Research edition · Comparison · SPGS · Radley

How do SPGS and Radley compare on A-level grades at A*?

Comparison · A-level grades at A* · 2019, 2022–2023, 2025–2026. Edition of 28 Sep 2026.

The answer · Holds up

Over the 5 years we can compare (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026), SPGS is ahead by a typical 30.4 points; 6 of 6 year ranges agree.

Measure: Share of published A-level entries awarded A* in the named examination year. Years: 2019, 2022–2023, 2025–2026.

Your briefing (0)

The figures

A-level grades at A* · 2019–2026
  • SPGS
  • Radley
A-level grades at A*, 2019–2026, on a scale of 0% to 80%. SPGS: 5 years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026), latest 58.4% in 2026; circle marker, solid; Radley: 5 years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026), latest 28% in 2026; square marker, long dashes. Each point links to its source record; the exact values are listed below the chart. Exam eras: 2019; 2020–21 (grades set by schools); 2022 (return to exams); 2023–25; 2026. The rule beneath the axis marks exam conditions, not schools.SPGS 2019: 52.1%SPGS 2022: 73.2% (provisional)SPGS 2023: 55.1%SPGS 2025: 66.8% (provisional)SPGS 2026: 58.4% (provisional)Radley 2019: 20.8%Radley 2022: 49%Radley 2023: 26.2%Radley 2025: 23%Radley 2026: 28%

Each school against the same scale and years.

SPGS
A-level grades at A*, 2019–2026, on a scale of 0% to 80%. SPGS: 5 years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026), latest 58.4% in 2026; circle marker, solid. Each point links to its source record; the exact values are listed below the chart. Exam eras: 2019; 2020–21 (grades set by schools); 2022 (return to exams); 2023–25; 2026. The rule beneath the axis marks exam conditions, not schools.SPGS 2019: 52.1%SPGS 2022: 73.2% (provisional)SPGS 2023: 55.1%SPGS 2025: 66.8% (provisional)SPGS 2026: 58.4% (provisional)
Radley
A-level grades at A*, 2019–2026, on a scale of 0% to 80%. Radley: 5 years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026), latest 28% in 2026; square marker, long dashes. Each point links to its source record; the exact values are listed below the chart. Exam eras: 2019; 2020–21 (grades set by schools); 2022 (return to exams); 2023–25; 2026. The rule beneath the axis marks exam conditions, not schools.Radley 2019: 20.8%Radley 2022: 49%Radley 2023: 26.2%Radley 2025: 23%Radley 2026: 28%

Exam eras: 2019; 2020–21 (grades set by schools); 2022 (return to exams); 2023–25; 2026. The rule beneath the axis marks exam conditions, not schools.

A break in a line means a year has no comparable figure; nothing is estimated. A hollow marker is a provisional figure the school may revise. The figures behind the chart are listed below.

A-level grades at A*: SPGS and Radley, each year both can be compared. The gap is SPGS minus Radley, in percentage points.
YearSPGS (%)Radley (%)Gap (points)
201952.120.831.3
202273.24924.2
202355.126.228.9
202566.82343.8
202658.42830.4

Figures to two decimal places at most. A figure known only within the school’s rounding is shown as a range, never as its lower end.

Read this with the answer

  • A-level-only series. IB, Pre-U, mixed qualifications and school-defined combined definitions are excluded. CAG/TAG years 2020–21 are excluded by default; unresolved competing values are retained in the evidence record but omitted here.
  • Published results describe different groups of pupils, chosen in different ways. They can’t show the effect of attending a school, or what one pupil would achieve.
  • Only the years both schools can be compared on are used: 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026. A missing or excluded year is not a zero result.
  • The period check compares all shared years, the latest three, the latest five and each year left out in turn, not every possible period. The same school is ahead in every one of these choices of years.
  • These figures carry the record’s existing source checks, which are kept apart from background links. This edition didn’t reopen every original publication.
  • Historical results: the latest shared year is 2026. 2026 counts only where a figure passes this measure’s usual rules.

6 of the 10 recorded figures behind this comparison have an exact source check for that field and year; 4 are recorded or calculated figures with their support set out in Record details. This is not a fresh check of every source.

With research access

What the study means, and what to ask next

Research access adds what the comparison shows once it is read year by year, whether the answer holds when the period changes, and the questions to take to each school. It is added to your briefing with its sources, dates and qualifications.

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Where the figures come from

Each record gives the full definition, the documents it came from and what we checked.

  1. St Paul’s Girls’ School · 2019 · Published examination results · 2019 · A-level

    This figure hasn’t been fully checked against the original yet.

  2. Radley College · 2019 · A-level results · 2019 · A level · A*–E

    Checked against the original: A*, A*–A, A*–B and entries. Not yet checked: pass.

  3. St Paul’s Girls’ School · 2022 · A-level · published record · 2022 · A-level

    Checked against the original: 12 figures, including A* count, A* and A*–A.

  4. Radley College · 2022 · A-level results · 2022 · A level · A*–E

    This figure hasn’t been fully checked against the original yet.

  5. St Paul’s Girls’ School · 2023 · A-level · published record · 2023 · A-level

    Checked against the original: 12 figures, including A* count, A* and A*–A.

  6. Radley College · 2023 · A-level results · 2023 · A level · A*–E

    Checked against the original: A*, A*–A, A*–B and entries. Not yet checked: pass.

  7. St Paul’s Girls’ School · 2025 · Published examination results · 2025 · A-level

    Checked against the original: A*, A*–A, A*–B and entries.

  8. Radley College · 2025 · A-level results · 2025 · A level · A*–E

    Publications differ on A*–A. Checked against the original: A*, A*–B and entries.

  9. St Paul’s Girls’ School · 2026 · Published examination results · 2026 · A-level

    This figure hasn’t been fully checked against the original yet.

  10. Radley College · 2026 · A-level results · 2026 · A level · A*–E

    This figure hasn’t been fully checked against the original yet.

Source evidenceOpen full record ↗