Sutton shines on national stage as borough ranks top 10 for A-levels

The London Borough of Sutton ranked ninth in England for the proportion of A-level entries receiving the top grades, according to figures published by Ofqual.

Some 44.5 per cent of A-level entries in Sutton received an A or A* this year, slightly up from 44.4 per cent in 2025.

The result puts Sutton ahead of almost every other local area in England, with only eight areas recording a higher proportion of top grades.

Sutton was the third highest-performing London borough, behind Richmond upon Thames, which ranked second nationally with 48.7 per cent of entries receiving an A or A*, and Kingston upon Thames, which came sixth with 45.3 per cent.

The strong results also extended across the Surrey area, with Epsom & Ewell coming 10th nationally, where 44.4 per cent of A-level entries received an A or A*.

Guildford topped the national table, with 50 per cent of entries receiving an A or A*, while Mole Valley also made the top 10 with 45.1 per cent.

That means three Surrey areas featured in England’s top 10, with Guildford, Mole Valley and Epsom & Ewell all recording particularly high proportions of top grades.

Cheltenham in Gloucestershire came third nationally with 47.7 per cent, followed by Tonbridge & Malling in Kent on 46.4 per cent and Hertsmere in Hertfordshire on 46.2 per cent.

Trafford in Greater Manchester was the only area outside southern England to make the top 10, with 45.1 per cent of entries receiving an A or A*.

The figures come as Sutton students collect their A-level results and prepare to take their next steps, whether that is university, an apprenticeship, further training or entering the world of work.

Councillor Gemma Munday, Lead Member for Children and Young People at Sutton Council, said: “A huge congratulations to all Sutton students receiving their results today. You’ve worked hard, overcome challenges and earned this moment.”

She added: “Whether your next step is university, an apprenticeship, further training or the world of work, Sutton is proud of you and excited to see what you achieve next.”

The figures show a significant gap between the areas with the highest and lowest proportions of top A-level grades.

Ofqual did not publish figures for Bolsover, Fareham, Knowsley or the Isles of Scilly because of the low number of A-level entries.

The national figures were published as part of Ofqual’s 2026 qualification results data.

Students will receive their GCSE results across the country on Thursday (August 20).

Courtesy of Your Local Guardian | Richmond News