ABU DHABI // Haya Al Ameri’s nerves were running high as she awaited her exam results, but the Al Yasmina School student need not have worried after scoring an A* in all 11 subjects.
“This is surreal,” said the Emirati. “Everyone believed in my abilities except for myself, so seeing that reflected in my results is an amazing feeling.”
Haya’s grades means she has the pick of schools to continue her education. “This opens so many doors for me,” she said. “I wasn’t planning on checking my results until I return from holiday, but the school called with my results.”
Her compatriot Sarah Alzaabi, from Al Bateen Secondary School, also performed well, achieving A*/A marks in biology, chemistry, English language and literature, mathematics, physics, Arabic, design technology, and geography.
The pass rate at Al Yasmina and Al Bateen schools, part of Aldar Academies, across all I/GCSE examinations was 97 per cent.
I/GCSE students achieved an A*/A grade in around half of the examinations taken, more than double the UK’s national average of 21 per cent.
A total of 395 students sat for I/GCSEs this year – 216 at Al Yasmina and 179 at Al Bateen – and about 30 achieved nine or more A*/A marks in all of their exams.
“Across academies, we have seen about a 10 per cent increase in the number of students achieving five A* to C,” said Peter Carpenter, director of education for Aldar Academies.
nalremeithi@thenational.ae
