Ealing Schools Break GCSE Records as Grades Fall Overall

Pre-pandemic standards applied to cohort affected by lockdown

Pupils at St. Benedict's School show delight at their results

August 21, 2025

Schools across Ealing have confounded expectations in delivering exceptional, if not record breaking results in a year in which marking was much tougher.

Across the country top grades at GCSE were down but locally it was almost as if many of the current Year 11 cohort did not suffer significant disruption to their education during the pandemic.

Below are a selection of the results received so far. Details of other schools will be added in due course.

At St Benedict’s School , pupils achieved the strongest set of GCSE results in recent history since the reintroduction of pre-pandemic grading standards. Nearly half of all grades awarded were 9 or 8, and 70% were at grades 9–7. The school attributed this performance to consistent student effort and dedicated teaching.

Among the top performers were Riona E and Krishan D, who achieved Grade 9s in all nine subjects. Dyran B, Maximus M, Susannah O’S, and Jack W secured full sets of Grade 9s and 8s, while Reilly H earned all top grades, including a perfect score of 220/220 in Geography. Krishan D said he was “really pleased” with his results and credited consistent work and teacher support. Fellow student Elias G expressed gratitude for the support of teachers and family and said he was excited for what comes next.

Results at St. Benedict's lead to celebration, Picture: St. Benedict's

Deputy Head (Academic) Fiona Allen praised the students’ persistence and the staff’s guidance, describing the results as a testament to their commitment. Headmaster Joe Smith noted that the outcomes were the strongest recorded under standard grading and expressed pride in the cohort, many of whom will continue into the Sixth Form. Head of Year 11 Donal McKeown described the day as both a personal and collective celebration, marking the culmination of effort and enthusiasm and the gateway to the next stage of education.

At St Augustine’s Priory, students also achieved notable success, with 42% of grades awarded at 8–9 and 66% at grade 7 or above. The school reported that 20% of all grades were Grade 9. Among the standout students, Nicole achieved 9 Grade 9s and 1 Grade 8, Giorgia earned 8 Grade 9s and 2 Grade 8s, and Claudia secured 7 Grade 9s and 3 Grade 8s. Yara celebrated 7 Grade 9s and 2 Grade 8s and highlighted her high Physics grade and the school’s supportive environment. Other students including Amba, Esinam, Ilona, Molly, and Lily achieved 10 GCSEs at grades 7–9.

The St. Augustine's Year 11 cohort delivered the best results since the pandemic. Picture: St. Augustine's

Headteacher Mrs Macallister said she was thrilled for the Year 11 students and described their accomplishments as a reflection of their enjoyment of learning and dedication to their studies. The school also reported top performance across a wide range of subjects, with Computing, Economics, French, Further Maths, Latin, and Russian all seeing 100% of grades at 7–9 or higher. These results follow strong A Level outcomes announced the previous week, reinforcing the school’s academic trajectory.

Notting Hill & Ealing High School reported its best GCSE results since the pandemic, with 54% of entries awarded Grade 9, 82% awarded Grade 9 or 8, and 93% awarded Grade 9 to 7. A significant number of students achieved the highest possible grades, with seven students earning 10 Grade 9s, eight students achieving nine Grade 9s, and thirty-five students gaining straight 9s and 8s.

Notting Hill and Ealing School pupils after collecting their results. Picture: NHEHS

Headteacher Allison Saunders said she was absolutely delighted with the results and praised the students’ determination, ambition, and energy. She also acknowledged the staff’s role in supporting and inspiring students.

The school reported outstanding results across a broad curriculum, with particular strength in creative subjects, English Literature and Language, Spanish, Physics, Latin, Greek, STEM, and the Humanities.

Ealing Council leader Peter Mason said, “I know this is a time of nerves and excitement for many of our young people but, whatever the outcome of results, we are proud of our young people’s hard work and the hard work of our teachers and education staff.”

This year’s GCSE results, released across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, reflect a continued adjustment following the return to pre-pandemic grading standards. Nationally, the proportion of top grades (7/A and above) fell to 21.6%, down from 22.4% in 2023 and significantly lower than the 28.9% peak seen in 2021 when teacher-assessed grades were used. The overall pass rate (grades 4/C and above) also declined slightly to 66.4%, compared to 67.8% last year.

In London, students continued to outperform the national average, with inner London boroughs in particular seeing a higher proportions of top grades, with selective and high-performing comprehensives contributing to the trend.
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The results come amid wider debates about the fairness and consistency of grading, especially for students who began their secondary education during lockdowns. Education leaders have noted that this year’s cohort faced unique challenges, having missed substantial classroom time in Years 7 and 8. Despite this, many schools reported resilience and progress, with some headteachers calling for renewed investment in catch-up programmes and mental health support.

The Department for Education has reiterated its commitment to maintaining grading standards, while acknowledging the need to support students through the transition.