August 20, 2026
Withington Girls’ School today celebrated an outstanding set of GCSE results, reflecting the hard work, determination and ambition of its Year 11 pupils.
This year, 53.7% of all grades awarded were at Grade 9, while 80.5% were at Grade 8 or above and 92.8% were at Grade 7 or above.
Among the 83 pupils in the year group, 21 pupils, one in four, achieved at least nine Grade 9s, while eight pupils achieved 10 or more Grade 9s. A total of 36 pupils, 43.4% of the cohort, secured a full set of Grade 8 and Grade 9 grades.
The results are also notable for the exceptional progress made by pupils during their time at Withington. The School recorded a Value Added score of +1.8, one of the highest in its history. This means that, on average, pupils achieved 1.8 grades higher in each examination than they would have been expected to achieve in average schools nationally.
These achievements are particularly impressive given the breadth of interests and commitments embraced by the cohort throughout their time at Withington. Alongside their academic studies, pupils have contributed extensively to school life through music, sport, drama, fundraising and community initiatives.
Almost half of the year group completed the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, while Year 11 pupils also enjoyed success in national competitions including the UKMT Intermediate Maths and Pink Kangaroo Challenges and The Royal Society of Biology’s School Spelling Bee. A number of pupils also volunteered alongside Year 12 students and teachers to deliver Saturday lessons to local school children through Withington’s long-running SHiNE Together programme.
Commenting on the results, Withington’s Head, Mr Tom Bennett, said:
“I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to every member of Year 11 on these outstanding results. We are enormously proud of what they’ve achieved. Behind every one of these grades is an individual story of hard work, determination and resilience, and what makes this year group particularly special is that they have achieved at such an exceptional level while also embracing the full life of the School through music, sport, drama, service and so much more.
“Our Value Added score of +1.8, one of the highest we have ever recorded, is particularly pleasing. It shows that these results are not only about very high levels of attainment, but also about the extraordinary progress our pupils make during their time here. That is an achievement of which our pupils, their families and our staff should be immensely proud.”
With progression into Withington’s Sixth Form guaranteed for Year 11 pupils, this group is well positioned to join a number of new students from schools across Greater Manchester and beyond, who have also excelled in their GCSE examinations and are ready for the exciting challenge that Withington’s Sixth Form offers.
Withington Girls’ School is consistently ranked as the top independent school in the North West, with a reputation for academic excellence, innovation and a strong focus on pupil wellbeing.
The WGS Sixth Form Information Evening will take place on Wednesday 7 October from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. Prospective families can complete an enquiry form to receive further information about the Sixth Form admissions process.
