Strong A-level and BTEC results highlight student success across GEMS Education

With 39% A*- A, while 72% of BTEC students awarded Distinction or above

Dubai, UAE, August 2026: Students across GEMS Education’s British curriculum schools have delivered another year of exceptional A-level and BTEC results, reinforcing the strength of the group’s academic and vocational pathways and the dedication of students, educators, and families.

A-level results:

This year, a total of 2,388 students sat 6,312 A-level examinations across 22 GEMS schools in the UAE and Qatar, with more than one-third (39%) entries achieving A*-A – an exceptional level of top-grade attainment – and an impressive 67% awarded A*-B. These results demonstrate consistently high academic standards and strong performance achieved by GEMS students across the network.

BTEC Level 3 results:

Students following the BTEC Level 3 pathway continued to achieve outstanding results, with 564 learners completing the qualification this year. Almost half (46%) achieved the highest possible Distinction Star grade (D*), while more than 7 in 10 learners (72%) achieved Distinction Star or Distinction. With an exceptional overall pass rate of 99.8% and continued year-on-year improvement, the results demonstrate the growing strength and success of GEMS Education’s career-focused pathways.

Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer of GEMS Education, said:

“This has been another exceptional year for our students across both A-level and BTEC pathways. These results reflect the ambition, determination, and resilience of young people who have worked tirelessly to achieve their goals, supported throughout by exceptional educators and families working together in partnership.

Beyond the grades themselves, we are proud to see our students leaving GEMS equipped with the confidence, character, and resilience to embrace the opportunities ahead. At GEMS, academic success has always gone hand in hand with preparing students for life beyond school. We are immensely proud of every student and deeply grateful to our educators and families whose belief, guidance, and encouragement have helped shape this exceptional cohort.”

Lisa Crausby OBE, Group Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education, said:

“Behind every set of outstanding results is a personal story of effort, courage, and belief. I am incredibly proud of our students, not only for what they have achieved, but for the resilience, ambition, and heart they have shown along the way.

These achievements speak to the dedication of our teachers, the care and encouragement of our families, and the culture of high expectations that runs through our schools. Most of all, they remind us of the extraordinary potential within every young person when they are known, supported, and inspired to be their very best. My warmest congratulations go to every student, teacher, parent, and school leader who has contributed to this moment of celebration.”

This year’s cohort has secured offers at many of the world’s leading universities, including Imperial College of London, University of Toronto, Kings College London, University of Bath, University of Manchester, University of Sydney, among others.

Students will now pursue degrees across a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, economics, law, computer science, business and management, architecture, and the creative arts.

School highlights:

Outstanding performances were recorded across the GEMS network, with several schools reporting improvements in top-grade attainment and overall outcomes.

Among this year’s strongest-performing schools were:

•           Jumeirah College – 67% of entries awarded A*-A

•           GEMS Wellington Academy, Al Khail – 86% of entries awarded A*-B

•           GEMS Metropole School, Motor City – 84% of entries awarded A*-B

•           GEMS Al Barsha National School – 100% of entries awarded A*-C

Several schools also celebrated record performances, year-on-year improvements in A*-A attainment, and outstanding subject-level achievements across STEM, humanities, languages, and the arts.

The continued strength of outcomes across both qualifications reflects GEMS Education’s commitment to ensuring every learner can pursue the pathway that best matches their talents, aspirations, and future ambitions.

 

About GEMS Education:

GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading, oldest and largest private K-12 education providers, with a legacy spanning more than 65 years. Founded in the UAE with roots dating back to 1959, and beginning with a single school in a private home in Dubai in 1968, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organisation, guided by its visionary Founder and Chairman, Sunny Varkey, and his sons Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer, and Jay Varkey, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer.

Today, GEMS educates more than 200,000 students from over 176 nationalities through its global network of owned and managed schools, supported by more than 17,700 employees, including over 9,200 educators and school leaders representing 112 nationalities. Having educated more than 500,000 students over the decades, GEMS continues to provide world-class education through four curricula, preparing young people with the knowledge, character and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Guided by its enduring mission to put a quality education within the reach of every learner, everywhere, GEMS combines academic rigour with character development, wellbeing, innovation and strong partnerships with families and communities. Its graduates progress to the world’s leading universities, with students accepted into more than 2,000 universities across 71 countries over the past five years, including all eight Ivy League universities in the US and all 24 Russell Group universities and colleges in the UK. In the last four years alone, more than 3,500 GEMS graduates have attended the world’s top 100 universities, over 2,200 have progressed to Russell Group universities, almost 2,000 have enrolled at the world’s top 50 universities, and more than 60 have gone on to Ivy League institutions.

About GEMS School of Research and Innovation SRI:

The GEMS School of Research and Innovation (SRI) is a pioneering new enhanced British curriculum school in Dubai, opening in August 2025. Designed to be one of the finest schools in the world, SRI blends world-class academics with cutting-edge technology, AI integration, and unparalleled facilties to create a transformative, future-ready education experience.

Purpose-built as a global hub for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, SRI places students’ wellbeing, creativity, and values at the heart of its mission. Every element of the school – from its hand-picked specialist teachers to its immersive research centres, STEM labs, and industry partnerships – is designed to nurture curiosity, foster critical thinking, and empower students to become changemakers.

Rooted in GEMS Education’s 65-year legacy of excellence, and endorsed by leading educational visionaries, SRI delivers a bold, dynamic model for learning that prepares students not just to succeed in tomorrow’s world but to shape it.

GEMS Education appoints Rebecca Crean as Principal of GEMS FirstPoint School

• Rebecca Crean brings more than 20 years of UK and international school leadership experience
• Appointment supports FPS’s continued focus on academic excellence, wellbeing, and inclusive, future-ready learning

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 2026: GEMS Education has announced the appointment of Rebecca Crean as the new Principal of GEMS FirstPoint School FPS, one of Dubai’s leading British curriculum schools. She will start her role in August 2026, bringing with her more than 20 years of educational leadership experience across high-performing UK and international schools.

Rebecca Crean joins FPS, bringing with her over 20 years of educational leadership experience across the UK and international contexts. This includes senior leadership roles at high-performing schools such as Tonbridge Grammar School and Eltham Hill School in London, where she led significant improvements in outcomes, leadership capacity and student voice. She is recognised for her strategic approach to school improvement, curriculum innovation, and staff development, alongside her commitment to nurturing student voice and character education. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and Professional Studies from King’s College London, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Modern Foreign Languages from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Mrs Crean has held senior leadership roles including Head Teacher at Tonbridge Grammar School, one of the highest achieving schools in the UK, where she has driven whole-school improvement through inclusive curriculum design, strategic data use, and a culture of high expectations. Prior to this, she held the position of Deputy Head Teacher at Eltham Hill School, where she led Sixth Form provision across International Baccalaureate and A-level pathways, driving strong academic outcomes and pastoral provision. Her career also includes international experience at Dulwich College Shanghai, where she supported whole-school leadership and student transition in a multicultural setting, further strengthening her global educational perspective.

Commenting on the appointment, Dino Varkey, Group CEO of GEMS Education, said: “Rebecca Crean is a highly principled and forward-looking school leader with a deep understanding of how strong culture, high expectations, and inclusive practice come together to drive meaningful outcomes for students. Her experience leading complex school communities, combined with her clear focus on wellbeing, leadership development, and academic rigour, will be instrumental as GEMS FirstPoint School continues to evolve and strengthen its impact.”

GEMS FirstPoint School is recognised for delivering a premium British education in Dubailand, underpinned by strong academic outcomes, a STEAM-rich curriculum, and a nurturing, family-focused community. Rated Very Good by KHDA and Outstanding by BSO, the school places wellbeing, character development, and future-ready learning at the heart of its educational approach.

GEMS FirstPoint School has made significant strides towards its campus expansion plan and will provide welcoming learning, specialist and wellbeing spaces that support our students as they grow, develop confidence and achieve their potential from Nursery through to Post-16. The expansion reflects the strength of the GEMS FirstPoint School community and shared commitment to helping every child find personal success.

Speaking on her appointment, Rebecca Crean said: “I am honoured to be joining GEMS FirstPoint School, known for its academic strength, care for wellbeing and inclusive practices. Working in close partnership with students, staff and families, my focus will be on developing confident learners, empowered leaders and a school community that is truly future-ready.”

As Principal, Mrs Crean will focus on strengthening teaching and learning, enhancing leadership capacity, and further embedding wellbeing and inclusion across the school. Her appointment marks an important milestone for FPS as it continues to grow as a school of choice for families in Dubailand and beyond.

About GEMS Education:

GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading private K-12 education providers, educating over 200,000 students from 176+ nationalities across its global network of owned and managed schools. With nearly half a million alumni, GEMS has built a legacy of impact that spans generations and continents.

Established in Dubai in 1959, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organisation, guided by its visionary founder and chairman Sunny Varkey, and his sons Dino Varkey Group CEO and Jay Varkey Deputy Group CEO.

With a focus on delivering high-quality education to students from all walks of life, GEMS offers a wide range of curricula and learning pathways. Each year, GEMS students graduate into the world’s top universities, including all eight Ivy League institutions and every UK Russell Group university, and go on to become leaders, innovators, and changemakers in every sector.

Through its expanding school network and philanthropic initiatives, GEMS is committed to its mission: to put a quality education within reach of every learner, everywhere.