Examinations
Oak Wood School Celebrates Best Ever GCSE and Post-16 Results (Summer 2026)
Oak Wood School is delighted to announce that students have achieved the strongest examination results in the school’s history, marking a significant milestone for our community and reflecting the hard work, ambition and resilience of our young people.
Record‑Breaking GCSE Success
This summer’s GCSE outcomes are exceptional. 63% of students achieved Grade 4 or above in both English and Maths, and 43% achieved Grade 5 or above. These headline figures represent an improvement of around ten percentage points compared with last year and place Oak Wood School amongst the highest‑performing schools locally.
Across all subjects, students demonstrated impressive attainment and progress, with notable strengths in English, Maths, Science, Humanities, Languages, Technology and the Arts. Results Day was a wonderful celebration, with proud families and delighted students filling the hallways as they opened envelopes containing truly outstanding individual achievements.
Strong A Level and Vocational Outcomes
Our Sixth Form students also performed exceptionally well. A Level results showed positive value‑added progress, with students achieving above expectations based on their prior attainment. Vocational qualifications were equally strong, with high proportions of Distinction* and Distinction grades across subjects.
We are proud that so many of our Year 13 students have secured places at their first‑choice universities, including competitive courses in science, business, technology, social sciences and the creative arts. Others have progressed into high‑quality apprenticeships and employment pathways that reflect their aspirations and talents.
Subject Achievement:
Across the curriculum, Oak Wood School delivered its strongest whole‑school performance to date, with almost every department showing clear improvement and contributing to record‑breaking outcomes. Maths achieved an APS of 4.77 with over 70% of students securing Grade 4+, reflecting consistently strong teaching and progress. English Language and English Literature both performed exceptionally well, with 64% and 70% respectively achieving Grade 4+, and Literature in particular securing one of the highest Grade 5+ rates in the school. Science also saw robust outcomes, with Combined Science achieving nearly 60% Grade 4+. Humanities subjects such as History and Geography showed notable gains, as did Spanish. Creative and practical subjects — including Photography, Graphics, Drama, Religious Studies and Hospitality & Catering — recorded strong grade profiles and high proportions of students meeting or exceeding targets. Collectively, these results demonstrate a high‑performing, well‑balanced curriculum and reflect the sustained improvement seen across the school this year.
Headteacher’s comment:
“These results are a tribute to the determination of our students, the dedication of our staff and the support of our families. To see so many young people achieve their goals and move on to the next stage of their lives - whether that is university, apprenticeships or employment - has been a real joy. We are incredibly proud of this year group and excited for the futures they will build.”
Daniel Cowling, Headteacher
A Community Achievement
These results are a testament to the dedication of our students, the expertise of our staff and the unwavering support of parents and carers. They reflect countless hours of learning, encouragement and determination. We are immensely proud of every student and excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for them.
Oak Wood School will continue to build on this success, ensuring that every young person is empowered to achieve their very best.
Exam Performance
Examination Performance for Oak Wood School can be found on the Government's 'Compare School and College Performance' in England website.
Exam Certificates
Examination certificates for examinations sat in 2026 will be released in November and students will be contacted to collect them from school.
Certificates are important legal documents which are required for CVs, job applications and to verify the statement of results which was issued on results day.
Please ensure that they are kept securely as the School does not keep a copy, and if you lose or never collect them you will need to liaise directly with the relevant exam board(s) and pay for certified statements of results.
Certificates must be collected from Oak Wood School and any uncollected certificates will be held in School for a maximum of one year after the release date, after which we are under obligation to destroy them.