James Students Achieve Outstanding Success in Advanced-Level Exams
Omar RahmanGEMS Education Students Achieve Record-Breaking A-Level Results Across UAE and Qatar
GEMS Education Group has announced exceptional A-Level examination results for 2025, with nearly 2,000 students across 22 schools in the UAE and Qatar achieving the highest pass rates in the organization's 66-year history. The results demonstrate significant year-over-year improvements, positioning GEMS as a dominant force in Middle Eastern international education and reinforcing the region's growing reputation as a global education hub.
Record Participation Drives Historic Performance
A record 1,999 students participated in 5,379 A-Level examinations across GEMS schools this year, marking the largest cohort in the group's history. The scale of participation reflects the continued expansion of international curriculum education in the Gulf region, where expatriate families increasingly seek British-style qualifications for university preparation.
The results showed marked improvement across all grade categories. Students achieving the top A*-A grades increased from 26% in 2024 to 32% in 2025, while those earning A*-B grades jumped six percentage points to 58%. Most notably, the percentage of students receiving the highest A* grade rose by two percentage points to 11%.
Regional Education Hub Strategy Paying Dividends
These results align with the UAE's broader strategy to position itself as a regional education and knowledge economy hub. The strong performance of international schools like GEMS supports the country's vision to attract global talent and retain expatriate families who might otherwise relocate for educational opportunities.
Lisa Crosby, Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education and holder of the Order of the British Empire, emphasized the holistic preparation students receive: "Our students are equipped not just with excellent results, but with important values, resilience, and ambition that distinguishes GEMS learners."
Silicon Oasis Campus Leads Performance Gains
GEMS Wellington Academy in Silicon Oasis emerged as a standout performer, posting 15% year-over-year growth in students achieving A* grades and 18% growth in A*-A grade attainment. The campus also saw a 15% increase in students earning A*-B grades, demonstrating broad-based improvement rather than gains concentrated only among top performers.
Implications for Higher Education and Workforce Development
The strong A-Level results position GEMS graduates competitively for admission to top-tier universities globally, including Russell Group institutions in the UK and Ivy League schools in the United States. This academic success supports the UAE's human capital development goals and helps justify the significant investment expatriate families make in private education.
For the broader regional education market, GEMS' performance sets a benchmark that competing school groups will need to match. The results also validate the continued demand for British curriculum education in the Middle East, even as other international programs like the International Baccalaureate gain traction.
The expansion of high-performing international schools in the UAE and Qatar reflects these nations' transformation from resource-dependent economies to knowledge-based societies, with education quality serving as both an economic diversification tool and a competitive advantage in attracting global talent.
