna Paul stated:

“I am immensely proud of the girls’ achievements and am delighted to see them begin the next phase of their education with such confidence and joy, whether they’re embarking on their sixth form studies with us or heading off to world-leading universities.”

Paul further remarked on the historical significance of the timing, adding:

“What a wonderful way to begin our 150th anniversary. Well done, everyone – we look forward to a poignant and celebratory year ahead.”

How Did Other North London Independent Schools Perform in the Standings?

In addition to Highgate and South Hampstead High, two further north London institutions featured prominently in the national top 20 rankings compiled by Britannia UK:

North London Collegiate School (Canons Park, Harrow)

North London Collegiate School secured 10th position in the national league table. The all-girls independent day school achieved 81.3 per cent of total examination results at A* or A grade.

University College School (Frognal, Hampstead)

University College School (UCS), an independent boys’ school with a co-educational sixth form situated in Frognal, Hampstead, placed 17th nationally. UCS recorded 78 per cent of entries at A* or A grades.

The academic ranking placed UCS one position and one percentage point ahead of south London independent school Alleyn’s, which achieved 77 per cent. Alleyn’s is currently preparing to establish its first branch in north London by taking over the site previously occupied by North Bridge House.

What Purpose Do The Britannia UK League Tables Serve?

In statements published on its official website, education research entity Britannia UK detailed the methodology and intent behind the publication of its national tables.

As reported by Bridget Galton of the Ham & High, Britannia UK stated:

“The A-Levels League Table is published annually and provide a means to compare the academic performance of schools or colleges across the country.”

The organisation outlined that the rankings are established using evaluated performance metrics, explaining:

“These tables rank institutions based on various criteria, such as the percentage of students achieving specific grades or the average grades obtained in A-level subjects.”

Britannia UK added:

“They can be valuable for students, parents, and educators in evaluating the relative academic success of different schools or colleges.”

Background of the Particular Development

National A-level league tables in the United Kingdom serve as an annual benchmark assessing performance across state, grammar, and independent secondary education providers. Published in the weeks following the official release of examination results, these tables collate candidate performance data to rank educational institutions nationally and regionally.

Over recent academic cycles, examination boards across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have completed a transition back toward pre-pandemic grading criteria following the temporary inflation of top marks awarded during teacher-assessed evaluation periods. Consequently, independent research bodies such as Britannia UK compile comparative datasets focusing on key metrics, specifically the proportion of entries securing the highest tier classifications (A* and A grades) as well as the overall pass rates from A* to B.

North London has historically maintained a high concentration of fee-paying independent schools with selective admissions policies. Institutions such as Highgate School (founded in 1565), South Hampstead High School (established in 1876), North London Collegiate School (founded in 1850), and University College School (founded in 1830) routinely feature in national comparative assessments due to high academic yields and university progression metrics. The annual publication of these results forms a central part of institutional performance assessment and regional educational monitoring within the independent sector.

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Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Prospective Parents, Students, and the Local Education Sector

The latest rankings published by Britannia UK are anticipated to produce several distinct operational and institutional effects across the north London educational landscape:

• Increased Admissions Competition for Ranked Schools: Highgate School’s record-breaking results (86.5% A*–A) and fifth-place national ranking, alongside South Hampstead High’s sixth-place finish, are likely to drive increased application volumes for entry at 11+, 13+, and 16+ levels. Families seeking high academic outcomes will likely target these four institutions, further lowering acceptance rates and heightening entrance examination competition.
• Impact on Real Estate and Regional Relocation Trends: Strong cluster performances among independent schools in Hampstead, Belsize Park, Highgate, and Harrow typically influence residential demand. Prospective parents seeking proximity to top-performing day schools may increase housing demand across these specific catchment areas.
• Heightened Competition in the Local Private Sector: With Alleyn’s school moving into north London via the acquisition of the North Bridge House site, existing institutions face an expanding competitive landscape. The prominent placement of established local schools in the top 20 establishes a high academic benchmark that incoming institutions will need to meet to attract prospective pupils.
• Higher Pupil Expectations and University Placement Focus: Current and incoming sixth-form students at these top-ranked institutions will face continued expectation to maintain high academic output. Given that 98 per cent of grades at top-tier schools like Highgate reached B or above, university admissions advisers will continue leveraging these outcomes to secure placement offers at competitive UK and international higher education institutions.