An analysis of this summer's independent school GCSE results, shows that those achieving an A* or A grade has risen to 50.3% of entries, compared to 48.2% last year. The national average for gaining the top grade is 15.2%.

The single most successful independent school at GCSE has been the Abbey School in Reading, Berkshire, on a ranking system which gives eight points for an A* grade and one for a G grade.

The results, published by the Independent Schools Information Service, shows that last year's highest performer, King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, is this year in second place.

The rankings of over 600 fee-paying schools shows that Eton College has risen from 30th place to sixth, while Harrow School is at 159th place.

Winchester College, which came first in the A-level scores is even further down the table - because it has moved away from studying conventional GCSEs towards International GCSEs (IGCSEs), which are closer to the European baccalaureate-style qualification.

The points score for each school is based on the average number of points achieved per candidate.

The top 30 independent school GCSE scores

1 Abbey School, Reading 77.77
2 King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham 77.51
3 St. Paul's School, London 77.30
4 King Edward's School, Birmingham 76.88
5 Perse School for Girls, Cambridge 76.48
6 Eton College, Windsor 76.43
7 Westminster School, London 75.57
8 Wimbledon High School GDST, London 74.62
9 Whitgift School, South Croydon 74.05
10 KCS Wimbledon, London 73.24
11 King Edward VI School, Southampton 73.16
12 Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton 71.94
13 North London Collegiate School, Edgware 71.24
14 Oxford High School GDST, Oxford 71.24
15 Haberdashers' Aske's School, Borehamwood 70.94
16 Maynard School, Exeter 70.75
17 Magdalen College School, Oxford 70.66
18 Nottingham High School, Nottingham 70.60
19 Central Newcastle High School GDST, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 70.46
20 King's School, Canterbury 70.44
21 Canford School, Wimborne 70.23
22 Wycombe Abbey School, High Wycombe 70.23
23 St. Paul's Girls' School, London 69.43
24 Bolton School Girls' Division, Bolton 69.05
25 Queen's School, Chester 69.00
26 St Helen & St Katharine, Abingdon 68.93
27 Old Palace School of John Whitgift, Croydon 68.84
28 Leicester Grammar School, Leicester 68.81
29 Downe House, Thatcham 68.70
30 James Allen's Girls' School, London 68.69