Stonyhurst, one of the UK’s leading co-educational Catholic boarding and day school for children aged 3–18, is celebrating another year of exceptional academic achievement. Founded in 1593, it holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest continuously active Jesuit school. Today, it educates more than 700 pupils, around 600 at Stonyhurst College and over 100 at its preparatory school, Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall.
Students travel from across the UK and from overseas to study on the College’s stunning 1,000-acre rural estate near Clitheroe, Lancashire. Boarding is available from the age of seven, and pupils can choose between UK public examinations and the globally recognised International Baccalaureate Diploma.
This summer’s results demonstrate the College’s strength across all academic pathways.
A levels: excellence at the top end
Stonyhurst’s A level candidates achieved:
18% of grades at A*
51% at A*/A
80% at A*/B
CTECH: outstanding vocational success
Pupils in Sport and Business CTECH courses delivered outstanding outcomes:
90% achieved the top grade of D* (Distinction*), equivalent to AA at A level in UCAS tariff points
100% achieved D*D or higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma: above the global average
The IB cohort once again surpassed the worldwide average point score of 30, achieving an impressive 33. Notably:
Over 20% scored 36+ points (broadly equivalent to three A grades at A level)
The highest score was 42, achieved by less than 4% of IB students globally and equivalent to four A*s at A level
Global destinations and diverse disciplines
These results have opened doors to prestigious universities in the UK and abroad. Pupils will join leading institutions such as Oxford (including an Organ Scholarship awardee), Durham, St Andrews, Edinburgh, King’s College London, UCL, Manchester, Newcastle and York. Internationally, destinations include CUNEF and IE Madrid in Spain, the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, Kassel University in Germany, and the University of Miami in the United States.
Their chosen degree subjects reflect both intellectual breadth and vocational ambition, ranging from Medicine, Law and Economics to Music, Architecture, Computer Science, Mechatronic & Robotic Engineering and Theoretical Physics.
Headmaster John Browne praised both the personal and academic triumphs of this year’s leavers:
“These outstanding results are a remarkable tribute to the determination and dedication of our young people, supported by their families and our extraordinary staff. Most of all we are proud of these young people who are now ready to go out into the world as ‘men and women for others’.”
With a 430-year Jesuit tradition of holistic education, Stonyhurst continues to prepare its pupils not just for academic success, but for purposeful lives of leadership, service, and global impact.
