A Level Results 2026

On one of the most eagerly anticipated days of the year, pupils arrived at the Senior School this morning to collect their A level results.

We are delighted to report another outstanding set of results for the Class of 2026. An impressive 52% of all grades were awarded A*, with 87% at A*–A and 98% at A*–B.

Of those who applied to university, 96% secured a place at either their first-choice or insurance-choice institution. 86% of pupils received places at Russell Group universities, including 34 who secured places at Oxbridge.

A further 12 pupils will continue their studies at international universities, including Harvard, Duke University and the University of Chicago.

Highgate’s Head, Adam Pettitt, commented “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% of all exams graded A* to B, they have positioned themselves so well for university places. 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.”

James Newton, Deputy Head (Academic), added: “Pupils in our outgoing Year 13 cohort have outperformed even my high expectations of them. They deserve public acknowledgement that their collective results have broken Highgate records in every category that matters, and I am extremely proud of some of the stories behind them. I’d like to congratulate our bursary pupils, all of whom received grades exclusively in the A* to B range.”

Verity Smith, Head of Sixth Form (Pastoral), added, “It has been wonderful to see the results of the pupils’ hard work and appetite for learning writ large on their faces today. This year group knows the value of discretionary effort and that how one meets challenges along the way is as important as one’s natural gifts. Working with many of them from a pastoral perspective has been an absolute privilege and I wish them every happiness as they continue their journey.”

Pupil Deputy Head, Faizan, who is heading to Imperial College London with four A*s reflected, “Highgate doesn’t put pressure on you, but if you want to push yourself, it gives you all the things you need. I honestly loved learning to manage my time. Being with my friends today and seeing them do well makes me happy – I’m really chuffed.”

All Sixth Form pupils at Highgate study four A levels in Y12 to retain a breadth of study for as long as possible, with many of them continuing all four to conclusion. Anna, who is heading to Cambridge to study Human Political Social Sciences, explains how studying Art, alongside Maths, Politics and Economics, had such a positive impact on her: “I think specifically with my combination, Art was always an output for me. So with my Politics and Economics, all my thoughts would come out through my art, which was heavily political. It felt like an exploration of everything else in a very different way. It feels like you’re using different parts of your brain and different stimuluses. It gives you more options, and I think it makes you stand out if you’re doing more.”

Ellen, who is moving on from Highgate to study Chinese and Linguistics at Edinburgh, said: “Academically, I like a range of things, so I found it interesting to have a mix of subjects where you’re not just doing one type of thing at school. It gives more variety to what you’re studying. Languages are so interesting because you also get to learn more about the culture and the country.”

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James Newton, noted, “I’m delighted to note that pupils continue to defy national trends in taking nationally declining subjects with nearly half of all our examination entries in Arts, Humanities and Languages. This great academic diversity makes our school special.”

Eden, who studied History, Maths and Music and is heading to Nottingham University, commented, “It was good to have a balance of essay writing versus calculations – I’ve really enjoyed that. The time that the teachers put in to help you is probably something you don’t get at many other places.”

Anna added, “I really enjoyed the school. There is something special about the community and the people here, especially teachers. Specifically, when I went into A levels, I was around these people who dedicated so much of their time to helping you and you begin to understand how much passion is involved with studying a subject.”

As pupils set forth on their new adventures, James Newton commented, “I shall finish with a piece of advice to this cohort of pupils as they enter university: remember what you did to achieve these exceptional grades – attendance, participation, and grit is every bit as necessary as raw academic talent!”

Highgate’s head, Adam Pettitt, concluded, “there’s a lot more to them and their success than this, of course, but the grown-up habits of taking responsibility for your own progress and putting in the hours that are needed suggest they have tried and tested formulas to make the very best of university and work beyond. We are as excited about their futures as we are by their fantastic results!”