GSCEs Success Stories Across Brentford and Isleworth
Local Year 11 students deliver excellent performances
Top performers at Isleworth and Syon School. (L-R): Sota Tanaka, Finley Thomas, Hussain Fazly and Ridwan Ahmed
August 21, 2026
The release of GCSE results across schools in Brentford and Isleworth saw a wide range of exceptional performances from local students.
The schools that have published their results so far have performed creditably against national, London-wide and borough averages for top grades
Students at Isleworth & Syon reported an exceptional set of outcomes that reflected five years of hard work. The results demonstrated academic strength across the curriculum, particularly in STEM subjects, where students achieved some remarkable individual performances. Viraj Chauhan led the cohort with ten grades at 9–8, including grade 9s in maths, further maths and all three sciences. His classmate Sota Tanaka secured ten grades at 9–7, six of them at grade 9, while Ridwan Ahmed achieved seven grades at 9 or 8, crediting the support of his physics teacher for helping him unlock a passion for engineering.
The school emphasised that results day is about more than grades alone. Staff worked throughout the morning to support every student as they prepared for their next steps, with many looking ahead to joining the thriving Sixth Form community in September. The school’s broad enrichment programme, from Saturday sport to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, played a central role in shaping the cohort’s achievements. Finley Thomas, who earned a clean sweep of grade 9s in the sciences and French, was also part of the under-16 rugby team that won the Middlesex Plate. Team captain Mohammed Mirzai celebrated nine grades at 9–7, including PE. Music and the arts were equally well represented: Sam Gilmour and Renil Nalli, regular performers at school concerts and members of the band that played at the Royal Albert Hall and Brentford FC, both achieved strings of top grades.
Co-Headteachers Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom said the results were a proud moment for students, families and staff, describing them as the reward for years of determination. They highlighted the importance of enrichment experiences in helping students discover their interests, challenge themselves and develop the character and confidence needed for life beyond school. Many of this year’s GCSE students will now follow recent Sixth Form leavers to leading universities and careers in engineering, healthcare, technology and the creative industries.
Gunnersbury School celebrated another year of high achievement, with 90% of students securing five or more GCSEs including English and Maths. Thirty-five students achieved top grades across all their subjects, a result the school attributed to determination in lessons, at home and throughout the exam period, supported by teachers and parents. Staff described the results as a reflection of the high standards students set for themselves.
Students at Bolder Academy were also celebrating an impressive set of GCSE results. The Class of 2026 achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50.5, demonstrating strong performance across a broad and balanced curriculum. Almost 70 percent of students achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and mathematics, while 15 percent of all grades were awarded at 9–8 and 29 percent at 9–7.
Headteacher Andy De Angelis said the academy was immensely proud of its Year 11 students, describing the results as a reflection of their hard work and determination. He noted particularly strong outcomes in English, science, humanities and mathematics, and said the qualifications achieved would allow students to progress confidently to sixth form, college, apprenticeships and future careers. He thanked staff, families and students for their commitment and ambition.
Several students achieved outstanding individual results. Luca secured grade 9s across mathematics, combined science, geography, Spanish and computer science, alongside strong grades in English. Adam earned grade 9s in mathematics, science, art and design, design technology and Spanish. Sakariya achieved grade 9s in mathematics and two of his science subjects, while Olivia celebrated grade 9s in English and strong results across religious studies, Spanish, computer science and history. Jolie achieved a grade 9 in Spanish and high grades across science, geography and mathematics.
Bolder Academy Year 11 students celebrating their results
Chiswick School is celebrating another year of outstanding GCSE success. Staff say the results highlight both academic strength across subjects and the wider personal development fostered within the school. Assistant Headteacher for Raising Attainment, Siân Green, said the whole community should feel proud of what has been achieved, describing the results as excellent and emphasising the strength that comes from the partnership between students, families and staff.
This year, 30% of all GCSE entries at Chiswick School were awarded Grades 9 to 7, well above the national average and also the higher average for London. More than half of students in History, Science and Religious Studies achieved top grades, and the school expects its English and Maths results to exceed national averages once again. Strong outcomes were recorded across all departments.
75% of students in Hounslow achieved a pass rate of 4+ in maths, compared with the national average of 71.7%. A further 80.4% of students achieved a pass rate of 4+ in English, compared to the national average of 71.4%.
Students obtaining Level 5+ is also comfortably above national average with nearly 60% of students in Hounslow achieving a 5+ in maths compared to the national average of 53.8% and 67.8% achieving a 5+ in English, over 12.5% above the national average.
Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, said: “I want to congratulate all those who have worked hard and shown incredible dedication in their studies. These fantastic results reflect the effort and determination of young people in the borough. Thank you to the teachers for working tirelessly to ensure that young people, including those with special educational needs, are given the correct environment to foster the skills and knowledge needed for a brighter future."
Nationally, 67% of GCSE entries in England achieved Grade 4 or above, a figure almost unchanged from last year and identical to 2019. London, however, has moved further ahead when it comes to top grades. The proportion of entries achieving Grade 7 or above in the capital has risen from 25.7% in 2019 to 28.6% this year, making London the highest‑performing region in England. In the North West, 18.9% of entries achieved Grade 7 or above; in the East Midlands, 18.2%; and in the West Midlands, 18.3%. The gap between London and the East Midlands has now reached 10.4 percentage points, while the gap with the West Midlands stands at 10.3 points, both the widest recorded since at least 2010. Northern Ireland continues to outperform both England and Wales, with 31.7% of entries achieving Grade 7 or above, compared with 21.8% in England and 19.6% in Wales. At Grade 4 or above, Northern Ireland recorded 83.6%, compared with 67% in England and 62.3% in Wales.
The Department for Education said this year’s GCSEs saw the largest ever improvement in maths standards, with 6,000 additional students achieving Grade 7 or above. It described the results as a standout success, noting that almost 8,000 more Technical Award Level 2 passes were achieved compared with last year. The department also acknowledged that inequalities remain visible in the results and said it intends to close the attainment gap and end what it called the resit treadmill.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham congratulated pupils, saying they should be proud of the hard work that led to their achievements. He said that whether students choose sixth form, college, an apprenticeship, a T Level, work or another route, there are now more opportunities than ever to choose their own path. He added that he is determined to bring back hope and give every young person the chance to fulfil their potential.
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