a family together celebrating a trophy win

Examination Results

Thornton College students consistently achieve outstanding academic results, regularly featuring among the top non-selective schools in the UK.

GCSE Results 2020

Thornton College students achieved excellent results in their GCSEs: 

  • 98% of all results were grades 9 – 4  (Pass)
  • 88% of all results were grades 9 – 5 (legacy A* – C)
  • 45% of all results were grades 9 – 7 ( legacy A* – A)
  • 27% of all results were at the highest possible grades 9 / 8 (legacy A**)
  • 100% of students achieve A* -C for their HPQ (Higher Project Qualification)

Val Holmes, Head Teacher said,

‘All our students in Year 11 continued to access work, attend live lessons and complete their learning during lockdown.  They have all worked incredibly hard during a difficult time to achieve their well-deserved results. As a non-selective school, which values the talents of each individual, we recognise that success comes in all shapes and sizes and that excellence is achievable in all sorts of different ways. I am incredibly proud of each of the girls, of their results, their support of one another and of the grit and resilience, which they have developed in the past months, in particular. It will serve them well in the next stage of their journey in education and as they face an increasingly competitive world’. 

A Level Results 2020

Thornton College students have achieved outstanding results in their A Level and Vocational Qualifications, with 100% securing their first choice university.

  • 75% of students achieved one or more A*/A grade
  • 75% of all grades were A* – B
  • 92% of all grades were A* – C 
  • In seven of our A Level subjects, 100% of students achieved A*- B
  • 100% of Vocational Awards graded at Distinction and Distinction*.  
  • 53% of all grades A*/A or equivalent

Students all secured their first choice place, pursuing courses including Mathematics, Biomedical Sciences, English Literature, Policing, Nursing and Education at a range of institutions including King’s College London, Warwick, Loughborough, Birmingham and Manchester.

GCSE Results 2021

Thornton College students have achieved excellent results in their GCSEs with the following key headline statistics:

• 97% of all results were grades 9 – 4 (Pass)
• 87% of all results were grades 9 – 5 (legacy A** – C)
• 72% of all results were grades 9 – 6 (legacy A** – B)
• 54% of all results were grades 9 – 7 (legacy A** – A)
• 36% of all results were at the highest possible grades 9 / 8 (legacy A**)
• 100% of students achieve A* – B for their HPQ (Higher Project Qualification)

A Level Results 2021

Thornton College students have achieved outstanding results in their A Level and Vocational Qualifications, with 100% securing their first-choice university.

• 59% of all grades A/A* or equivalent
• 79% of all grades A*-B or equivalent
• 91% of all grades A*-C or equivalent
• 73% of students achieved one or more A*/A grades or equivalent
• 41% of students achieved three or more A*/A or equivalent
• 100% of students achieved A*- B in nine of our A Level subjects
• 100% of Vocational Awards graded at Merit, Distinction and Distinction* and 83.3% achieved Double Distinction* or Distinction* Distinction.

GCSE Results 2022

Thornton College students have achieved excellent results in their GCSEs with the following key headline statistics: 

  • 87% of all results were grades 9 – 4 (Pass) (National Average 73%) 
  • 79% of all results were grades 9 – 5 (legacy A** – C) 
  • 66% of all results were grades 9 – 6 (legacy A** – B) 
  • 47% of all results were grades 9 – 7 (legacy A** – A) (National Average 26%) 
  • 31% of all results were at the highest possible grades 9 / 8 (legacy A** – A*) 
  • 89% of students achieved A* – B for their HPQ (Higher Project Qualification) 

* Results are subject to change pending appeals

A Level Results 2022

Thornton College students achieved grades they should be proud of.

  • 38% of all grades A*/A or equivalent
  • 60 % of all grades were A* – B or equivalent
  • 79% of all grades were A* – C or equivalent
  • 61% of students achieved one or more A*/A grades or equivalent
  • 81% of all vocational qualification grades Distinction* or Distinction
  • 75% of Year 12 students taking the Extended Project Qualification achieved A*-B

* Results are subject to change pending appeals

GCSE Results 2023

Thornton students have once again achieved fantastic GCSE results with over a third of students achieving grades 9 – 7 (legacy A** – A). In addition to GCSE results students achieved 100% A* – C in their Higher Project Qualifications with over half achieving A* – A.

  • 76% of all results were grades 9-5
  • 55% of all results were grades 9-6
  • 33% of all results were grades 9-7
  • 19% of all results were grades 9-8
  • Higher Project Qualification: 60% A*/A, 100% A* – C

A Level Results 2023

Congratulations to all our Sixth Form students who received their A Level and Vocational Qualification results! We are happy to share that our students are off to Manchester, Leeds, Kent, Loughborough and Winchester Universities to name a few!  The courses our students are going on to study are brilliantly varied reflecting their individual interests and include; Dual Hons Music & Psychology with an Integrated Masters; Bupa Apprenticeship in Dental Science; Forensic Science; Prosthetics and Orthotics; Physiotherapy and Neuroscience.

  • 23% of all grades A*/A or equivalent
  • 35% of all grades A*-B or equivalent
  • 66% of all grades A*-C or equivalent
  • 57% of students achieved one or more A*/A grades or equivalent
  • 67% of all vocational qualifications D*/D (Distinction* / Distinction) – 80% of all vocational qualifications D*/M (Distinction * / Merit)

*Results are subject to change pending appeals

GCSE Results 2024

A huge congratulations to all of our students who have yet again achieved excellent GCSE results, with almost a quarter of students achieving the highest possible grades 8-9 (legacy A**-A*), and well over a third of students achieving grades 9–7 (legacy A**-A). In addition to GCSE results, 100% of students taking the Higher Project Qualification achieved A*-C, with three quarters achieving A*-A.

24% of all grades were awarded 9-8

39% of all grades were awarded 9-7 (national average 23%)*

64% of all grades were awarded 9-6

78% of all grades were awarded 9-5

89% of all results were grades 9-4 (national average 70%)*

Higher Project Qualification: 63% A*, 75% A*/A, 88% A*-B, 100% A*-C

Additional Maths qualification (Level 3): 67% A*-B, 100% A*-C

A Level Results 2024

A huge congratulations to all of our students who have this morning received their Level 3 qualification results, including A Level and Vocational Qualifications.

  • 100% pass rate for all Level 3 qualifications
  • 33% of all grades A*/A or equivalent
  • 45% of all grades A*-B or equivalent
  • 80% of all grades A*-C or equivalent
  • 52% of students achieved one or more A*/A grades or equivalent
  • 64% of all vocational qualifications D*D* (Distinction* Distinction *)-DD (Distinction Distinction)
  • 78% of all EPQ grades were awarded at A*-A, 100% of all grades awarded at A*-C

Please note: In 2017 the grading scale changed from the A*-G scale to a numerical scale with a grade 9 being the highest. The new scale was introduced for the reformed GCSEs which were first examined in 2017. The transition to the new GCSEs was phased in over two years, so that in 2016-17 and 2017-18, students received a mix of grades depending on the subjects taken.

From 2019, all GCSE results are graded using the numerical scale.

“In 2020 100% of our Sixth Form Leavers secured their first choice University”.

“Thornton is a school, which has at its heart the value of each individual, the recognition that each can succeed and a belief in the importance of hard work and commitment. These superb results are once again proof that, at Thornton, success at the highest level is achievable across the range of educational opportunities and that Thornton offers this range. I am, of course, tremendously proud of all the girls, their pursuit of excellence and their determination, especially through the past few very trying months, and I wish them all the happiness they deserve in the next stage of their education” Mrs Val Holmes, Head Teacher, 2020 Results Day.

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