2005 Top British College Preparatory Boarding School Ranking

Ranking Methodology

*Ranking of college preparatory boarding schools in England is based on the score of the A Level test takers who were awarded an "A" or "B" grade. In instance of a tie, the school with a high percentage of test takers who earned an "A" are ranked higher.

About A - Level Tests:

A-Levels are graded from A to E, along with a fail grade, U (unclassified). Originally, they only distinguished between a pass and a fail, though a fail was divided into two, one meaning that the student failed at A-level but passed at the O-level equivalent of that subject, and the other meaning that the student had not passed at either A-level or O-level. In 1953, another grade was introduced, the distinction, for high passes. Due to complaints from universities regarding the problem with distinguishing between pass grades, in 1963, a grading scale close to the current one was created, but retaining an O-level pass between the grades E and F (Fail). When GCSEs were introduced, the O-level pass was dropped, replaced by a grade N, standing for 'Near miss'. The grade F was also replaced by a grade U. The grade N was dropped when the AS and A2 system was adopted.

Because British students often apply to universities before they have taken their A-levels, the universities consider predicted A-level results when considering whether or not to offer places to applicants. The predictions are made by students' teachers and are notoriously unreliable. An offer of a place will usually require students to achieve a minimum set of grades (e.g. obtain three grades in their upcoming exams: B, B and C or UCAS points) in the A-levels before they are officially admitted. A-level results are published in mid-August, allowing students and universities to organise university places to commence study in September or October of the same calendar year....

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_levels

*British Pound to US Dollar conversion rate 12/11/2004

Rank	Preparatory Boarding Schools	Location	A Levels A or B Grade 2004	A Levels A Grade 2004	Oxbridge Rank	Board Age	2004 Tuition Boarding UK "Pound"	2004 Tuition Boarding US "Dollar"	School Type
1	Westminster School	London	97%	83%	PR	12 - 19 Yrs	UK 20,658	US$39,790	Coed Boarding
2	St. Paul's School	London	97%	80%	PR	7 - 18	UK 20,085	US$38,705	Boys' School Boarding
3	Wycombe Abbey School	High Wycombe	97%	78%	PR	11 - 18	UK 20,100	US$38,730	Girls' School Boarding
4	Eton College	Windsor	96%	79%	PR	13 - 18	UK 22,480	US$43,320	Boys' School Boarding
5	Winchester College	Winchester	95%	-	PR	13 - 18	UK 21,950	US$42,300	Boys' School Boarding
6	Cheltenham Ladies	Cheltenham	91%	54%	PR	11 - 18	UK 23,370	US$44,970	Girls' School Boarding
	Sevenoaks School	Sevenoaks	91%	54%	PR	11 - 19	UK 21,900	US$42,200	Coed Boarding
8	Badminton School	Bristol	89%	67%	PR	4 - 18	UK 20,730	US$39,950	Girls' School Boarding
9	Benenden School	Cranbrook	89%	61%	PR	11 - 18	UK 22,350	US$43,070	Girls' School Boarding
10	Charterhouse School	Godalming	88%	68%	PR	13 - 18	UK 22,180	US$42,740	Coed Boarding
	St. George's School	Ascot	88%	-	PR	11 - 19	UK 20,250	US$39,020	Girls' School Boarding
12	Queenswood School	Hatfield	87%	-	PR	10 - 19	UK 20,460	US$39,430	Girls' School Boarding
13	Radley College	Abingdon	86%	-	PR	13 - 18	UK 19,050	US$36,710	Boys' School Boarding
	Tonbridge School	Tonbridge	86%	-	PR	12 - 19	UK 22,120	US$42,630	Boys' School Boarding
	Rugby School	Rugby	86%	-	PR	13 - 18	UK 20,610	US$39,720	Boys' School Boarding
16	Queen Elizabeth Hospital	Bristol	85%	56%	PR	10 - 18	UK 12,627	US$24,332	Boys' School Boarding
	Harrow School	Harrow	85%	-	PR	13 - 18	UK 22,350	US$43,070	Boys' School Boarding
18	Headington School	Oxford	84%	59%	PR	3 - 19	UK 17,505	US$33,732	Girls' School Boarding
19	Bromsgrove School	Worchestershire	84%	56%	PR	9 - 18	Contact School	Contact School	Coed Boarding
20	Roedean School	Brighton	83%	65%	PR	11 - 19	UK 22,200	US$42,730	Girls' School Boarding
21	Dulwich College	London	83%	59%	PR	7 - 18	UK 21,630	US$41,680	Boys' School Boarding
22	Abingdon School	Abingdon	83%	53%	PR	11 - 19	UK 18,360	US$35,380	Boys' School Boarding
23	Concord College	Shrewsbury	82%	65%	PR	12 - 19	Contact School	Contact School	Coed School Boarding
24	Lancing College	West Sussex	82%	56%	PR	13 - 19	Contact School	Contact School	Coed School Boarding
25	Marlborough College	Marlborough	81%	52%	PR	13 - 19	UK 21,900	US$42,200	Coed School Boarding
26	Oundle School	Peterborough	81%	50%	PR	11 - 19	UK 18,423	US$35,500	Boys' School Boarding
	Brighton College	Brighton	81%	-	PR	12 - 19	Contact School	Contact School	Coed School Boarding
	Malvern Girl's College	Malvern	81%	-	PR	10 - 18	Contact School	Contact School	Girls' School Boarding
29	Woldingham School	Caterham	80%	-	PR	10 - 18	UK 20,130	US$38,790	Girls' School Boarding
30	Bedford School	Bedford	79%	-	PR	7 - 18	Contact School	Contact School	Boys' School Boarding
	Sherborne Girl's School	Sherborne	79%	-	PR	11 - 18	Contact School	Contact School	Girls' School Boarding
	Bootham School	York	79%	-	PR	10 - 19	Contact School	Contact School	Coed School Boarding