Exam Results

Canford’s Upper Sixth pupils excelled once again in their A Level and Pre-U examinations, with 31% of all papers graded A*, 66% A*-A, 89% A*-B and 99% A*-C.  These results are among the highest in the school’s 100 year history: a fine achievement in a year where the percentage of top grades has fallen nationally back to pre-Covid levels. By comparison, overall figures across England saw 8.6% of all examinations graded A*, 26.5% A*-A, 52.7% A*-B and 75.4% A*-C.  According to Ofqual’s average statistics, independent schools saw 18.7% of all examinations graded A* and 47.4% graded A*-A.  Across schools in our South West region the A*-A figure was 26.3%.  Canfordians significantly outperformed both across the sector and across the country.

Excellence was evident in results across the range of Arts, Science and Humanities subjects at A Level, while in Pre-U, D1 grades (beyond an A* at A Level) were achieved in Art and French, with over a third of all papers in Art, French, German and Spanish awarded D1-D2 grades (A* at A Level).  83% of all Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs worth half an A Level) were graded A*-A.

Sixteen Canfordians were awarded straight A*s or D1/D2 grades, twelve gained at least 4 A*/As and 58 pupils, over 40% of the cohort, were awarded at least 3 A*/A grades.  Like so many of our pupils, these top performers are multi-talented, with their additional successes including GB swimming and Performance Level netball selection, ABRSM Music diplomas, Grade VIII distinctions and original musical direction and commendation in National essay competitions. 

A level results 2023

Pre-U results 2023 (art, french, german, spanish)

We were absolutely delighted with the outstanding results achieved by Canfordians sitting A Level and Pre-U examinations this summer, with 40.9% of all grades awarded A*, 75.1% A*/A and 92.6% A*/B.  Nationally, 14.5% of all grades awarded were A* and 35.9% A*/A, while in the Independent Schools sector overall, the average was 28.7% for A* and 58% for A*/A.

The last few years have been very difficult for teachers, pupils and their families and exam boards alike. Comparisons with recent exam years need to be considered in context as the landscape and factors which affected the award of Centre Assessed Grades of 2020 (CAGs) and Teacher Assessed Grades of 2021 (TAGs) were very different.  The charts below indicate the comparison with the last time examinations were sat in 2019.

Despite reports that results nationally are markedly lower than the 2020 and 2021 grades, it is notable that our A* grades are 16.9% higher, A*/A 4.1% higher and A*/B 1.5% higher than the CAGs of 2020. Indeed, our results today are only marginally lower than last year’s TAGs.

There was excellence across all faculties, with Arts, Sciences and Humanities all recording high percentages of top grades. At least 80% of all Music, Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Geography, Physics, Computing and Chemistry papers were awarded A*/A grades, while in Pre-U there were D1s (beyond an A* at A Level) in French and Spanish with 100% of all German papers graded D1-D2 (A*/A). Three quarters of all Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) were graded A*/A. Twenty pupils were awarded three A* grades and five pupils gained four A*s.

A Level Results 2022

Pre-U Results 2022 (Art, French, German, Spanish)

It is not possible, nor fair, to compare the 2021 results with previous years because the method of assessment was so different and, crucially, there were no national norm standardised examinations.

However, we can be confident that we provided our pupils with the best opportunities to demonstrate their learning, we were thorough and fair in our methods and we are delighted with and proud of our pupils’ achievements.

It is not possible, nor fair, to compare the 2020 results with previous years because the method of assessment was so different and, crucially, there were no national norm standardised examinations.

However, we can be confident that we provided our pupils with the best opportunities to demonstrate their learning, we were thorough and fair in our methods and we are delighted with and proud of our pupils’ achievements.

A Level Results 2019

Pre-U Results 2019  (Art, French, German, Spanish)

A Level Results 2018

Pre-U Results 2018 (Art, French, German, Spanish)

A Level Results 2017

Pre-U Results 2017 (Art, French, German, Spanish)

Following the excellent achievements of our Upper Sixth where we saw 31% of all grades awarded A* and Canford’s results among the top co-educational boarding schools in the country, we were equally delighted for our Fifth Formers who recorded wonderful success in their GCSEs, again some of the very best results in the school’s history.

This year, both nationally and in independent schools, overall grades fell back to 2019 levels, yet Canford bucked this trend with higher grades in 2023 versus 2019 across the board. A quarter (24.8%) of all Canford grades were awarded the top grade of 9, widely acknowledged as beyond an A*, compared to 4.9% nationally.  Almost half (48.5%) of all Canford papers were awarded the two highest grades 9-8 (A*), while 72.8% of all grades were 9-7 (A*-A) compared with a national overall figure of 21.6%, 46.6% in independent schools and 20.8% across the South West region.  99.8% of Canford GCSEs were graded 9-4 (A*-C) compared with 67.8% nationally and 90.1% in independent schools.

Results of the highest quality were seen across the Arts, Sciences and Humanities, with at least three quarters of all Canford Chemistry, Classical Greek, Design, English, Geography, German, History, Maths, Philosophy and Theology and Physics graded 9-7. 

Fifteen pupils (13% of the year group) were awarded a clean sweep of 9-8 (A*) grades, a third of our cohort gained an impressive average of grade 8 (A*) or higher in all their examinations, and 61% of the year group gained an average of grade 7 (A*-A) or higher.  Not only have our Fifth Form achieved highly academically, as a year group they have also grasped the wide array of co-curricular opportunities we offer with enthusiasm and a great deal of personal and collective success. Their individual and combined contributions to the school across all areas such as sport, the creative and performing arts, CCF and broader community life have been very significant.

GCSE Results 2023

Just as for our Sixth Form, we were so proud of all our pupils for their excellent performances at GCSE.  33.6% of all Canford grades were awarded the very highest grade 9, compared to the national average of 6.6%, while 58.5% of all grades were 9-8 (A*) compared to the national average of 15.1%. 79.4% of all grades awarded to Canfordians were 9-7 (A*-A), compared with a national overall figure of 26.3% and 53% in independent schools on average. 99.7% of Canford GCSEs were graded 9-4 (A*-C) compared with 73% nationally and 92.5% in independent schools.

The last few years have been very difficult for teachers, pupils and their families and exam boards alike. Comparisons with recent exam years need to be considered in context as the landscape and factors which affected the award of Centre Assessed Grades of 2020 (CAGs) and Teacher Assessed Grades of 2021 (TAGs) were very different.  The chart below indicates the comparison with the last time examinations were sat in 2019.

Results of the highest quality were across the range of subjects in Arts, Sciences and Humanities, with over 80% of all Canford Maths, English, Geography, French, German, Philosophy and Theology (RS), History, Physical Education, Latin, Classical Greek, Computing, Chemistry and Biology papers graded 9-7.

GCSE Results 2022

It is not possible, nor fair, to compare the 2021 results with previous years because the method of assessment was so different and, crucially, there were no national norm standardised examinations.

However, we were delighted that our very strong Fifth Form year group fulfilled its anticipated promise and pupils' grades have enabled them to successfully move on to their A Level courses. 

GCSE Results Summary 2021

It is not possible, nor fair, to compare the 2020 results with previous years because the method of assessment was so different and, crucially, there were no national norm standardised examinations.

However, we were delighted that our very strong Fifth Form year group fulfilled its anticipated promise and pupils' grades have enabled them to successfully move on to their A Level courses. 

A summary of our 2020 results is published below:

GCSE Results Summary 2020

GCSE/IGCSE Results 2019

GCSE/IGCSE Results 2018 - Alpha Grades

GCSE/IGCSE Results 2018 - Numeric Grades

GCSE/IGCSE 2017 - Alpha Grades

GCSE/IGCSE 2017 - Numeric Grades