Exam Results

Canford's Upper Sixth pupils celebrated another year of outstanding A Level achievement.  Huge congratulations to this talented and dedicated year group who surpassed last year’s grades at the top levels and continued the school’s reputation for consistent top quality academic outcomes.

In terms of Canford’s headline statistics:

• A* - Canford 24.1% (compared with 9.3% nationally)
• A*/A – Canford 57.6% (compared with 28.2% nationally)
• A*/B – Canford 85.5% (compared with 55% nationally)
• A*/C – Canford 95% (compared with 77.7% nationally)

There were strong performances across arts, science and humanities, with at least two thirds of all Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computing, Further Maths, Geography, German, Latin, Music, Physics and Religious Studies papers awarded A*/A grades. 

Among schools across the South of England, Canford’s A*/A results, at 57.6%, were once again over double those seen overall across the South West (27%) and continue to remain competitive against the more selective schools in the London (32.1%) and South East regions (31.2%).  Canford also again outperformed the independent school sector averages, with the Canford A*/A of 57.6% representing a year on year increase in 2025 against a fall to average 48.4% among all independent schools compared with last year. 

In terms of numbers within the Upper Sixth cohort:

• 42 pupils gained straight A*/A grades
• 13 pupils gained at least 3 A*s
• 27 pupils gained at least 2 A*s

A headline national statistic this year was that the proportion of pupils gaining 3A*s dropped in 2025, with 1.3% (3,890) of the 281,800 students in England achieving this.  Once more, the efforts of Canfordians have shone forth compared with this national measure, with 13 of our pupils gaining at least 3A*s or better in 2025 representing 10% of the 131 Upper Sixth cohort.

These results are testament to the hard work and commitment of this talented year group.  What is even more impressive is that these top-quality academic outcomes have been achieved within a broad and balanced school life.  Our pupils achieve their very best and to their highest standards not only within the classroom but while also taking full advantage of the huge range of opportunities beyond it.  This is a hallmark of life at Canford, with our multi-talented pupils combining their top results with, amongst many other things, Army scholarships, Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, distinctions in Maths Olympiads, music diplomas and high-level sporting achievements.  Examination results are only one part of the picture of the life of a Canfordian, reflecting our school vision for every individual pupil to be nurtured by both staff and peers, to enable them to successfully ‘explore, express and excel’ in all elements of their education within our supportive school community.

A level Results by Subject 2025

Our Upper Sixth Canfordians excelled in this year’s A Level examinations.  A quarter of all grades, 25%, were at the top grade A* with over half of all grades, 54%, at A*/A, 83% at A*/B and 96% A*/C, with strong performances across arts, science and humanities subjects. Once again Canford has significantly outperformed the national overall grade statistics which saw 9.3% of all grades at A*, 27.8% A*/A and 76% A*-C.  Regionally Canford results were double those seen overall at A*/A across the South West and have also again outperformed the independent sector averages.

These results are testament to the hard work and commitment of this talented year group.  Forty pupils gained straight A*/A grades, 12 with 3 or more A*s and a further 15 with at least 2A*/A grades. Breadth of opportunity is a hallmark of life at Canford, and like so many of our multi-talented pupils, these top performers took advantage of the many co-curricular options open to them, resulting in Army scholarships, Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards, distinctions in Maths Olympiads, music diplomas and high level sporting achievements.

A level results 2024

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)