Brentwood School Celebrates Excellent GCSE Results

Published by Brentwood School on Friday 21st of August 2026

Today, Brentwood School congratulated its Year 11 cohort as they collected an excellent set of GCSE results, securing a strong springboard into their upcoming Sixth Form studies.

It is the School’s firm belief that high academic attainment flourishes in tandem with our vibrant co-curricular programme, which in turn leads to personal growth. Beyond their academic studies, our pupils have fully immersed themselves in the wider life of the school community, from the performing arts to sports to serving others.

No fewer than seventeen students achieved 70 points in total, with so many other individual success stories across the year group. Overall, almost 60% of results were graded 7-9 (the equivalent of A-A*s).

The vast majority will transition into our Sixth Form, taking advantage of one of three distinct academic pathways: A Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, or BTEC qualifications. As one of the few UK independent schools to offer this level of choice, Brentwood ensures every student can tailor their studies to their individual strengths and future aspirations.

Fawwaz A, Dilsher C, William J, Ayush M and Tia P were among those who secured the maximum score of 72 points from their best 8 results. Achieving this, Emily S expressed her delight after seeing her hard work and dedication translate into top marks. Her exceptional achievements extend beyond the classroom, having also been awarded the Values Prize at this year's Speech Day for embodying the school's values of Virtue, Learning, and Manners. She wanted to extend a huge thank you to her Biology & Maths teachers (Mrs Kerslake & Mr Childs) for all their encouragement and extra support sessions. Driven by her stellar results and passion for STEM, Emily will now continue her academic journey into the Sixth Form where she will study Biology, Chemistry and Maths at A Level.

Another high flier, Rafael U, was thrilled to reveal 72 points, as he opened his results envelope, surrounded by his proud friends. Rafael, who recently scooped up the Maths Prize at Speech Day, is undertaking the world-renowned International Baccalaureate in September as he is eager to tackle a dynamic range of subjects and throw himself into the full Sixth Form experience at Brentwood.

Combining academic excellence with exceptional musical talent, Rose B is a standout member of the School’s Specialist Music Programme. An outstanding classical singer who has enjoyed a string of performance successes in recent years, Rose returned yesterday from Germany after performing on the school’s annual Music Tour. Through happy tears, Rose said: “Keeping up your extra-curricular activities definitely helps you do better all round because they teach you lots of other skills and allow you to really balance your life. It can get very stressful, but having something else you can do which is not academic is really, really nice.’

The Performing Arts Faculty, one of the most renowned in the UK, has supported many students through their academic studies and performances across all disciplines. Charlie T, a regular performer in the West End with credits that include Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, is looking forward to continuing his studies as a Drama Scholar as he begins A Level courses in Politics, Theology & Philosophy, and (of course) Drama. Meanwhile, Harry N was thrilled with his total of 68 points (and Speech Day prize for Dance), having blazed a trail through the world of modern, jazz and contemporary dance across multiple national competitions and most recently the Dance World Cup in Dublin. Harry’s mum said collecting his results was a ‘bittersweet’ day as Harry is leaving Brentwood to pursue a qualification in Dance but the family wanted to thank all the teachers at Brentwood for their support throughout the years. Meanwhile, Aimee L has showcased the breadth of talent in this cohort by competing - and winning - international cheerleading competitions with Team England, that have taken her around the world. She now turns her attention to studying BTEC Sport, making the most of the three tailored academic pathways available at Brentwood. The strength of the school’s performing arts programme can be further illustrated by the fact that no fewer than 10 students have been awarded places in the National Youth Theatre.

Sport is another area where Brentwood students excel. After a year in which he broke too many records to list here, including becoming the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer, Max D completed his GCSEs as he moved very firmly into the world of professional football at the very highest level with Arsenal FC. Max said: “I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Brentwood School for everything they have done for me during my time here. Although my journey at the school is ending earlier than expected as I pursue my football career, I will always be incredibly grateful for the support that the school and the staff have given me. The lessons I have learned, both on and off the pitch, will stay with me as I take this next step in my journey. A special thanks to Mrs Crowley, Mr Gamester and Miss Antonello for their kindness, support and encouragement throughout my time at Brentwood. I will always be grateful for the difference they have made to my experience here. I leave with some fantastic memories and friendships that I will always cherish. I am excited for what the future holds, but I will always look back on my time at Brentwood with great pride and gratitude.”

Premier League football scholarships were also secured by Melvyn K (Tottenham) and Callum S (Ipswich), and all three boys deserve huge congratulations on navigating the challenges of elite-level football alongside their GCSE qualifications (very) successfully.

Sticking with sport, Ben V, having picked up the prestigious prize for personifying the School’s values of Virtue, Learning and Manners (alongside prizes for English and PE) in June, was another who scored 72 points. Ben is also a star of the school’s Tennis Academy. Meanwhile, Eva S achieved an impressive total of 71 points alongside her participation in the national Player Pathway with England Hockey, while Henry P managed to juggle his involvement with GB Ski Team and his academic work despite his travels across the mountain ranges of Europe and a demanding training schedule. Last but by no means least, Jasper K celebrated a knockout set of GCSE results to go with the Gold medal won representing GB at the World Karate Championships, held in March 2026 in Malta.

Chess is another renowned pillar of a Brentwood education, demonstrated by the U19, U14, and U11 teams all recently competing in the National Finals of the English Chess Federation Team Challenges. Among those competing at the highest level was Academic Scholar Anushka K (right), a key member of the U19 team, who was delighted to match her strategic prowess on the board with an outstanding 69 points in her results. Anuskha is looking forward to continuing both her chess and her studies as she moves into the Sixth Form to pursue the International Baccalaureate. Another stalwart of Brentwood’s Chess Team Max P who is a Federation Master, former British U16 Champion, and current English International Champion, added to his list of triumphs by securing a strong set of GCSE results. Max will now embark on A Levels, balancing top-tier academics with his international chess career.

Eleanor R, whose dad Oliver is a member of the School’s Parent Sounding Board, was also celebrating excellent results. “I’m really grateful to all the teachers and my parents for being alongside me.”

Gemma L, along with no fewer than 70 of their year group, is a Peer Mentor, which involves older students supporting younger pupils with help ranging from the academic to the motivational, reflecting the School’s values encouraging responsibility, compassion, and leadership. Gemma bagged an impressive 71 points, alongside the History Prize at this year’s Speech Day, whilst fellow Peer Mentor Tomas H was incredibly pleased with his 69 points.

Head of Year, Elle Crowley said: "Seeing our students collect their results today has been a moment of immense pride. This year group has shown great determination, and these results are thoroughly deserved. I want to congratulate the students for their efforts, and thank our staff and families for their unwavering support. Today is all about celebrating their success.”

Headmaster Michael Bond added: ‘Congratulations to our Year 11 students, who can be rightly proud of their GCSE results, which are just reward for the hard work and perseverance they have shown over the past two years - and thank you to colleagues and parents who have supported them every step of the way. This year group has demonstrated what can be achieved when talent, ambition and character combine, and we are proud of their accomplishments within and beyond the classroom.’

The results complete a summer of academic success which saw impressive International Baccalaureate Diploma awards - confirming Brentwood’s position among the Top IB schools in the UK - and excellent A Level and BTEC Extended Diploma results. When combined, 63.2% of this year’s grades were A* or A (or equivalent) and 84.6% A*, A or B.