Advertorial: North London Grammar School celebrates another year of rising GCSE results

North London Grammar School (NLGS) is a co-educational independent day and boarding school, located in Hendon, for students aged 4 to 18 years old.

For the second year running NLGS has been recognised for the quality and value of its education, being top rated value-for-money private school by The Telegraph.

In its ‘outstanding’ Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection Report (2025), NLGS celebrated outstanding achievements across every area of provision.

• Leadership, management and governance
• Quality of education, training and recreation
• Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Social and economic education and contribution to society
• Safeguarding

The school also won the Independent School Association (ISA) Award in 2025 for International Provision, recognising its commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive international school community.

Across the last academic year 2025-26 NLGS received at total of 30+ gold, 40+ silver and 60+ bronze medals, alongside 5 ISA awards in Drama, Music, Coding and Charity, won by our student in national and international competitions.

2026 GCSE Results

North London Grammar School (NLGS) has celebrated another strong set of GCSE results, with the school’s overall proportion of grades 7–9 rising to 53%, up from 51% in 2025. This marks the eighth consecutive year of improvement, setting another new benchmark for the school’s academic performance.

At a Glance:

• 53% of GCSE grades awarded were 7–9. (Up from 51% in 2025). JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) reports 2026 National (provisional) results 23.1% of GCSE grades were 7-9.
• 95% of all examinations resulted in a pass at Grade 4+
• 15 subjects achieved a 100% pass rate at Grade 4+

The results reflect not only the strength of individual subjects, but also the sustained progress students make throughout their time at NLGS. A key feature of the school’s approach is its three-year GCSE programme, which begins in Year 9 and gives pupils the time and space to develop a secure and lasting understanding of their subjects.

Rather than rushing through the syllabus, students build knowledge progressively, revisit and consolidate learning, and develop the confidence and independence needed to perform at their best.

While success was seen across the board, several academic departments achieved remarkable milestones:

• 100% pass rate (Grade 4+) in Maths with 51% securing Grade 7+
• 100% achieved a pass (Grade 4+) in English with 47% securing Grade 7+
• 100% pass in Modern Foreign Languages with 78% securing Grade 7+
• 100% pass in STEM ((Science, Technology, Maths) with 55% securing Grade 7+
• 100% pass in Creative Arts (Art, Craft & Design and Music) with 82% securing Grade 7+
• 96% pass rate in Humanities (Geography, History, Business and Psychology combined)

“We are incredibly proud of the achievements of our students in this year’s GCSE examinations. They have excelled across our creative, business and social science subjects, with particularly strong results in Art, Craft and Design, Business Studies and Psychology. 

These successes reflect the ambition, dedication and resilience of our students, alongside the expertise, commitment and high expectations of our teaching teams. It is wonderful to see our students’ hard work recognised in such a strong set of results, and we look forward to seeing them take these achievements into the next stage of their education.” – Mrs Erdil, Senior Deputy Head, Director of Teaching and Learning

For NLGS’s departing Year 11, these results represent more than a set of grades. They reflect the progress students have made during their time at the school and the opportunities they have created for their next steps, with students progressing to leading colleges and a range of higher-education pathways.

The continued rise in results is testament to the ambition of NLGS students, the expertise and dedication of its teaching teams, and the support of its wider parent community. With continued investment in teaching, learning and facilities, the school remains focused on providing students with the academic foundations and opportunities to thrive in the next stage of their education.

Imran Class of 2026 (Year 11 student)

I am very happy with my results. l achieved eight grade 9s in Mathematics, English Language & Literature, all three sciences, Psychology and Geography. I’m now looking forward to studying A’ Levels at college and, ultimately, pursuing Dentistry at university. I’m grateful to my teachers at NLGS, whose commitment and encouragement prepared me well for these exams. My time at North London Grammar School has given me not only the academic foundation I needed, but also the confidence and support to pursue my next steps.

Roshni Class of 2026 (Year 11 student)

I achieved a total of nine grade 9s in Mathematics, English Literature, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Art & Design, Business Studies, Geography and Spanish. I joined NLGS in Year 9, and I feel it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The fact that we started learning the GCSE curriculum a year earlier than most schools, I was able to learn the material without feeling too rushed. I feel that the head start really paid off, and I am thrilled to have finished my GCSEs this year with excellent results. I am deeply grateful to NLGS and all my teachers for their constant support and guidance in helping me achieve my best.

Mrs Patel Parent Class of 2026

As a parent, I want to express my deepest gratitude to NLGS for the wonderful education and support provided to my child throughout her GCSEs. Starting the curriculum in Year 9 gave her a fantastic foundation and the confidence needed to excel, ultimately leading to her outstanding results this year. The school not only focuses on academics but also supports with extra-curricular activities such as Duke of Edinburgh and sports which helps them stand out for college applications.

Mr Raja Parent Class of 2026

My daughter has been at NLGS for five years and has done extremely well in her GCSEs. I am a very proud father. We are very pleased with the way her teachers have nurtured her and helped her to fulfil her potential. We chose NLGS because we felt she was not  reaching her full potential at her previous school and would benefit from a more structured and academically focused environment. We are so pleased we made the decision to bring her to NLGS.

Join us at our Open Day – 3rd October 2026

If you would like to find out more about North London Grammar School, why not visit us on one of our Open Days. 

Register your interest for our next event – https://northlondongrammar.com

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