GCSEs: Local students celebrate impressive results

Students at Ark Burlington Danes Academy in Shepherds Bush have set a high standard with their strong performance in this year's GCSE results.

Seventy-four per cent of pupils achieved grades 9 to 4 in English and Maths, up from last year's 65 per cent. English and Maths students scoring grades 9 to 7 increased by four per cent compared to last year.

Principal David Carr said:

We are really proud of what our students have achieved this summer. Students and staff worked tirelessly together so that all students could maximise their outcomes. We look forward to our students continuing their journey with us in sixth form. We are excited to see them become the leaders of the future that make our world a better place."

Standout student Afra Iqbal, 16, scored nine grade 9s and one grade 8 and said: "Thank you so much to the amazing teachers at Ark Burlington Danes for helping me get here. I am so excited to study English, History and Classics next year."

Classmate Rawnd Ettoumi received seven grade 9s, two grade 8s and two grade 7s and explained: "I am grateful for achieving what I worked hard for this year."

Zara Robinson plans to return to Ark Burlington Danes next year to study biology, chemistry and psychology, after scoring five 9s , three 8s, one 7 and a five. She said: "All of the effort that I put in has paid off."

After opening results of four grade 9s, four grade 8s and two 7s, Ahmad Warsame explained: "My Head of Year and teachers were the reason I was able to achieve so highly today."

Another pupil Samir Simnica reflected, "Grades are such a personal journey. I am thankful for everyone who supported me." He achieved four 9s, two 8s and four 7s.

David Carr added: "As we create a nurturing learning environment, we will continue to seize every opportunity for success and excellence."

See all the photos from Ark Burlington Danes results day here.

Students at Fulham Boys School have a lot to celebrate – achieving the school's best set of GCSE results for the second year in a row.

In English 95.9 per cent of students, and in Maths 91.8 per cent, achieved grade 4 or above, with 73 per cent achieving grade 5 or higher.

In total, 46.8 per cent of all GCSE grades were 7, 8 or 9, with 38.5 per cent of boys achieving at least one grade 9.

Outside English and Maths, the school's top performing departments were:

• History, where two thirds of students achieved grade 7 or above
• 3D design, where 90 per cent achieved grade 7 or above
• RE, with 76.6 per cent earning grade 7 or above

Headmaster David Smith commented:

We are delighted that our students have achieved such a great set of GCSE results, with some outstanding individual success stories.

"In English and Maths, we are over 30 per cent above national averages and the average attainment grade is well above a 6, which clearly demonstrates that our young men do exceptionally well here at FBS.

"Our boys have worked tirelessly to meet their potential and lay foundations for the next step of their academic journey. As ever this would not have been possible without the hard work of FBS staff and support from our parents; thank you yet again."

Standout stars include Simeon, who secured 10 straight grade 9s, Reuben who earned eight grade 9s and two grade 8s, and Nicholas, James and Mats, who each achieved all grade 9s bar one.

Many Year 11s will now enrol in the school's sixth form to study A-levels, while others move on to study elsewhere, or work. Teens have secured places to study music, digital design, electrical installation, multi-trades – and even to sign professional football contracts.

You can find photos from Fulham Boys' results day here.

Among H&F's success stories were some standout stars at Fulham Cross Girls school.

More than a third of all results were grade 7 or above, with 11 per cent achieving grade 9s.

Standout student Molly Prescott scored a clean sweep of grade 9s. Her classmates Ealaf, Juliana and Shahrazad were delighted to receive all grade 9s and one grade 8. Nouran, Sara, Maddie, Aqsa, Mona and Zoe were proud to get grade 8s and 9s across the board.

Impressively, 39 per cent of students achieved grade 7 or higher in English. In triple science, more than two thirds scored grade 7 and above, while 23 per cent of trilogy (biology, physics & chemistry) science students got top grades; more than double the national average in 2023.

Of French and Geography students, 23 per cent scored on average one grade higher than targeted, with more than 50 per cent of all French pupils getting a grade 7 or higher.

Sally Brooks, executive principal of the Fulham Cross Academy Trust said:

Today, we're here at Fulham Cross Girls' School celebrating the achievement of our wonderful girls. I think this is possibly our best ever results. Almost two thirds of the girls got a 7 and above in all of the sciences, single and double. English results were through the roof again. We've had almost 20 students with a suite of 8s and 9s, so it's been a really happy morning."

To see photos from Fulham Cross Girls School's GCSE results day, click here.

Hammersmith Academy is once again celebrating an impressive set of GCSE results, maintaining the benchmark set last year, and going against the national downturn of top grades awarded.

The school's 'fair-banded' cohort have performed well above the national average expectations with an incredible 77 per cent of all grades achieved graded 4 to 9.

A quarter of all grades awarded were between levels 7 to 9. In English, 75 per cent of students achieved a strong pass, grading 5 to 9, and 60 per cent scoring a strong pass in Mathematics.

Top performing subjects include History, Art and Drama with 40 per cent of all students securing grades 7 to 9.

Headteacher, Gary Kynaston, said:

I want to congratulate our Year 11 students on a very impressive set of GCSE results. The Academy bucked the national downward trend in results last year and for this 'fair-banded' cohort to maintain the same high level of academic achievement is fantastic. It shows they are committed to their studies and are hungry to succeed. They should be very proud of their individual achievements and their ability to leave the impact of the Covid restrictions firmly in the past.

"It has been pleasing to see our long-term plan to reduce the attainment gap between girls and boys continue to bear fruit, and our SEND students surpassing expectation."

Thank you to all the staff who continually go above and beyond to ensure students have all the resources and support they need to excel.

I look forward to welcoming the Year 11 into our Sixth Form in September as they begin the next part of their academic journey."

High flyers

Standout successes include the Academy's top performer, Roweena Coyle scoring an outstanding eight grade 9s and a grade 8.

Hannah Sapsford attained five grade 9s, four grade 8s and a grade 7, adding:

"I am so pleased with my results because I worked really hard for them and my family are all extremely happy and proud of me."

Tegan Aumayer achieved two grade 9s and seven grade 8s. Asya Al Wafai scored a grade 9, six grade 8s and two grade 7s and classmate Yusra Nur received two grade 9s, seven grade 8s and a grade 7.

They were in good company.

Sara Ali achieved five grade 9s, three grade 8s, a grade 6 and a grade 7. Lynna Yahiaoui recieved two grade 9s, six grade 8s and two grade 7s.

Marcus Harii earned three grade 9s, three grade 8s and three grade 7s. Ayman Ali achieved four grade 9s, four grade 8s, and a grade 7. And Anas Fudle was awarded three grade 9s, three grade 8s and two grade 7s.

The Academy maintains a high number of students being entered for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) with over 70 per cent studying the subjects considered essential for degrees and careers. These include English Language, English Literature, the Sciences, Geography or History and a Language as a minimum.

Additionally, there is a continued reduction of the attainment gap between girls and boys and a very notable above national level performance from the SEND student cohort with students on average achieving a minimum of half a grade higher than their national counterparts.

Year 11 students at Lady Margaret School achieved a dazzling set of GCSE results, building on the school's successes at A-level the week before.

Headteacher Elisabeth Stevenson said:

We're delighted. Our Year 11 students, along with those across the country, faced significant disruption to their education during the pandemic. They have worked incredibly hard and they are to be commended for their commitment to their studies and for the ways in which they have supported each other through difficult times."

The results are, indeed, glowing, with 96 per cent of girls at the Parsons Green school gaining Grade 4 or over in English Lit, 97 per cent in English Language, 95 per cent in Maths and 93 per cent in both English and Maths.

In the English Baccalaureate there was a 68 per cent success rate of Lady Margaret girls attaining five GCSEs with a minimum of Grade 4 in English, Maths and three other 'E Bacc' subjects out of Sciences, History, Geography, French and Spanish.

Overall, the school's GCSE students achieved 51 per cent of grades from 7 to 9, and 84 per cent between 5 and 9, with an average of 6.23 – very similar to last year.

"These are excellent results, and we are so proud of all girls in Year 11," added the head. "Congratulations to everyone in Year 11, and thank you to parents and carers for their support and encouragement, and to staff for their hard work and commitment to our students. The students can be very proud of these results and of all they have achieved at Lady Margaret School."

She said that she looked forward to welcoming many of them back to the sixth form next month, and wished all the students "every happiness and success in the next stage of their education".

To see photos from Lady Margaret's GCSE results day, click here.

Sacred Heart High School's students have a lot to be proud of, with grades up 12 per cent from last year.

Almost 50 per cent of all grades achieved were 7, 8 or 9s and 81 per cent were a 5 or above.

Nearly two thirds of students achieved a Grade 6 or above in both English and Maths, and 77 per cent achieved a Grade 5 or above in both subjects – an increase of 10 per cent since last year.

A representative from the school added:

These results are a testament to the hard work of our students. We thank our staff for their commitment and dedication – congratulations to all!"

Having achieved its highest GCSE results, with more than half of all grades in the top 7 to 9 bracket, West London Free School can count itself among the elite state comprehensives in the country for progress and attainment.

As 130 students ripped open their results in the King Street school, Hammersmith, it emerged that 50.4 per cent had attained grades 7 to 9, up from 48.4 per cent last year. And 89.5 per cent of all grades achieved were in the 4 to 9 pass range, up from 85.6 per cent in 2023.

Joint headteacher Robert Peal described himself as "overjoyed", adding:

This cohort of Year 11s has been a wonderful year group, with incredibly hard-working students, and it has been a pleasure to see how happy they are on results day."

Seven pupils gained straight 8s and 9s across the board, with 85 per cent of all students passing both English and Maths, up from 83 per cent last year.

Joint head Ben McLaughlin was also delighted that 63 per cent of students had achieved the academically demanding EBacc qualification, requiring GCSE passes in English, Maths, Sciences, a humanity subject (history or geography) and a foreign language.

With a record number of students achieving the required grades to move into the sixth form in September, the school hopes most will opt to stay and build on the impressive A-level results achieved by sixth-formers this summer.

"We are looking forward to welcoming many to the sixth form, and will be sending the very best of luck to those who are starting somewhere new. Well done to all the hard-working students, their families who supported them, and the WLFS staff who are such brilliant role models," said Mr McLaughlin.

Ian Hunter, chief executive of the Knowledge Schools Trust, added: "The pupils and staff at West London Free School have knocked it out of the park with a stellar set of GCSE results. These are likely to see the school ranked as one of the top non-selective secondary schools in England and Wales."

Every student achieved success in their GCSEs at Westside School, with 100 per cent achieving grades 1 to 9, and 50 per cent earning grades 4 or higher; a great outcome for the alternative provision school in Galena Road, Hammersmith.

Staff at Westside support students facing significant challenges, and those students have achieved outstanding grades this summer. But the results reflect more than academic achievement – they represent a host of personal pupil success stories.

The school continues to support students after GCSEs via the Westside alumni programme. The support for students aged 16+ provides them with the guidance and resources they need to progress through further education and beyond. 

The school said:

We are immensely proud of this summer's GCSE results, which are a powerful testament to the dedication, resilience, and hard work of our students.

"Amid growing concerns over record exclusions, Westside School is proving that positive outcomes are achievable through a commitment to the highest standards, innovative and holistic curriculum adaptations, and a proven system of personalised care."