Brentwood School celebrates excellent Sixth Form results as Class of 2026 prepares for bright futures

Sixth Form students at Brentwood School are stepping confidently into their futures today as they celebrate an excellent set of results across A Level, BTEC, and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma pathways.

For the Class of 2026, exam results represent an important milestone as students take the next steps in journeys defined by learning, leadership and service. Equipped with exceptional academic achievements, alongside the confidence, resilience and character fostered throughout their time at Brentwood, this year’s leavers are now preparing to make their mark in fields ranging from law and medicine to aviation, engineering, business and the creative arts.

As one of the few independent schools in the country to offer three distinct Sixth Form pathways – A Levels, the BTEC Extended Diploma (in Business, Sport and Creative Media), and the IB Diploma – Brentwood continues to champion tailored education, ensuring every student finds the route best suited to their ambitions.

Destinations for the Class of 2026 include world-leading institutions such as Cornell, UCLA, McGill, and top Russell Group universities across the UK, including Cambridge, Warwick and LSE.

When results across Brentwood’s three Sixth Form pathways are combined, 63% of all qualifications were awarded at the equivalent of A or A*, while 85% achieved the equivalent of A–B*.

Nine students will read Law, 13 will study different aspects of Engineering, while around 46 will be following degree courses related to Economics, Business and Finance. Psychology is also a popular subject, as is the study of History and Politics, while a number of students will continue to pursue their passion for the Performing and Creative Arts.

An astonishing 50 students achieved grades of A*A*A or better at A Level (when combining our three academic pathways), including Austin M, who will take his four A*s with him as he follows his dream of becoming a pilot. Matching this academic feat, Ashar M will follow in his brother Faraz’s footsteps when he starts his degree in Computing at Imperial College. They both thanked their ‘amazing’ teachers for their support, especially Mr Chan, Commanding Officer of the School’s Combined Cadet Force RAF section.

Among today’s top A Level scorers was Deputy Head of School, Gracie C, who – with her full house of three A*s – is taking up a place at Cambridge to read Modern and Medieval Languages. “I am so glad all the hard work has paid off, I’d love to thank my teachers,” she said.

Also heading to Cambridge with three A* grades secured is Laura B, who will read Theology. Laura credited her success to strong support networks, and thanked her parents and study buddy Sara B. ‘We literally revised together on a call every single day’ she said. Laura’s sister Hannah, who is also an Old Brentwood, added: “She’s had many sleepless nights waiting for these results, we are all so proud of her.”

Meanwhile, the next generation of Medics and Vets will include several Brentwood students from the Class of 2026. Alvira K, Deputy Head of School, who scored the (maximum) 45 points in the IB Diploma, is also going up to Cambridge, while Terry N and Ishaan S will be heading to Anglia Ruskin and Queen Mary (University of London) to read Medicine, while Benji T will study Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool.

Alvira, who joined her A Level friends for this morning’s results, said: “Brentwood isn’t just about the piece of paper that you leave with, it’s about the soft skills, the person you become, the skills you develop, the people you meet and interact with. That’s really what Brentwood is all about.” And she will be putting those skills to the test at St John’s: “I am hoping to work within research potentially within the biotechnology field. I think that’s a really rewarding field and has a lot of capacity to help a lot of people on quite a large scale and Cambridge of course has the resources to be able to aid with things like that.”

The essence of a Brentwood education is all-roundness, in keeping with values – Virtue, Learning and Manners – that have been part of the school for over 400 years. Our students have achieved so much beyond the classroom as well as within it, as illustrated by this most recent set of results. Many of those named above have contributed to the school in lots of ways, from serving in positions of responsibility to starring in one or more aspects of our co-curricular programme. Three more students are heading across the Atlantic to the US on sporting scholarships in golf and football (resisting the temptation to call it soccer….); Max and Sam K will continue to combine their academic studies with their healthy sibling rivalry in elite-level skiing (both have been part of the British Ski Team for several years); Louella P and Jemimah K have excelled academically (A*AA in A Level and A*A*A* equivalent in BTEC respectively) while playing top-level netball; Jacques L proved as successful in the exam hall as he was a potent goalscorer in the 1st XI football team crowned London Cup champions earlier this year.

Not to be outdone by our sporting stars, Brentwood students continue to excel in the Performing Arts. Anna R, who has also served as a student ambassador for the School’s Foundation, which raises money to support ambitious and talented young people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, will take up her place at the London Contemporary Dance School. “I will be celebrating by heading off on the music tour to Germany at 5am tomorrow!” she said. While Olly P and Phillipa P capped a year in which they performed outstanding solos in our Choral and Symphonic Concert at Brentwood Cathedral, with excellent A Level grades.

Brentwood School has a long tradition of supporting students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom were celebrating outstanding achievements within and beyond the classroom. Sophie D will be the first person in her family to go to university when she takes her A*AA grades up to Durham University, where she will read English Literature. “I am really just so thankful I got the opportunity to study here because this is insane!” While Jariah M-L is heading to Exeter (Biochemistry), and Shane F to Bath (Pharmacy). Further details of our transformative bursary programme can be found here.

Students following Brentwood’s BTEC pathways achieved exceptional success. Of the 41-strong BTEC cohort, 22 achieved the A Level equivalent of A*A*A* or A*A*A and a further 13 grades equating to A*AA. Our BTEC students will now move on to a range of prestigious universities including Bath, Exeter, Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham, studying courses including Law, Architecture, Sports Management and Business. Others are looking forward to starting apprenticeships or direct employment at firms that include BP, Aon, Ascot and Grant Thornton.

The School’s outstanding academic year began in July with another excellent set of IB Diploma results. Established in 1968 to develop internationally minded, open and enquiring young people, the IB Diploma is now taught in more than 6,200 schools across 160 countries and remains one of the world’s most respected and challenging pre-university qualifications.

The IB cohort included remarkable individual stories of determination, perseverance and success. Two students achieved the maximum possible total (45) – Alvira K and Fin T – while Chloe D will be heading to the Ivy League’s Cornell University in the United States to study Engineering, having scored 44 points. Joining her in the US will be Annie C, who will be studying at UCLA, further reflecting the strong draw of elite North American universities for Brentwood students. Meanwhile, Artur S will be heading further north to study at Canada’s prestigious McGill University in Montreal.

Director of Sixth Form, Mr Timothy Sellers, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the exceptional achievements of our departing Upper Sixth as they take their next steps ‘Beyond Brentwood’. Whether heading to top universities in the UK and abroad, or embarking on competitive apprenticeships and careers, their individual journeys reflect incredible dedication. They have balanced academic ambition with outstanding contributions to sport, the arts, and co-curricular life. It has been a privilege to watch this cohort flourish, and we wish them every success in their bright futures.”

Headmaster Michael Bond said of the departing Upper Sixth cohort: “Academic success is an important metric in judging the success of any school, but it flows from a consistent focus on holistic education that emphasises the importance of supporting and developing young people of character who discover their passions, contribute to their communities and leave us equipped to thrive in an increasingly complex world. Our philosophy has always been one of breadth and depth. Some students thrive by embracing a wide range of activities, while others pursue excellence in a particular field, which creates a culture where participation, ambition and achievement flourish together. Our students can be rightly pleased by what they have achieved, but most importantly, confident that they are ready to take their place in the world – and to make their contribution towards making it a better place over the years to come.’