Secondary pupils across the United Arab Emirates delivered stellar academic outcomes in their 2026 A-Level and BTEC qualifications, securing high-tier grades and university placements despite unprecedented disruptions to the global examination timetable.
Educational institutions throughout the nation reported flawless overall pass figures alongside notable spikes in top-tier marks. The exceptional performance follows a decision in April by major British awarding bodies—including Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel, and OxfordAQA—to call off written May/June testing across the Emirates over security considerations tied to regional tensions. Consequently, student performance was measured through comprehensive Portfolios of Evidence, combining internal tests, coursework, and ongoing academic records.
Despite the shift in assessment methods, educational hubs across Dubai and Abu Dhabi demonstrated remarkable resilience and academic distinction:
- Jebel Ali School: Recorded a 100 percent overall pass mark, with 54 percent of all entries earning A* or A grades—a sharp increase from 30 percent in 2025. BTEC candidates matched the 100 percent completion rate, with 62 percent obtaining Distinction or higher.
- Dubai British School Emirates Hills: Achieved a clean sweep of A*–C marks across all 194 examination entries. Over half (55 percent) of its student cohort attained A*–A outcomes, while 76 percent of vocational BTEC candidates clinched Distinction* honors.
- Brighton College Group: The Dubai branch recorded its best results to date as 33 percent of all awarded marks reached the top A* grade. Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi campus saw 63 percent of grades fall within the A*–A range, and the Al Ain institution maintained a 100 percent pass rate, including flawless completion among Emirati candidates.
- Repton Educational Group: Celebrating its inaugural graduating sixth-form class, Repton Al Barsha registered 50 percent A*–A grade. Repton Dubai and Repton Abu Dhabi students secured confirmed offers from Ivy League and premier global universities, including Columbia, Northwestern, and University College London.
- Horizon International School: Candidates exceeded initial benchmarks by an average of 1.57 grades per subject, with 84 percent achieving A*–B marks.
Headmasters and school leaders commended pupils for maintaining momentum and focus through unconventional evaluation conditions, noting that these outcomes ensure seamless transitions to top-ranked international universities.
