GEMS Education students excel in 2025 A-levels

With a third achieving A*- A, while two thirds of BTEC students awarded Distinction or above

• Record number of A-level entries recorded across total of 22 GEMS schools
• 32% of entries awarded A*-A, 58% awarded A*-B, significantly up year on year
• Students thrive in increasingly popular BTEC, with 32% achieving highest possible grade

Students across the GEMS Education network are celebrating a landmark year of A-level and BTEC results, marking another high point in the group’s 66-year history of academic excellence.

This year, a record 1,999 students sat 5,379 A-level exams across 22 GEMS schools in the UAE and Qatar – the highest volume to date. The results show sustained strong performance, with 32% of grades at A*-A and 58% at A*-B, reflecting the hard work of students and the dedication of teachers and families alike.

The GEMS-wide results also reflect significant year-on-year grade improvements, with the number of A* grades awarded rising by two percentage points to 11%, A*-A performance improving from 26% in 2024 to 32% this year, as well as A*-B performance rising six percentage points to 58%.

Lisa Crausby OBE, Group Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education, said: “Our students’ A-level success is in many ways just the beginning – what truly excites us is where they’ll go next. Whether they pursue further academic study in top universities across the globe, technical and vocational pathways, or alternative routes to success, they do so equipped not only with excellent results but also with the values, resilience, and ambition that truly distinguish GEMS learners.

“As we have throughout our history, we prepare students not just for exams, but for life – and the outcomes we celebrate today are proof of what’s possible when purpose and passion align, fully supported by our passionate educators in school and our students’ dedicated parents and families at home.”

Notable achievements across the GEMS network include GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, which saw a 15 percentage point year-on-year growth in students achieving an A*. The school also saw the number of students achieving an A*-A rise by 18 percentage points compared to last year, as well as the number of A*-B grades increase by 15 percentage points year on year.

Sarah O’Regan, Principal/CEO, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, said: “We are incredibly proud of our results this year. The dedication and effort shown by the largest A-level cohort in our history – and by their teachers – has led to a set of achievements that deserves real celebration. Alongside our equally impressive BTEC outcomes, the Class of 2025 has truly set a new benchmark.”

Meanwhile at GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar, the number of students achieving an A* rose by 10 percentage points over 2024 results, while A*-A grades rose by 20 percentage points and A*-B grades by a remarkable 27 percentage points.

Akram Tarik, Principal, GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar, said: “This year’s A-level and BTEC results are the highest in our school’s history, and I could not be prouder of our students and staff. Such exceptional achievements are never the result of chance; they reflect hundreds of hours of dedication, meticulous preparation, and the unwavering support of our families, staff, and, most importantly, our students.”

Additional highlights include GEMS Cambridge International Private School – Sharjah, whose A-level students achieved a nine percentage point growth in A* grades awarded, as well as GEMS Wesgreen International School – Sharjah, where the number of students achieving an A*-A grade rose by 16 percentage points year-on-year.

Across the GEMS network a total of 412 students took BTEC Level 3s, double the cohort of last year, demonstrating the increasing popularity of this vocational pathway. Nearly a third (32%) of entries achieved the highest possible grade of Distinction Star, while nearly two thirds (62%) of entries were awarded a Distinction Star or Distinction.