Four London boroughs placed in the top 10 local areas in England for the highest proportion of GCSE entries achieving grade 7 or above in 2026, according to data published by Ofqual.
Richmond upon Thames recorded the second-best performance nationally, with 43.4% of entries awarded grade 7 or above, up from 43.2% in 2025. Sutton followed in third place nationally at 43.0%, and Kingston upon Thames was fourth at 42.5%. Barnet also made the top 10 with 37.4% of entries achieving top grades.
National top performer and lowest areas
The top-performing local authority in England was Cambridge, where 53.5% of entries received grade 7 or above, up from 50.3% in 2025.
The area with the lowest proportion of top-grade entries was Tamworth in Staffordshire at 6.7%, followed by Knowsley in Merseyside (8.3%), Burnley in Lancashire (9.2%), Havant in Hampshire (9.5%) and Pendle in Lancashire (9.5%).
London borough rankings
Within London, the lowest-ranked boroughs were Barking & Dagenham at 20.4% and Havering at 19.0%. The City of London was excluded from the list due to its small population size.
The full ranking of London boroughs by percentage of entries achieving grade 7 or above is:
- Richmond upon Thames – 43.4%
- Sutton – 43.0%
- Kingston upon Thames – 42.5%
- Barnet – 37.4%
- Hammersmith & Fulham – 35.2%
- Wandsworth – 33.4%
- Southwark – 33.3%
- Merton – 31.8%
- Hackney – 31.2%
- Kensington & Chelsea – 30.5%
- Ealing – 30.2%
- Redbridge – 30.1%
- Westminster – 29.5%
- Bexley – 29.0%
- Camden – 28.8%
- Bromley – 28.3%
- Brent – 27.8%
- Harrow – 27.1%
- Haringey – 26.9%
- Newham – 26.8%
- Hillingdon – 24.6%
- Hounslow – 24.6%
- Islington – 24.6%
- Greenwich – 24.2%
- Waltham Forest – 23.8%
- Enfield – 23.3%
- Lewisham – 23.1%
- Tower Hamlets – 22.5%
- Lambeth – 21.0%
- Croydon – 20.9%
- Barking & Dagenham – 20.4%
- Havering – 19.0%
National ranking of London boroughs
The national ranking of local authorities by proportion of GCSE entries achieving grade 7 or above in 2026 included London boroughs in bold. The list shows the local authority name, the 2026 percentage, and the 2025 percentage in brackets.
Cambridge topped the national list at 53.5% (50.3%), followed by Richmond upon Thames at 43.4% (43.2%), Sutton at 43.0% (41.9%), and Kingston upon Thames at 42.5% (41.6%). Other London boroughs in the national top 50 included Barnet at 37.4% (37.3%), Hammersmith & Fulham at 35.2% (38.5%), Wandsworth at 33.4% (33.9%), Southwark at 33.3% (33.2%), Merton at 31.8% (31.8%), Hackney at 31.2% (28.1%), Kensington & Chelsea at 30.5% (33.0%), Ealing at 30.2% (29.7%), Redbridge at 30.1% (28.3%), Westminster at 29.5% (32.5%), Bexley at 29.0% (30.6%), Camden at 28.8% (27.5%), Bromley at 28.3% (27.4%), Brent at 27.8% (29.6%), Harrow at 27.1% (26.5%), Haringey at 26.9% (25.9%), Newham at 26.8% (26.4%), Hillingdon at 24.6% (22.4%), Hounslow at 24.6% (26.0%), Islington at 24.6% (23.4%), Greenwich at 24.2% (23.3%), Waltham Forest at 23.8% (23.5%), Enfield at 23.3% (23.0%), Lewisham at 23.1% (22.7%), Tower Hamlets at 22.5% (23.0%), Lambeth at 21.0% (20.2%), Croydon at 20.9% (19.1%), Barking & Dagenham at 20.4% (20.9%), and Havering at 19.0% (18.3%).
