GCSE Results Day 2026: Celebrating Progress, Potential and What Comes Next at Queen Ethelburga’s
Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate is celebrating its students’ GCSE achievements today, recognising not only the grades they have secured but also the determination, resilience and personal progress behind them, while looking ahead to the exciting opportunities these results will help unlock.
This year’s cohort achieved 69% of GCSE grades at 9-7 (A*-A equivalent) and 85% at 9-6 (A*-B equivalent), continuing the school’s strong academic tradition and setting a solid foundation for Sixth Form success. These results will support an exciting range of next steps at Queen Ethelburga’s, from A Level and BTEC pathways, to specialist enrichment programmes tailored to their interests and ambitions.
While headline results provide an important measure of achievement, at Queen Ethelburga’s, success is never defined by a set of numbers alone. GCSE results day is about celebrating every student who has challenged themselves, overcome obstacles, discovered new strengths and taken an important step towards their future.
From outstanding individual performances to students who have made significant progress from their starting points, this year’s results reflect the breadth of talent and ambition across the Collegiate.
Lauren Blakeley, Head of QE College, said:
“GCSE results day is about so much more than grades. It is about seeing students recognise just how far they have come and celebrating the progress they have made along the way. Congratulations to each and every one of our students today.
Every student has a different starting point, different strengths and different ambitions. Our role is to help each of them understand what they are capable of and give them the opportunities, support and confidence to take their next step. As Head of our newly combined senior school - QE College - leading our young people through some of the most decisive educational years of their lives, is both an honour and a privilege. By combining the strength of an academically excellent learning culture balanced with a cohesive and community culture, we ensure all our students achieve their personal ambitions.”
Daniel Machin, Principal of Queen Ethelburga’s said:
“Today is a celebration of our students and the journeys they have taken to reach this point. GCSEs are an important milestone, but they are only one part of a much bigger story. Behind every result is a young person who has worked hard, overcome challenges, grown in confidence and discovered more about what they are capable of.
We are immensely proud of every student, whether they have achieved the grades they hoped for, exceeded their expectations or made remarkable progress from their starting point. At QE, we measure success not simply by the grades on a page, but by the progress each individual makes and the person they are becoming.
These results now open the door to an exciting next chapter. For those continuing with us into Sixth Form, the breadth of A Level and BTEC choices available means students can build a programme around their strengths, interests and ambitions, with the support and opportunities to take their next steps with confidence.
Today, we celebrate the results — but most of all, we celebrate the young people behind them.”
A snapshot at some of our Student Success:
Mowa B - 6 x 9’s in Business, Psychology, English Literature, Geography, English, French. 4x 8’s in Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Hayden L - 7 x 9’s in Chinese, Geography, Maths, Further Maths, Spanish, Statistics, English. 4x 8’s in Business, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Lynette C - 4x 9s in English Literature, Statistics, Chinese, Business. 7x 8’s in Maths, Further Maths, Spanish, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics. 1x 7 in English
Richel D – 3x 9’s in History, Psychology, English Literature. 6x 8’s in English Language, Business, Maths, Biology, Physics. 1x 7 in Chemistry
Ayusha G – 4x 9’s in Statistics, Spanish, History, English Language. 4x 8’s in Business, Maths, Biology, Chemistry. 1x 7 in Physics
Jokubas F – 4x 8’s in Spanish, Business, Science Double Award. 3x 7’s in Maths, Further Maths, English Language. 2x 6’s in Economics and English Literature.
Joshua H – 5x 9’s Computer Science, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Physics. 3x 8’s English Language, Biology, Chemistry, 1x 7 in English Language, 1x 6 in Economics
For many students, today marks the start of an exciting new chapter at Queen Ethelburga’s Sixth Form.
QE’s Sixth Form offers students the opportunity to build on their GCSE experience in an environment designed to prepare them not simply for examinations, but for university, employment and life beyond school.
With an extensive choice of A Level subjects alongside a broad range of BTEC qualifications, students can create a pathway that reflects their individual interests, strengths and ambitions.
From traditional academic subjects such as Mathematics, English, Sciences, History and Languages to creative, technological, sporting and vocational pathways, the breadth of choice means students are not expected to fit into a single definition of success.
For students who thrive academically, QE provides the opportunity to study a wide combination of A Levels and pursue ambitious university destinations. For those who prefer a more practical or vocational approach, BTEC programmes offer applied learning and a route towards higher education, employment and further qualifications. And for students whose ambitions span different disciplines, the breadth of the Sixth Form allows them to build a programme around their individual goals.
The Sixth Form experience also extends well beyond the classroom. Students benefit from extensive enrichment, leadership opportunities, sport, performing arts, careers guidance, university preparation and opportunities to develop the independence and confidence they will need for their next stage.
At Queen Ethelburga’s, the ambition is not simply to produce students with strong examination results. It is to develop young people who understand their strengths, recognise their potential and have the confidence to make the most of the opportunities ahead.
Today, that starts with celebrating the GCSE achievements of the Class of 2026 – and tomorrow, it continues with helping them decide what comes next.
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