Brentford and Isleworth Sixth Formers Produce Excellent Results

Strong performance in A Levels and BTECs from local Year 13 cohort

Isleworth and Syon's Blake Lawrence is off to Cambridge to study law

August 14, 2025

Sixth formers in schools in the Brentford and Isleworth area appear to have delivered another year of exceptional performances.

The Year 13 cohort received its A Level and BTEC results this Thursday morning (14 August)

Isleworth & Syon School has reported a successful year with notable achievements across both A Level and vocational qualifications.

Among the top performers was Blake Lawrence, who achieved three A* grades in history, economics, and psychology. He has secured a place to study law at Jesus College, University of Cambridge. Other students pursuing law include Frankie Macis at the University of Birmingham and Daniel Kammerling at the University of Exeter.

Aayan Ahmed achieved three A grades and one B, and will be studying medicine at the University of Leicester. His cohort included students progressing to a range of science and engineering degrees, such as global design engineering at TEDI and data science at the University of Bristol.

Deputy Head Student Hafidh Abdalla earned two A*s and an A and plans to take a gap year before pursuing civil engineering, while other students are exploring degree apprenticeships and vocational routes.

The school also reported strong outcomes in vocational qualifications. Nathan Soares achieved two Distinction*s and a Distinction and will study cyber-security at Kingston University. Rafiul Islam earned a Double Distinction in business and a Distinction in IT, securing a place at Royal Holloway to study marketing management.

Several students followed blended pathways combining A Levels and vocational courses. David Adigun will study accounting and finance at the University of Surrey, while Awwab Kottarath is progressing to a computer science degree.

Joseph, a student who joined from Christ’s School in Richmond, achieved strong results in business and PE and will study Outdoor Adventure at Chichester University, with aspirations to join the Armed Forces.

The school reports that students have secured places at a wide range of universities, including Russell Group institutions and specialist colleges, as well as competitive apprenticeships and internships. Co-Headteachers Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom attributed the results to student effort, staff dedication, and strong family partnerships.

Bolder Academy in Isleworth has released its first set of A Level and BTEC results since opening, marking a significant milestone in the school’s development. The outcomes reflect a broad range of academic and vocational achievements across the school’s pioneering sixth form cohort.

In its inaugural year, the Year 13 achieved an average grade of B-, with 60 percent of grades awarded at B or above. BTEC students also performed strongly, with 40 percent of grades awarded at Distinction or higher. The school has described these results as indicative of the ambition and determination of its students.

Headteacher Andy De Angelis acknowledged the significance of the results, noting that the cohort had set a high standard for future sixth form students. He praised their resilience and readiness for the next stage of education or employment.

Several students have secured places at universities across the UK, including Russell Group institutions and specialist programmes. Notable individual outcomes include:

- Aaron Maurette: A* in Maths, A in Physics, A in Computer Science; accepted to study Engineering at the University of Birmingham
- Esteban Acevedo Ramirez: B grades in Computing, Maths, and Physics; progressing to Robotic Engineering at Queen Mary University of London
- Arjun Dhir: A* in Maths and Physics, A in Computer Science; considering Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence
- Wail Hassan: A* in Biology, A in Physics, A in Maths; aiming to accept a place at the University of Cambridge
- Raphael Harvey: A in Computing, B in Maths and Product Design; accepted to study Computer Science at the University of Exeter
- Fiona Kajaci: Double Distinction in Applied Science, Merit in Sport; accepted to study Biochemistry at the University of Westminster
- Jakub Doliasz: Distinction*/Distinction in Applied Science, C in History; accepted to study Engineering at the University of Birmingham
- Ahmed Moussa: A in Arabic, B in Biology and Chemistry

Bolder's Wail Hassan (left) is hoping to take up a place at Cambridge while Raphael Harvey (right) is going to Exeter

The school has indicated that students are progressing to a range of university courses, including engineering, computer science, biochemistry, and the sciences.

Gunnersbury School posted on social media following the release of the results, "We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of our students in this year’s A’ Level and BTEC examinations. Their hard work, resilience, and determination have once again produced exceptional outcomes! Congratulations to you all!"

Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills, and Employment at Hounslow Council said, “I want to congratulate our A Level and BTEC students in Hounslow for their incredible effort. Over 76% of A-Levels were awarded at the top grades of A*- C.

“Their incredible hard work has paid off and we are proud of what they have achieved. I would also like to thank our teachers who work tirelessly to deliver the absolute best outcomes for our students. I wish all the students well for the future.”

Students across London have outperformed their peers nationally with 32.1% of entries awarded grades A or A*—the highest proportion in England. The capital’s results continue a trend of strong academic performance, with London maintaining its lead over other regions for the second consecutive year.

Nationally, 28.3% of entries received an A or A*, up from 27.8% in 2024 and well above the pre-pandemic figure of 25.4% in 2019. The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) rose slightly to 97.5%, while 77.9% of entries achieved a grade C or above.

The gap between London and the lowest-performing region, the North East, has widened to 9.2 percentage points—its largest since the current grading system was introduced in 2010. In the North East, just 22.9% of entries achieved A or A*, down from 23.9% last year.

This year also saw boys overtake girls in top-grade attainment for the first time since 2018. Boys secured 28.4% of A or A* grades, compared to 28.2% for girls. At the highest level, 9.9% of boys’ entries received an A*, compared to 9.1% for girls.

Maths remained the most popular A-Level subject for the twelfth consecutive year, followed by psychology and biology. More than 814,000 A-Level results were issued across England, alongside over 250,000 vocational and technical qualifications.

For students who did not receive their expected grades, UCAS Clearing offers over 22,000 courses with vacancies, including at Russell Group universities. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described this year as “a return to normal” following pandemic-related disruptions.