Arbor School Celebrates Record GCSE Results

Arbor School is celebrating its strongest GCSE results to date, with exceptional performances across the curriculum and a significant rise in the proportion of top grades awarded. 

It was a morning of celebration at Arbor School as our Year 11 students received their GCSE results, marking the culmination of two years of hard work and an exciting next step in their education. 

Across 283 I/GCSE entries, 23% of all grades were awarded at Grade 9 – more than three times the proportion achieved last year. A total of 41% of entries achieved grades 9-8, almost double the previous year, while 60% achieved grades 9-7. 

Overall, 98% achieved a grade 9-4 pass rate, with students achieving impressive outcomes across a broad range of subjects, reflecting strengths across STEM, languages, humanities and the creative and applied curriculum. 

In Mathematics, 76% of grades were awarded at 9-7, while 84% of Science grades achieved 9-6. Students achieved 100% grades 9-7 in Chemistry, Physics and Further Mathematics, alongside 86% in Computer Science. 

Languages were another particular strength, with 100% of Spanish grades and 86% of French grades awarded at 9-8. 

In Psychology, 100% of grades were awarded at 9-8, with 78% achieving Grade 9. Economics saw 75% of grades awarded at 9-7, while half of Geography students achieved the highest possible Grade 9. 

There were also excellent outcomes across Arbor’s broader pathways. 100% of BTEC Level 2 Engineering entries achieved Distinction*, while 90% of Design Technology results were awarded A*–B. 

Among the individual achievements celebrated on Results Day, Ojas Jha achieved an exceptional seven Grade 9s and two Grade 8s. 

Among the individual achievements celebrated on Results Day, Ojas achieved seven Grade 9s and two Grade 8s, and said: “I’m proud of what I’ve achieved at Arbor. I completed five of my GCSEs a year early, and the remaining four this year. I plan to make the same advanced progress in my A Levels at Arbor, aiming to finish some early.”  

Loki, an Arbor Scholar, who achieved five Grade 9s, three Grade 8s and one Distinction*, said: “I’m really happy with my results and am particularly proud of my Grade 9 in French. I look forward to progressing on to Sixth Form at Arbor this year, to study Maths, English Literature and French.” 

Principal Gemma Thornley said: 

“We are incredibly proud of our students and these outstanding GCSE results. They reflect the hard work of our young people and the dedication of the teachers who have supported them. 

“For us, what makes these results particularly important is that they demonstrate that academic excellence does not have to come at the expense of a broader education. Our students achieve highly while also developing a strong ecological and ethical compass and a real sense of their place and responsibility in the world. That balance is fundamental to the education we believe in, and these results are a wonderful reflection of it.” 

Thomas Moriarty, Head of Secondary, added: 

“These are exceptional results and a real reflection of the ambition, hard work and commitment of our students and staff. To see 60% of all GCSE grades awarded at 9-7, alongside such outstanding outcomes across so many individual subjects, is something we are incredibly proud of. 

“Most importantly, these results give our students a fantastic platform for the next stage of their education, and we could not be prouder of them.” 

Looking ahead to Sixth Form 

For many of our Year 11 students, Results Day marks the beginning of the next stage of their Arbor journey as they prepare to enter Sixth Form and begin their chosen A Level and BTEC pathways. 

There, they will join a Sixth Form that this year celebrated another major milestone: Arbor’s first graduating cohort and first A Level results. 

The Class of 2026 achieved 48% A*-A and 80% A*-B at A Level, with a 100% pass rate, following a university application cycle that saw Arbor’s first graduates receive more than 200 offers from universities around the world and secure more than AED 27.5 million in scholarship offers. 

Together, this summer’s GCSE and A Level results mark an exciting chapter for Arbor Secondary and Sixth Form – and, most importantly, celebrate the individual achievements of the young people behind every grade. 

Congratulations to our Year 11 students. We are incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what comes next.