31 October 2026 · 3 min read

A-Level Results 2026: Independent Schools In and Around North London

How common top A-level grades are at eight selective independent schools North London families consider, and what that means for university applications.

The short version

At these schools, between 55% and 87% of A-level grades were A* or A. Nationally it was 28.3%.
The top four schools are within a few points of each other, so the gaps are small.
When top grades are this common, admissions tests, interviews and personal statements matter more.

The numbers

Percentage of A-level grades awarded in 2026, from each school’s own results, ordered by A*/A. A dash means the school doesn’t publish that figure.

School	A*	A*/A	A*-B
Highgate School	52%	87%	98%
South Hampstead High School	50%	86%	97.7%
NLCS	51.5%	83.6%	97.4%
Habs Boys	51%	83%	–
UCS	–	78%	95%
Habs Girls	37%	73%	–
Channing School	22.8%	64.0%	91.4%
Mill Hill School	22%	55%	84%

Mill Hill’s figures are before reviews of marking. UCS gives 78% in its text and 79% in a highlight on the same page; we used 78%. The national figure is Ofqual’s A*/A rate for England.

How to read it

Small gaps aren’t meaningful. Highgate at 87% and South Hampstead at 86% are effectively level. Each sixth form is small, so a few grades can move the percentages.
These are grades, not students. They don’t show how many students got straight A*s.
Selectivity drives much of the variation. Schools with competitive entry draw a higher-scoring intake, so their results reflect that as well as the teaching. A school lower in the table is still well above the national average.

What it means for university applications

When most grades at a school are A* or A, strong predicted grades are the norm. For competitive courses, that puts more weight on the rest of the application: admissions tests, interviews where they apply, the personal statement, and depth in the subject beyond the syllabus. That is often where extra preparation makes the biggest difference.

What to do with this

Ask the school how your child’s predicted grades compare with their year group, not just the national average.
For Oxford, Cambridge or other competitive courses, start preparing for tests and interviews early.
If a subject is lagging, deal with it early in Year 12 rather than after the mocks.

How Kenwood can help

We match families in Highgate, Hampstead, Muswell Hill and the surrounding areas with local tutors who teach in your home. For A-level students, that usually means one of three things:

Subject support. A tutor for Maths, Further Maths, the sciences, English, Economics and more, to secure the top grades or close a gap early in Year 12.
Oxbridge and competitive course preparation. Personal statements, interview technique and admissions tests such as the TSA, MAT and PAT, including medical school admissions coaching.
A personal match. We choose the tutor for your child, and you get lesson notes after every session.

Tell us your child’s subjects and where they are heading, and we’ll come back with a tutor recommendation. Your first lesson is 50% off, with no registration fee and no obligation to continue.

Get in touch

Sources, all each school’s own published 2026 A-level results unless stated: Highgate School · South Hampstead High School · NLCS · Habs Boys · UCS · Habs Girls · Channing School · Mill Hill School. National figure: Ofqual, A level and Level 3 results 2026.