Nine exceptional private schools have made it into the league table of the top 100 independent schools in the country.

The latest figures list UK independent schools according to their performance in GCSE results published earlier this month, based on data from the Independent Schools Council, which represents the majority of fee-paying schools.

Schools are ranked by a point score showing the average GCSE points achieved per candidate.

The Royal High School, in Bath, is top of the class in the West and is ranked ninth in the country.

Of the 104 pupils who took GCSE exams, 67 per cent were awarded A or A* grades, and 97 per cent achieved grades A* to C.

Principal James Graham-Brown said while he was proud of his pupils' achievement, league tables were not the best way of measuring a school's success.

He said: "It's fantastic. We are very proud of our students and staff and their parents. We have far too many exams these days. I feel for them and all their sacrifices.

"I'm pleased they are rewarded. But saying that, I hate league tables. We may be top this year, but we are only as good as our year intake. The thing that we are most proud of is our value-added score."

Today's figures do not include the results of more than 50 leading private schools which have taken the unprecedented action of boycotting the tables this year. St Paul's and the world-famous Eton College are among those to have refused to release their examination results, claiming the rankings are meaningless and skew the education system.

When the results were released earlier this month, Pate's Grammar School, in Gloucestershire, and Monkton Combe School, in Bath, which are both top-performing schools, hit out at league tables.

Monkton Combe School principal Richard Backhouse said: "We believe the school exists for the benefit of our pupils and not to perform well in league tables."

Pate's Grammar School head teacher Shaun Fenton, said league tables served only to put pressure on teachers.

"Pate's appears near the top so you might think I like league tables," he said. "However, nothing could be further from the truth. League tables impoverish education."

Today's tables, based on GCSE exam results from 552 fee-paying schools, show that 28.5 per cent of entries achieved grade A*, up from 26.7 per cent last year. The national average is 6.8 per cent. And 59.2 per cent entries were graded A* or A, up from 57.3 per cent last year. The national average is 20.7 per cent.

Coming second in the West this year is Cheltenham Ladies College, followed by St Mary's School, Calne, Badminton School, in Bristol, and Hereford Cathedral School, Herefordshire.

Sherborne School for Girls, in Dorset, and Prior Park College, in Bath, also did exceptionally well at GCSE.

Bristol Grammar School also scored highly, coming eighth in the West and 73rd in the country, as did Red Maids' School, in Bristol, which is ranked 86th in the country.

Roderick Mackinnon, the new headmaster of Bristol Grammar School, said: "I've only been here for two days so cannot claim any responsibility for the results.

"But the school is delighted with the very impressive results across the board. All departments are very strong and we are tremendously proud of the work of students and staff, and the support of parents."