22 August 2024, Isleworth –
As Year 11 collected their GCSE results, Isleworth & Syon were incredibly proud of their achievements. This group underwent unprecedented difficulty with the pandemic-induced lockdown in the Spring Term of their Year 7, just shortly after their induction into the Isleworth & Syon Way. However, the school has worked unbelievably hard to help their learning recovery, and the students themselves have committed to maximising their potential and being the best that they can be.
In a year where the national picture shows a slight decline in overall results, the school is delighted that the school’s grades are higher than the national average. This is due to the holistic approach taken by the school – not focusing merely on academic qualifications but also students’ personal development through an outstanding array of opportunities and enrichment. This Year 11 have fully bought into this ethos and have therefore become well-rounded individuals ready for their future. Today, the school has also seen a higher uptake of students continuing their studies with us via our superb Sixth Form compared to 2023.
Within these great results are a series of individual stories. Rohan Senthil Kumar earned nine grades at 9-7, including 9s in all the sciences. Ken Burden also achieved straight 9s across biology, chemistry and physics – along with six other top results. He is a great example of a student ‘buying in’, taking part in musical performances as well as participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Silver Award in Year 10. Elliot Powell and Parmvir Gill were also part of that Silver group – both scored outstanding GCSE results today, with ten 9s and two 8s between them, including 9s in maths. Classmates Kai Mahoon, Zein Eldesouky and Aaron Sagoo also achieved either an 8 or a 9 in maths, showcasing that the subject remains an area of strength within the school. Those three boys scored a superb spread of grades, including an incredible 21 grades at 8 or above.
The performing arts play a key role at Isleworth & Syon School. It has been a delight to see some of our top drama and music performers achieve academic success. Shahjahan Akbar was superb as the lead role in our January production of ‘Emil and the Detectives’, making it no surprise to see him earning an 8 in drama along with seven other grades at 9-7. His classmate Ollie Gilmour also earned an 8 in drama, with his skills being honed in school productions like ‘Lord of the Flies’ (Year 11) and ‘The Odyssey’ (Year 10).
This year has seen the school once again have great success with heritage languages, which offer students the chance to earn an additional GCSE language. Harpreet Malhotra achieved an 8 in Greek, while Angad Madhan earned a 7 in Punjabi; for both students, all their grades were in the 9-7 range. Other languages sat this year included Italian, Polish and Urdu, reflecting the diversity of the school community.
Co-Headteachers Simon Fisher and Jo Higginbottom commented, “These results showcase the benefits of buying in to our school culture, as these Isleworthians have brought our ‘learners as leaders’ philosophy to life by being hands-on in their commitment to their own learning. Although they have faced unprecedented national and – at times – personal challenges, they have always been supported expertly by our outstanding school staff and parents/carers at home. We are delighted that students’ results continue the long tradition of excellent outcomes from across the school’s nearly 400-year history. Sixth Form enrolment is at fantastic levels, which shows that students recognise our commitment to exceptional education and outstanding opportunities.”
