Academic success

Exam success and beyond

We’re the top performing Sixth Form in Berkshire for the academic progress our Sixth Form leavers make and 14th among all boarding schools in England. Our approach shows that balancing high-quality learning (and yes – hard work!) with fun, living adventurously, sports, performing arts, off-curriculum projects and helping others is the best way to achieve academic success.

We want you to really love your learning. We prioritise experiential learning and getting out of the classroom, with a focus on creative problem-solving, interdisciplinary and project-based learning. Equality is one of our core values, so you can call your teachers by their first names and be sure that they’ll be by your side to support and guide you. The teachers lead the classes but everyone’s opinion is important.

After exams, 95% of our Sixth Form students go on to Higher Education. But whatever your ambitions, we’ll do all we can to help you achieve them.

View 2022 leavers' destinations +
Girl wearing science glasses

Top academic progress

Learn about our IBDP success. While some schools only recommend the IB Diploma for their top academic students, Leighton Park’s student-centred approach sees the value of the IB Diploma for any student who enjoys course work and interdisciplinary projects, has an international outlook and doesn’t want to narrow their subjects down at this stage of their education.

74% of A Level grades achieved in Summer 2022 were A*/B. The most recent assessment in the  Government League Tables for Sixth Form students placed Leighton Park in the top 1% of Schools in England and the top performing school in Berkshire for academic progress. Our results in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) subjects are particularly impressive.

For more information on our latest set of A Level results (Summer 2022), please see our news story.

Two girls and a boy using wooden sticks

Helping You Find Your Role in the World

Students are supported by a careers advisor, receive psychometric profiling and can take part in trips to visit former students at the universities they are interested in. Our careers guidance programme includes:

  • Individual and group tutorials
  • Careers Fairs, featuring experts from a broad range of professions including many Old Leightonians
  • Work shadowing and work experience placements
  • Support applying for internships and apprenticeships
  • A programme of inspirational speakers throughout Sixth Form.

Find out more about our Change-maker Programme.

Moving On to Higher Education

Our students accept offers from many different universities in the UK and abroad. Degree choices are varied but often reflect our strengths in STEAM, Music and Business. Last year 67% went on to STEAM-related degrees and 56% went on to research-intensive Russell Group universities. Students also went on to renowned institutions that are the very best in their disciplines, such as four students going on to conservatoires to study Music, one student went to Central St Martins for Art and two went to Loughborough to study Sports Science.

We offer specialist pathways for students considering:

  • Oxbridge
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Applying to overseas universities

See our leavers’ destinations

A truly outstanding school which gave me core values for my future career

Rachael, Old Leightonian

See what our students think

Nuna

41 Points for IB Diploma | Chemical Engineering, Lancaster University

“The best thing about the IB for me has been the community; being able to study with the same group of people, you get really close, even in lockdown everyone was studying together; we had study groups online. We just had to try to get through this weird and difficult time together.”
See more case studies +

Michael

A*, A, A at A Level - Music, University of Southampton

"I like how active the School is in the arts and how prominent music and drama are at LP. I like how the school encourages you to be your own person and how the Quaker values are present in all aspects of School life making LP a unique community, not just a school."
See more case studies +

Millie

42 points at IB | English and French, University of Oxford

"Leighton Park is a rarity, and gave me an insane and maybe ill-founded confidence in goodness… I am endlessly grateful for the friends I've met in the past five years."
See more case studies +

Ahmer

A*, A*, A*, A* at A Level with an A* EPQ | Medicine, Imperial College

"Sixth form at LP is a truly unique experience. In the classroom, teachers push you to your academic limits and provide support to develop you beyond them, fuelling a life long passion for your subjects and helping you achieve to the best of your ability. We are encouraged to think 'outside the box', beyond the syllabus and research topics of interest. Not only does LP develop you academically but also as a person."
See more case studies +

related articles

GCSE results Esther
August 25, 2022

Leighton Park Students Celebrate GCSE Success +

Nervous excitement buzzed around Leighton Park this morning as our Year 11s arrived to find out their GCSE results. Many found themselves awake unaccustomedly early but quickly shook off their … Read More +

August 18, 2022

Delighted by A Level Success: A*-B Grades up by 20%! +

Matthew Judd, Head of Leighton Park, articulated the joy at the School this morning as our excited Sixth Formers received another set of spectacular A Level results. “Once again I … Read More +

July 6, 2022

International Baccalaureate Students Celebrate Success! +

The IB Class of 2022 were excited to receive the results of two years hard work today as the International Baccalaureate Organisation shared their Diploma Programme grades worldwide. The international … Read More +

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