Fabulous IGCSE Results

ISL is thrilled to be celebrating our most successful set of IGCSE results on record. I would like to extend my congratulations to all candidates who received their results yesterday!

Your dedication, tenacity and spirit of optimism did not falter! You took on challenges, no other students have faced since the Second World War. But you worked hard, you were consistent and you triumphed! We are so proud of all of you! 

ISL has broken the world international average in nearly every subject, with some of the highest results on record. A number of subjects received their highest results since 2014. In all subjects our results were higher than in 2019, the last exam cycle before the pandemic. 

These results are exceptionally noteworthy when you consider the context. 825 million children across the world could not got to school for some part of last year. Our Year 11 students went through three extended periods of remote learning. They faced loss of connectivity, load shedding and the constantly changing threat of the coronavirus. At school they had to play catch up, get used to a new normal which restricted their lives. They sat exams in the middle of a global pandemic under tight health and safety regulations. Out of the many consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, it is perhaps its impact on education that will stand as the most insidious and detrimental for the long term health and stability of the world. 

As a faculty our response to this crisis was swift, thorough and consistent. We created a bespoke academic intervention programme, designed to support IGCSE students with catch up, exam preparation and self-management. In partnership with educational experts from Harvard University we designed a comprehensive programme to catch up, up-skill and help our students become more resilient and independent learners. In this way managed to minimise the impact of lost learning time and isolation by utilising time, talent and resources we already have.

We built a digital textbook library, expanded our after school support programme, revamped our PSHE and careers programme to support students through the challenges of the new normal. We partnered with GCSEPod, the award-winning digital content and revision provider to create a bespoke revision platform for our students. We had to rethink everything we knew about education - from curriculum delivery to differentiation in the classroom in order to better support our students. 

Crises are often a catalyst for change. They can bring about change for the better or for the worst. When it comes to our Year 11 students, this year brought out the best in them. They proved to be responsible, reflective, kind and resolute young people. I wish them all the best as they now begin the next chapter in their lives, whether that is in the IB programme at ISL or a different school in a faraway country.