Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Average grades for GCSE at top schools/ private/ grammar schools?

I go to an average state school. The average grade is a grade C. I was wondering what the average results of private school or other schools which are supposed to be very good get in their GCSEs. I got 6 A* for mine, which was in the top 20 of my school year with 100 ish people in it. At a private school, would I cut the average grades? Because I forgot that I have to compete with students from much better schools than mine for university places and was quite worried! Sorry if this is a stupid question, was curious. I know of course there is a lot of variety within private schools grades, but I essentially mean schools considered to be good.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

superdarklord

I go to a state school and we ranged from like the occasional D to the upper end. I got 8A*s, 1A and an A in further maths. That was pretty much the highest in my year, lots of people got 6/7A*. Of course, it depends who you're talking to and the majority probably just got As/Bs/Cs
Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

kyraaalm

My schools meant to be like one of the top in London. many get a few/straight A*s. But on the other hand many people also get loads of D's/C's. Majority get B's tbh... But well done on your results, you should be fine with applying :-)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

HagueBlue

Original post by superdarklord

What percentage of your year do you mean,approximately, when you say "Lots" of students with 6/7 A*? Also, excellent results, they are so amazing! I'm sure you worked very hard and thoroughly deserved them! Congratulations :smile:

Reply 4

Brian1997

Yes, you certainly would at mine which usually comes around 20-30th best nationally in the league tables. In fact, with those grades, you would be pretty much spot on average at my school if not even slightly above,as overall average was 6A*s, 3As and 1 B. To do the stats briefly, I got 9A*s 1A as did 21 others, and 17 got a clean sweep of A*s, so that's 39 with 9+ A*s in a year of 200ish. 10% of exams taken were B or lower and 60% were A*. Don't forget places like Oxbridge look at your performance comparatively with the rest of your year, so yours will look particularly favourable.

Reply 5

dinglebells

In my sisters grammar school almost 50% got at least 8 a*. She was just average or even below average with 7 a* and 5 a.

Reply 6

Brian1997

I should probably add about 95% from my school goes to a Russell group university, so if your results are average for my school, you should do as well!

Reply 7

xNcDianna

well average in my classses not school was like 9 A stars..

Reply 8

subjunctivehistorian

Original post by AnkitKapoor

Hello

Obviously some private schools (*cough* Brighton College *cough* and various other ones) will have a very high average GCSE grade. But that's because they're highly selective in the first place.
Also, don't worry because when it comes to applying for universities, on your UCAS you will declare your school. Each school has statistics, and your grades will be judged RELATIVE to your school, rather than relative to the best 10% of the country. What I mean is that your 6A*s will look really good as you went to an 'average' school. However, if you'd been to a private school, where teaching is better, classes are smaller and facilities are more advanced, your grades might look average. It's all relative to your background too. So if you're on free school lunches/from a poor background, or don't have a quiet place to study, then that's taken into account. This is particularly the case for Oxbridge Universities.

So don't worry. Although your grades on paper might not be as good as people from a top private school, relative to your school/background, they are bloody amazing, you might even have a chance at Oxbridge :smile:

Reply 9

ckfeister

Average for my school

Was, U-D in English, E-C in English, U-D in Science (Only 5 got C due to coursework a fail on almost every1 I was 1/5 who got a C) thats the average for core subjects.

Fail school almost got shutdown.

Reply 10

dinglebells

Original post by ckfeister

almost?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 11

HagueBlue

Original post by subjunctivehistorian

Hello

Thanks, do you think it's in the top 20% of the country? I'm aiming for med school, at unis around as good as Kings college London but thanks a lot :-)

Reply 12

rossella99

Original post by AnkitKapoor

aahhh sorry im new to this, not sure how it works..
ANYWAY- I go to an all girls private school and your grades are private school standard here

Reply 13

username638250

72% of GCSEs are A* at my now former school, 96% being A or A*

Reply 14

HagueBlue

Original post by yl95

72% of GCSEs are A* at my now former school, 96% being A or A*

Wow! You go to an amazing school :-O

Reply 15

username638250

Original post by AnkitKapoor

Wow! You go to an amazing school :-O

Yeah, it does incredibly well academically, although it still isn't the top (it's always in the Top 10 though). There are downsides to that, too...

Reply 16

Its_Tito

My school's meant to be second in the UK League Tables, and I know a lot of people in Year 11 that were getting 13+ A* grades. I know 100% of people get at least 5 A* - C grades...I can't really tell you the average, but anything below a C/D aren't very common, there's always at least 6 A* grades and usually a lot more, to be honest.

Reply 17

username638250

Original post by Its_Tito

Hm, must be Westminster or St Paul's? Quite a few of the ones in the Top 10 don't submit their results into League Tables like those two...and sometimes, league tables are a bit dodgy with how they rank.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 18

HagueBlue

Original post by Its_Tito

That's absolutely brilliant! To think 50% of students get Cs. Your schools very good! I hope everyone there makes full use of that oppurtunity :-) I would be so grateful if I went to a school like that!