View your copy of the Autumn 2025 issue of Think Global People magazine

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Exam results days around the world have brought with them a wealth of achievements and milestones across international schools, colleges, and universities. From record-breaking IB and A-level scores to commendable GCSE, IGCSE, AP, and vocational outcomes, this year’s results reflect both academic excellence and the resilience of a generation whose education has been shaped by disruption, adaptation, and recovery.

International Baccalaureate (IB) results

Ermitage International School, France, was delighted with their International Baccalaureate (IB) School Graduating Class of 2025, stating that their “overall average score is the highest in three years with an impressive proportion of our students gaining 40 points or above. Our students are well placed to follow the pathways of their choice, with offers which include Polytechnique (France), University of Pennsylvania (US), Boston College including a student with a sporting scholarship (US), Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland), and University of Edinburgh (UK), to name but a few”.In its centenary year, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore’s B cohort achieved a 100% pass rate with a provisional average diploma score of 39.3 points, well above the world average of 30.58. Chris Seal, Head of Senior School, stated, “This is an extraordinary set of results from a truly wonderful group of people… these results are an excellent reflection of Tanglin's strengths in academic leadership and higher education pathways support with a number of students securing their most aspirational placements”.The largest graduating class in Bavarian International School’s (BIS) history achieved excellent results. The 96 students who took the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP) exams in May 2025 achieved an average score of 34.2 points. The pass rate is also impressive at 98% (81.2% worldwide). Two BIS students achieved the top score of 45 out of 45 points. 17% of BIS students received more than 40 points in the IB DP, which is equivalent to a 1.3 average in the German Abitur. Furthermore, the achievements are more impressive because 40% of the 110 students in the cohort received some form of learning support. "The increase in the need for learning support is a global trend in schools - from reading and spelling difficulties to ADHD and autism. We blame this less on the coronavirus pandemic and more on the new age of smartphones, screen time and social media, which is demonstrably changing the way young people learn and pay attention," explains Dr Chrissie Sorenson, Head of School & Executive Board of BIS.TASIS England 2025 IB Diploma Programme candidates achieved a commendable 91% pass rate, and a strong average diploma point score of 34, outperforming the worldwide averages. Head of School, Bryan Nixon, praised the cohort’s accomplishments: “We couldn’t be more proud of our students this year. Their determination, resilience, and genuine curiosity have shone through their IB results. Beyond the statistics, it’s their collaboration, compassion, and commitment to their own individual learning journeys – both in and out of the classroom – that define their true success...”In 2025, Marymount International School London achieved a 100% pass rate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, maintaining its perfect record from the previous year. Every student scored above 31 points, with the highest reaching an outstanding 43. In addition, 32% of Marymount's students were awarded the prestigious Bilingual Diploma, reflecting the school's strong international and multilingual ethos. Headmistress Margaret Giblin said: "We are deeply committed to nurturing each student's unique talents and aspirations, helping them to grow into confident, compassionate, and capable young people..."Students at Halcyon London International School, the only not-for-profit independent IB school in central London, achieved an average score of 35, outperforming both the UK and world averages. The school's IBDP Coordinator, Ms Lori Fritz, said: "We are so proud of our class of 2025 and the results they achieved through their own hard work and their collaborative teamwork. What stands out from this class, though, is more than just the numbers and grades - it is the eloquent TOK essay, the ethereal artwork, the authentic science discovery, the original music composition and the intentions to make a difference."UWCSEA International School, Singapore https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/learning/ib-diploma/ib-diploma-results has one of the largest IBDP cohorts in the world. Some schools have graduating IBDP cohorts of just 50 to 100 students. Class of 2025's IB cohort of 605 students had a pass rate of 98.7%. The world average pass rate was 81.3%. On average, 99% of UWCSEA students enrol at universities around the world.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Advanced Placement (AP)

The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) is proud to share that its High School students once again demonstrated exceptional growth and learning through the 2025 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Among the 129 Diploma candidates, 93% earned the full Diploma, with an average score of 34.2 points, nearly four points above the global average of 30.6. Additionally, 18% of students scored 40 or more points out of a possible 45.
_{Students from Tanglin Trust School}In AP exams, which enable students to earn credits and/or advanced standing at many colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, the average AP subject score was 4.1 out of a possible 5 points. 83% percent of ISKL students scored either 4 or 5, indicating they are very well qualified or extremely well qualified, respectively. Reflecting on this year’s results, ISKL’s Head of School, Mr Rami Madani, shared: “We offer a range of pathways to empower students to explore their passions, develop their competencies, and use them to make a positive impact. Today, we celebrate not only these impressive IB and AP results, but also the learning journey each student has taken to get there.”TASIS England’s AP candidates achieved an impressive 91% exam pass rate, and an average mean score of 4.01 out of a maximum of 5, significantly higher than the world averages of 60% and 3.32, respectively. Head of School Bryan Nixon commented, “These stellar AP results reflect not only our students’ hard work but also their readiness to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead…”Record A* and A grades outside the pandemic and first-choice places at universities. Top A-level results have risen again in 2025 in the UK, up 27.8% on last year. 28.3% of all grades across England, Wales and Northern Ireland were marked at A* or A. The percentage of top grades rose from 27.6% to 28.2% in England, and from 30.3% to 30.4% in Northern Ireland. Wales saw a slight drop from 29.9% to 29.5%.At Kings Ely, almost one-fifth of all A-Level results achieved by Sixth Form students are the top A* grade. Around half of all grades attained are A*-A, and nearly three-quarters of results are grades A*-B. The overall pass rate is 99.5%. 92% of the Year 13 cohort achieved an immediate place at their first-choice university or institution, not just in the UK, but across the globe.  Jonathan Shaw, Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: " An impressive number of pupils have achieved three or more A* grades, but most importantly, many have exceeded their own personal expectations...”A record number of 18-year-olds secured a place at their first-choice university. Meanwhile, universities have been offering enticing scholarships and broadening access via T-Level qualifications in the UK, as the reality of cost and fewer international students sets in.
_{Students from King’s Ely}Joe Saxton, Chief Executive of Admissions Service UCAS, speaking to the BBC Radio Four’s Today Programme, on subject trends for university applications, said, “All things STEM are definitely increasing. And interestingly, when I talk to my colleagues who run the other equivalents of UCAS of the world, it's a trend that they're seeing too”.

Demand rising across all regions and different education systems

The demand for Cambridge qualifications is increasing globally among a diverse range of schools, with Cambridge seeing particularly strong growth in state schools in the US (exam entries up 15%), and international and bilingual schools in China (entries up 11%). In total, 5507 Cambridge International Schools in 149 countries made exam entries for the June 2025 series. 

GCSE pupils most disrupted transition of any generation

This year’s cohort for GCSE pupils who began their secondary schooling in autumn 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, faced perhaps the most disrupted transition of any generation. Pupils in this cohort missed at least 10 per cent of schooling compared to pre-pandemic years.Education leaders commended the fortitude of the 2025 cohort. Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, speaking on BBC Radio 4, said students had shown “grit, determination and resilience” during uniquely challenging times. “They had to face many issues that other year groups will never have to face.”

GCSE results 2025

Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, GCSE results this summer have largely stabilised at pre-pandemic levels. According to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), 67.2 per cent of entries in England were awarded grade 4 or above, broadly in line with 2024 and just below the 2019 figure. Outcomes at grade 7 and above remain steady at 21.6 per cent, also close to pre-pandemic levels.In Wales, 19.0 per cent of students achieved grades 7–9, while 62.1 per cent secured grade 4 or above. In Northern Ireland, outcomes were once again strong, with 82.6 per cent of entries at grade C/4 or above and 30.8 per cent at grade A/7 or above – marginally higher than in 2019.These results show a system returning to stability after years of grade inflation under teacher-assessed marks during the pandemic, followed by a gradual realignment in 2022–24.Former Ofsted chief inspector Baroness Amanda Spielman described England’s education recovery as a “real success story.” While acknowledging that English results remain slightly behind pre-COVID levels, she highlighted strong performance in maths, where students are now doing “as well or better” than they were before the pandemic.King’s Ely students celebrated 2025 GCSE results, with more than a quarter of all grades achieved being the top 9s and 8s, equivalent to the old A*. Around half of King’s Ely’s GCSE results this year are Grades 9-7, and well over 80% are Grades 9-5. Virtually all students achieved a pass or better in Maths and English Language. Two students achieved eleven Grade 9s, with a further eleven pupils attaining at least five Grade 9s. Nearly a third of pupils achieved all Grades 9-7 in at least seven of their subjects. Mrs Jane Thomas, incoming Head of King’s Ely Senior, said: “GCSE Results Day marks a key milestone in any young person’s educational journey, and we are very proud of all of them…”Cambridge International reported strong IGCSE results globally, highlighting the increasing demand for international qualifications as students prepare to thrive in an interconnected world.This year, 178 students at Tanglin Trust Singapore completed their IGCSEs, with an impressive 93% of grades awarded at A*–B (equivalent to 9–6). 79% of the grades awarded were A*–A (equivalent to 9–7), markedly above the 49.2% achieved by independent schools in England.95% of The Arbor School, Dubai exam entrants in 2025, achieved 9-4 (A* - C), with 47% of entrants achieving grades 9–7 (A* - A equivalent), and with exceptional performances across a wide range of subjects, including Mathematics, Sciences, and English. Many students also excelled in creative and modern disciplines, including the humanities and Global Perspectives. Principal Gemma Thornley praised the achievements saying, “I am immensely proud of our students for their GCSE results this year. Beyond the grades themselves, these outcomes reflect the dedication, resilience, and curiosity that sit at the heart of our school…We nurture young people who think critically, act compassionately, and carry forward a deep sense of responsibility for the world around them.”

BTEC and vocational qualifications

This year saw the release of nearly 370,000 Level 1 and 2 vocational and technical qualifications, including BTECs and Cambridge Technicals. These provide vital routes for students whose strengths lie in practical and applied learning, opening doors into post-16 study and employment.Construction, health and social care, and business remain among the most popular vocational pathways, with leisure, travel and tourism continuing to grow. A record number of students sat the reformed BTEC Tech Awards this summer, with outcomes comparable to last year.

A balanced picture

The story of the 2025 results, then, is one of resilience and recovery. The 2025 cohort has overcome unique obstacles, from disrupted transitions to remote learning and emerged stronger for it. Yet, the celebrations must also prompt reflection.For policymakers, educators and communities, it must also be a reminder that education is a long game: twelve years of daily attendance, support, and opportunity. Ensuring every young person sees value in that journey will be essential if future results days are to be celebrated equally across every region and community.

Relocate Global/Think Global People 2025 Award winners’ 2025 exam results Authorised in 2004, Chatsworth International School is one of the first international schools in Singapore to offer the IB Diploma Programme. In addition to the IB Diploma, graduates receive the Chatsworth High School Diploma accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Class of 2025 has achieved a 100% pass rate and a school average of 34.3 points, surpassing the global average of 30.6 points. Twenty-three per cent of their students registered for the IB Diploma were awarded the Bilingual Diploma, achieving a 100% pass rate.In 2025, International School of London graduates averaged 33 points out of a possible 45, with 41% of our students being awarded a bilingual diploma. The highest score achieved was 44. Our graduates were offered places at many prestigious higher education institutes to continue their academic journeys, both in the UK and overseas.

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