LONDON – A leading British Muslim girls’ school is now over the moon, celebrating its students’ exceptional GCSE results, placing the school as one of the highest achieving in the region and the country.

“These really are exceptional outcomes, particularly considering the incredibly challenging new exams this year,” (Mufti) Hamid Patel, Chief Executive of Tauheedul Education Trust, told Asian Image as he reflected on the achievements, underlining the wider mission of the school.

“Our parents, staff and students deserve huge credit for their efforts.

“As well as securing the best exam results, we want our young women to have excellent character, be responsible citizens within their communities and demonstrate a strong commitment to serving others.”

The exceptional results showed that 81 percent of students achieved GCSEs with grades 9-5 in English and Maths, whilst 76 percent achieved the English Baccalaureate at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College.

The English Baccalaureate recognizes achievement in a range of academic and challenging subjects.

It is awarded to students who achieve grades 9-5 in English and Maths as well as grades A*-C in two Sciences, a modern foreign language and History or Geography.

This was the first year when new exams in English and Maths, assessed using a 9-1 grading system, were completed by students across the country.

A grade ‘5’ or higher is considered a ‘strong pass’ whilst a grade ‘4’ is considered a ‘standard pass’.

Saaleha Iqbal achieved the top grade ‘9’ in each of the new GCSEs in English Language, English Literature and Maths as well as 6 A* grades and 3 A grades in other subjects.

“I am thrilled that my friends and I have done so well. These exams were much harder than previous years, so we are really pleased to have achieved excellent grades,” she told Asian Image on Thursday, August 24.

“Our teachers were quite amazing all year, so we feel a huge debt of gratitude to them.”

For years, independent Islamic schools have remained at the top of UK GCSE results, setting example for faith-based schools as successful, highly-achieving and inspiring educational institutes in Britain.

The Muslim schools overall average of students who received 5 or more A*- C grade GCSEs, including English & Maths, exceeded the national average with 9 schools achieving a 100% success rate – only 55 schools achieved the 100% landmark in the whole of the UK.