UAE schools celebrated outstanding GCSE results on Thursday with many institutions marking record performances as thousands of pupils scored top marks.
Some UAE schools reported their best results with pupils achieving the highest number of A* or 9 grades, the best a pupil can be awarded.
Grade 9 is the highest grade, set above A*. The new system, implemented in 2017, helps provide more differentiation, especially among higher-achieving pupils.
Depending on their performance, many will choose A-level courses or a vocational qualification.
Good GCSE grades can open the path to A-levels as well as top universities, as pupils submit these results for university admissions.
Tracy Crowder-Cloe, principal at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, said she was particularly pleased with the number of A* or 9 scores that pupils at the school obtained.
She said the school’s performance in the GCSEs had been its best to date.
“This year 28 per cent of the grades our pupils achieved were a grade 9 and we're delighted,” said Ms Crowder-Cloe.
“It's our highest-ever number of grade 9s that we've ever achieved as a school.
“These grades open doorways for them, and we're already working with our pupils to look at their next steps such as which A-level courses they choose, or the BTEC pathways they choose.
“These are phenomenal results particularly when they apply for university in two years.”
She said the school’s academic and pastoral team worked to ensure that pupils applied themselves academically while also taking care of their well-being.
Making the grade
Overall, 86 per cent of scores achieved by pupils at the school were between grades 7 and 9.
In England, GCSEs are graded using a numerical system from 1 to 9 – with 9 being the highest grade.
A grade 7 or above is equal to an A and above, while a grade 4 is equal to a C.
Simon Crane, head teacher at Brighton College Dubai, said: “Our results are just spectacular. The most common grade is 9. It's the highest number of grade 9s in three years. We are over the moon."
This year, 22 per cent of the school's grades were 9, compared with 21 per cent last year, he said.
"This year, we have 40 per cent grade 8-9, while it was 37 per cent last year. At the top end, we're improving year on year," Mr Crane added.
He said that pupils needed these grades to secure places at the top universities as higher education institutions considered GCSE results in addition to A-level results.
"It paints an early picture of academic success and children with those nines and eights will have a better chance of obtaining top university places," he added.
This year, more than 3,800 pupils from 23 schools in the UAE and Qatar sat for IGCSE/GCSE exams. Across the Gems Education network, pupils obtained 3,617 grade 9s in various subjects.
Additionally, 22 per cent scored between 8 and 9, while 40 per cent of entries obtained grades 7 and 9.
The results also showed 60 per cent scored between 6 and 9, and 83 per cent were graded 4 to 9.
At Jumeirah College Dubai 27 per cent of GCSE entries were awarded the top grade 9.
At Gems Wellington International School, 26 per cent of exam entries scored grade 9 and 81 per cent scored between 6 and 9. Gems Cambridge International Private School Sharjah also received 45 per cent of entries with grades 8 to 9.
Brett Girven, principal at Dubai British School Emirates Hills, said one in three of the grades at the school were between 8-9.
He said that in the post-pandemic world, assessments were stabilising now and children had consistency in their learning, the impact of which was reflected in their results.
Top class
In a similar trend, last week, the number of A-level entries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland awarded top grades passed pre-pandemic highs.
In the UAE, thousands of UAE pupils celebrated winning top marks in A-level exams last week, with many schools achieving their best results to date.
Rebecca Coulter, principal at Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, said grades had improved by three per cent since last year at the highest end (8-9) and by five per cent in the grades 7-9.
"This year, we've got 45 per cent of our pupils achieving 7-9. It's an increase across the board in all of our grades," said Ms Coulter.
"We've worked really carefully with this cohort to make sure that the revision and the intervention programmes that we've run are incredibly bespoke and make sure that any gaps in knowledge are addressed and really prepare them for the exams."
She said a huge amount of work had gone in from the teaching team in supporting the children through the exams and focusing on exam technique and exam practice.
At Brighton College Al Ain one in four grades were in the top grade 9.
Oliver Bromley-Hall, head teacher at the school, said that in terms of attainment, these were not a record, but the percentage of grade 9s was better than last year.
He said he was happy that every child had achieved one grade higher than expected in every subject.
