Brentford & Isleworth Sixth Formers Excel Again

Local schools celebrating outstanding A Level and Level 3 Results

Students from Gunnersbury School with their results

August 21, 2026

The Brentford and Isleworth area is again celebrating an exceptional year of A Level and Level 3 results, with schools across the community reporting high grades and success in achieving places at first choice universities.

Gunnersbury School has reported another year of remarkable outcomes, with 30% of A Level grades awarded at A or A* and 87% at A–C. The school says these results reflect “the dedication of our students and the high-quality teaching and support they have received.”

Students are progressing to some of the world’s most competitive universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, UCL, LSE, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Royal Holloway, Queen Mary, Newcastle and Nottingham, studying subjects ranging from Medicine and Law to Aerospace Engineering, Politics, Computer Science and Economics.

Vocational outcomes were even stronger, with 97% of BTEC grades awarded at Distinction or Distinction*. Several students have secured degree apprenticeships, reflecting the school’s commitment to supporting a wide range of next steps.

Headteacher Kevin Burke praised the cohort’s “focus and unwavering application,” adding, “These achievements reflect not just the exceptional ability of our students but also their resilience, ambition and determination to succeed.”

Only in its second year of results, Bolder Academy has celebrated a significant leap forward for its growing Sixth Form. 58% of A Level grades were awarded at A–B, with 81% at A–C, and an average grade of B- across all subjects.

Strong performances were recorded in English Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry and Fine Art, alongside excellent outcomes in Applied Science.

Among the standout achievers:

• Aini – three A* grades in Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology; progressing to UCL to study Chemistry.
• Adam – three As; heading to UCL for Biochemistry.
• Deandre – AAB; progressing to UCL for Pharmacy.
• Abdulaziz – A*, A, A, B; moving to the University of Bristol to study Chemistry.
• Maitree – AAB; securing Mechanical Engineering at Southampton.
• Upravd – Triple Distinction; progressing to Biomedical Science at St George’s, University of London.

Headteacher Andy De Angelis said the results show Bolder is “establishing itself as an ambitious, high-performing Sixth Form,” adding, “Whether they are progressing to university, higher apprenticeships, employment or other exciting pathways, they leave Bolder Academy as confident, capable and compassionate young adults.”

Bolder Academy sixth formers with their result letters

Isleworth & Syon School is celebrating a Sixth Form cohort that has embraced a wider range of destinations than ever before. The school’s Level 3 results reflect strong academic achievement, excellent vocational outcomes and a growing culture of blended pathways.

The school has highlighted individual student stories including:

• Harpreet Malhotra, achieving A*A*A and progressing to King’s College London to study Computer Science, with long-term ambitions to use artificial intelligence in cancer research.
• Parmvir Gill, achieving A*A A and heading to Warwick for Mechanical Engineering.
• Ollie Gilmour, securing A and two Bs and progressing to Liverpool for Physiotherapy.
• Jahsiah Germain, part of a successful music cohort, progressing to the University of West London to study Music Production and pursue a career as an independent artist.

Isleworth and Syon’s top performers included (L to R) Parmvir Gill, Harpreet Malhotra, Ollie Gilmour

Co-Headteachers Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom said, “Behind every grade is an enormous amount of hard work, determination and personal growth. Today is about celebrating each of our students and the exciting opportunities that now lie ahead of them.”

Head of Sixth Form Darren West added that the cohort’s achievements reflect “not simply their results, but the different paths they are now ready to take.”

Across the borough, Hounslow schools reported:

• Over 97% A Level pass rate, maintaining last year’s strong performance.
• Around 25% increase in A grades*.
• Further increases in A–B grades*.
• A 99% pass rate for Level 3 BTECs, with 21% at Distinction*.
• More than 400 additional students achieving a passing grade, helping more young people secure first-choice university places or apprenticeships.

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, joined students at Heston Community School as they received their results. He said, “Today marks a monumental moment in these students’ academic career… the culmination of not just the last two years, but the last 13 years of work, resilience and determination. The borough is incredibly proud of your achievements.”

This year, the gap between the highest and lowest-performing regions in England reached a record 9.6 percentage points. London led the country with 32.7% of A-level grades at A* or A, compared with just 23.1% in the North East and East Midlands—the largest regional divide since the A* grade was introduced in 2010.

Nationally, top A-level grades have risen for the third year running, with 28.5% of all grades across England, Wales and Northern Ireland awarded at A* or A, up slightly from 28.3% last year. Although still far below the inflated results of 2020 and 2021, when exams were cancelled and grades were based on teacher assessment, the proportion of top grades has been slowly climbing since the return to pre-pandemic grading standards in 2023.

This year also saw notable differences in outcomes between boys and girls. While more A* and A grades were awarded to girls overall—137,000 compared with 120,900—the percentage of top grades favoured boys, who achieved A–A in 28.9% of entries compared with 28% for girls. This continues a reversal first seen last year, though girls still outperform boys across the broader A–C range, with 79.8% of their grades falling within that band compared with 76.8% for boys. Ucas also reported a record number of 18-year-olds securing a place at their first-choice university.