Safa Community School Students Break Records for GCSE and BTEC - Powered by the Engine of Happiness and the Support of "Amazing" Parents and Teachers – Dubai schools, Abu Dhabi schools, Sharjah schools with fees, ratings and more

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Safa Community School Students Break Records for GCSE and BTEC – Powered by the Engine of Happiness and the Support of “Amazing” Parents and Teachers

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Good for Sport

Safa Community School IGCSE and GCSE Results Day 2023

The multiple award-winning Safa Community School in Dubai has announced the results of this year’s exceptionally gifted students in both GCSE and BTEC examinations. Speaking with SchoolsCompared.com, an ebullient Adrianne Deacon, Assistant Headteacher – Key Stage 4, explained how this year’s students have “displayed unwavering commitment to their GCSE studies, overcoming obstacles that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.” A proud and humbled Ms Deacon continued:

“This cohort of students selected their GCSE options behind the plastic screens of our classrooms or whilst on distance learning, wondering what to expect or what their GCSE journeys would look like.”

This year’s students have faced the hard-edge of the UK government’s demand that grades be flattened to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 and before. Many of the UK’s regions have ignored this, but UAE students, and international students worldwide, are facing the full force of the reduction in grade levels compared with their peers. This has impacted on many students across the UAE – but students at Safa Community School have sparkled and weathered the storm. Ms Deacon explained:

“One significant aspect of this year’s results is the reversion of grade boundaries to the pre-pandemic times of 2019. This change meant that achieving predicted grades required an even higher level of excellence and mastery of the subjects. Despite these elevated expectations and minimal course modifications, our students have exceeded our expectations, demonstrating their resilience, hard work, and intellectual prowess.

“[…] our students have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, resulting in a set of outstanding results that make us immensely proud as a school.”

Pictured: Johnathan Westley, Managing Editor SchoolsCompared (Far Left), Sameer Merchant, Managing Partner Safa Community School (Second Left), Michael Davies, Head of Secondary Safa Community School (Centre) and Leanne Fridd, Principal of Safa Community School (Far Right)

Michael Davies, Head of Secondary, Safa Community School, told SchoolsCompared.com:

“In our tenth year of operation, we are overwhelmed to see grades rising again against last year’s record-breaking summer series. I am overjoyed to see students and families here today and sharing in the celebration of their hard work and achievements. A huge thank you must go to our incredible staff, who go over and above to ensure that all students make exceptional progress and attainment here at SCS.

“In terms of attainment since 2019, the number of ‘Outstanding’ ranked departments at SCS has risen yearly, with a staggering 22 departments across the school now holding this converted title. A huge accolade for the school is the improvement of grade 9s. In 2023, 24% of all grades achieved were 9’s.

“This figure beats our record-breaking year set in 2022. Over 40% of all grades achieved were 9-8. This is a remarkable achievement for us as a school.

“We now look forward to meeting both new and existing families as they begin the next step of their journey with us into our brand-new senior building.”

Mr Emmet Glackin, Deputy Headteacher, Safa Community School, told SchoolsCompared.com:

“I am very proud of our students’ achievements at GCSE this year. They have all worked incredibly hard and, as a group, have continued to raise the bar here at Safa Community School. As a school that provides students with a number of pathways, including GCSE, BTEC, HPQ, and LAMDA, it is important to recognise that the last two years have certainly not been an easy journey, but they have continued to outperform previous year groups even with changes to examinations arrangements post COVID.

“In many respects, the results from the 2023 series have been much more difficult to achieve than in previous years. We place a massive amount of importance on the individual child here at SCS, and it certainly has been a privilege to see the progress our students have made over the last year in the lead-up to their final examinations. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to build the working relationships needed for our students’ success. We have seen this first-hand today as staff right across the school, Primary and Secondary, joined our GCSE students in celebration with their families; a real community effort.”

Pictured in 2023, Leanne Fridd, Principal of Safa Community School in Dubai - a leading British curriculum school she has played an instrumental role in leading to BSO Outstanding school status over the last seven years.

Leanne Fridd, Principal, Safa Community School, told SchoolsCompared.com:

“As a school community, we are incredibly proud of our GCSE students. To see the consistent rise in attainment levels has been fantastic. This is our 10th year of operations, and many of these students have been with us at SCS since primary school. And to see them achieve such wonderful results is a credit to our students and staff.

“Our teaching staff are second to none, which reflects the result of our students’ value added. I would like to mention and congratulate our early-entry GCSE students and those who achieve Grade 9s across the board. A special thanks must go to the secondary leadership team, particularly Michael Davies, our Head of Secondary, Emmet Glackin, our Deputy Head and Adrianne Deacon, our Assistant Head of KS4. They have gone above and beyond supporting this cohort of students in every way possible. Well done to the Year 11 cohort of 2023. You’ve worked incredibly hard, and we look forward to continuing this final step of your education as you enter into the sixth form. You’ve made the entire school community exceptionally proud.”

The importance of Parents and Teachers

Speaking with Ms Adrianne Deacon, Assistant Headteacher – Key Stage 4, Safa Community School, we learned that the role of SCS parents and teachers has been so important. They have been “amazing”, Ms Deacon told us:

“The success achieved by our Year 11 students is a testament to the unwavering support from their families and the dedication of our exceptional teaching staff. ”

The Happiness of Children and Students

Often forgotten on Results Days, Ms Deacon explained that the schools commitment to the happiness and well-being of all children, young men and young women, has played a vital role in the results achieved in both GCSE and BTEC today:

“I would like to thank our Head of Year 11, Mr Michael Brady, for his continued support, overseeing our students’ well-being and emotional support, which has played such an important role in ensuring that our amazing students have achieved such exceptional GCSE & BTEC results.”

Ms Deacon explained:

“These results really do reflects the culture within Safa Community School, one which encourages a holistic approach to education that focuses on academic excellence and personal development.”

The Photographs from an Amazing Day

Visit the full gallery of photographs from The Safa Community School GCSE and BTEC Results Day 2023 here.

Exceptional SCS Students

Ms Deacon asked us to celebrate and recognise the achievements of every single SCS student. However, she asked to particularly recognise the following students who in many different ways have achieved “above and beyond”:

“Ziza Stojanov and Junaid Yusif continue to push progress and attainment beyond the Key Stage 4 curriculum, achieving a full suite of 11 GCSEs at grade 9 and obtaining the highest possible results in Further Mathematics. If this wasn’t enough, a further qualification in Statistics was obtained in June, with both students achieving another grade 9.

Junaid Yusuf set to challenge his older sister Ramla Yusuf for the number of grade 9’s obtained this year and obtained 12 Grade 9’s, the same as his sister in 2022. The challenge will now continue throughout their academic journey within the Sixth form.”

Outstanding achievement in BTEC Technical Stream Education

BTEC delivery, and attainment, have secured excellent results across Key Stage 4 this year.

In BTEC Sport, 80% of students achieved a Distinction*; and,
In BTEC Business all students achieved 100% Distinction to Distinction* grades.

Outstanding achievement at I/GCSE

Exceptional student achievement by students in BTEC are equalled in this year’s GCSE examination results:

In GCSE Physical Education, 83% of students Grades 9-6
In Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), 100% of all grades in Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Polish and Turkish were secured at Grades 9-7
In the Humanities, achievement in both History and Geography was stand-out. History students achieved 88% grades 9-6. Geography students achieved 89% Grades 9-6.
In the Performing Arts, both GCSE Drama and GCSE Music students achieving an outstanding 100% of all GCSE results, Grades 9-7.
In Art & Design, 80% of all GCSE Art students, and 100% of all GCSE Photography students, achieved Grades 9-6.
In English Language, 82% of students secured Grades 9-6.
In English Literature, 100% of students achieved Grades 9-6.
In Mathematics, 80% of students achieved Grades 9-6. This includes several Year 9 SCS students who sat for their GCSE Mathematics examinations early.
In Triple Science, 100% of students achieved Grade 9-6
In Combined Science 76% of students achieved Grade 9-6, an exceptional increase of 12% of students over last year – and secured in the face of the harshness of grade boundaries set this year.

The Higher Project Qualification (HPQ)

Many SCS students sat for the Level 2 Higher Project Qualification.

This requires students to carry out research in a subject area that isn’t covered by their other qualifications. This forms the basis of a written report and, in the case of practical projects, an artefact or a production. Student can take inspiration from something studied in class, or something completely unrelated to their studies:

“The HPQ is a key way in which SCS students are able to flex their love of learning and follow research into areas that particularly inspire them. It is a vital component of our holistic approach to education and investment in the whole child…”

75% of Safa Community School students sitting for their HPQ achieved Grades A*-B.

Ms Deacon told SchoolsCompared.com:

“This is a fantastic outcome. The HPQ will now support many of our students in their quest to complete the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) for University applications.”