A Level and BTEC Results: Dubai British School Emirates Hills defies Ofqual warnings of lower grades with ‘best marks in school’s history’

Dubai British School Emirates Hills (DBSEH) students are celebrating the best post-16 exam results in its history, with some stand-out A level and BTEC results this year.

Despite Ofqual stating that “very few schools or colleges, if any, will get higher results than in 2021”, DBSEH has bucked the trend and achieved even stronger results in this first year of examinations than in any previous year, with 82% of A-Level grades being A* to B, while more than 25% of all entries were awarded an A*.

Meanwhile the BTEC results at DBSEH are even more impressive, with 88% of grades being a starred Distinction (D) – the highest possible grade, which carries the same UCAS points as an A at A level.

Where are Dubai British School Emirates Hills school leavers going?

Students graduating from DBSEH this year will be moving on to destinations such as the University of Oxford, the London School of Economics, Imperial College London, University College London, the University of Warwick and the University of Groningen.

Top A Level Results and BTEC Results students share their excitement

DBSEH student Hamzah celebrates getting in to Imperial

“I can’t really put it into words. I’ve heard so many rumours the past couple of days, but I’ve been working really really hard since April. During exams I got Covid, so I felt like it was over, but I continued going. I didn’t think I would see myself here a couple of years back. I’m going to study at Imperial.”
– Hamzah

“I’m going to Liverpool Hope University and I’m going to study Sport Science. I’m really excited and happy with my results, and it’s been a good day!
– Millie

 

 

Aarnav poses for a photo with Head of Secondary, David Potts

“I got 3 A*’s. I’m happy with that! I’m going to study finance at LSE.”
– Aarnav

“I got 3*’s and an A, and I’m going to be studying Chemistry at the University of York. I feel really good! I’m so happy! That was my first choice university.”
– Jasmine

“These are the best post-16 exam results in our school’s history”

Dubai British School Emirates Hills Principal, Sarah Reynolds, says she is thrilled with the hard work that the school’s students put in this year: 

“These results demonstrate the exceptional hard work of our senior students and provide a platform from which they can continue to aspire towards extraordinary futures. 

“With 82% of all results surpassing curriculum expectations and 88% of our BTEC courses being awarded the highest possible grade, these are the best post-16 results in the history of Dubai British School, Emirates Hills.

“This incredible achievement demonstrates just how committed the school is to providing excellence in education across a wide range of curricular areas. 

“The crucial moments in our students’ secondary education have been tougher than most and yet they have prevailed by virtue of their character and ambition in a manner that augurs well for their continued success.’

“Ofqual said schools would not improve on 2021 results, but we did”

Despite the warnings from exam regulators Ofqual that marking would be tougher this year, and almost no schools would achieve higher results than in 2020 and 2021, David Potts, Head of Secondary, says DBSEH students beat the odds:

“Our Year 13 students should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved in these superb A level and BTEC results, with 100% of students achieving passing grades.

“They represent not just an exceptional collective effort in the culmination of their A level and BTEC studies, but also their continued grit and resilience during these past three difficult academic years, in which the exam system has been subject to such unprecedented disruption.

“The severity of this disruption was recognised by Ofqual, the UK regulatory body for qualifications, who made it clear that very few schools should expect to see improvements on their 2021 results this year. The fact that our students have indeed done this is nothing short of sensational.”

See our review of Dubai British School Emirates Hills here.

See the school’s own website here.

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