Barnard Castle School is celebrating another significant rise in A*-A grades well above the National Average: A*-A grades rise as the School continues a three-year trajectory of continued academic success.
Our 2026 Results Overview
Our Sixth Formers are celebrating an excellent set of A Level results, with 33% of all grades awarded at A*-A and 59% at A*-B. The results mark a strong three-year upward trajectory in academic performance, with the proportion of A*-A grades more than doubling since 2023.
What is particularly pleasing is that these results tell a story not only of academic excellence at the highest level, but of perseverance and success across a wide range of subjects and pathways. We have seen outstanding performances in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Digital Media, BTEC Sport, Business, Economics, Physics and the Extended Project Qualification, among many others.
Academic ambition is important to us as a School, but so too is recognising that there are many different routes to a successful and fulfilling future. Whether our students are heading to university, progressing to an apprenticeship, entering employment or pursuing another path, we want them to leave as well-rounded and well-grounded young people, with the character to meet life’s challenges, the ambition to make the most of every opportunity, and an instinct to make a positive difference in the lives of those around them.
Visit our news page to read more about the 2026 A-Level success stories.
University and careers
Our school has a long history of preparing students for Russell Group and Oxbridge universities as well as other highly regarded universities, apprenticeships and careers. Equipped with the most up-to-date technology and information, all our students receive expert advice on which university courses might best suit their individual needs.
They receive high-quality assistance and protected time with the UCAS and career-planning process, writing personal statements, university applications, preparing for interviews, choosing firm and assurance offers, and student finance.
Tutors’ knowledge and deep understanding of each of their students ensures they can provide meaningful, personalised references to universities and employers in support of Sixth Formers’ applications, alongside the support provided throughout their applications. Students are encouraged to visit the School’s dedicated and up-to-date Higher Education portal.
Sixth Form students are also encouraged to build on their employability skills, to develop their networks and to pursue opportunities for relevant work experience. The Sixth Form has extensive links with businesses, parents and alumni to enrich opportunities, alongside provision for careers interviews and careers testing.
Our school governors and Old Barnardians support our Personal and Professional Development programme, providing opportunities to gain interview experience, to develop skills for the workplace and to network. News and latest developments from universities, careers and apprenticeships, and job vacancies are provided weekly.
Through a series of lectures, one-to-one sessions and by simply providing me with all the information and support required for a strong UCAS application, Barney Sixth Form helped me to choose the right course at the right university and prepared me for my interview, which undoubtedly helped me receive an offer from Cambridge.
— Year 13 student
Destinations
Equipped with the most up-to-date technology and information, all our students receive expert advice on which university courses and apprenticeship schemes might best suit their individual needs, and every year, the vast majority secure a place at their first choice university or respective company.
The Barnardian Society
We encourage our former students to join over 5,000 Old Barnardians in our global network living in more than 40 countries worldwide. The network not only supports recent leavers as they progress to university and in the first steps of a career, but also facilitates connections for older OBs who may be seeking new opportunities, ways to engage in a variety of social occasions or simply a route to get back in touch with friends from their school days.
