Educators in UAE address student concerns around A-level results

As thousands of students across the UAE received their A-Level results last week by way of a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) system, educators have praised the process as robust and fair and reassured parents that it was the best possible way to assess students given the circumstances.

In April this year, Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel, and OxfordAQA cancelled all IGCSE and A-level examinations in the UAE for the May/June 2026 series due to the safety concerns amidst the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict.

Instead of sitting formal exams, thousands of students were assessed through a PoE – a collection of coursework, internal assessments, and work completed throughout the academic year.

Fatima Martin, principal of GEMS New Millennium School, Al Khail, said that the PoE results for AS and A-level students have been both fair and reflective of students' demonstrated performance over time.

“In our experience, for many students, the grades awarded have closely aligned with the predicted, providing reassurance and confidence in the process," she said. She also praised Cambridge International Education's approach, noting that "CAIE recognised the unprecedented circumstances facing schools across the Middle East, particularly in the UAE, and responded with a robust and well-structured assessment model."

However, some parents took to social media platforms to decry what some described as “shocking” and “unjustifiably strict”. “My child received a shocking grade in a subject in which she has got the highest grades throughout the year,” said one parent. “We will be sending the paper for re-evaluation to the Cambridge board.”

For many students, the PoE process was a gruelling test of endurance, even if the final outcome was positive. "I don't feel like the portfolio of evidence gave a fair chance at a good grade, as, in order to collect the evidence, we ended up putting twice the amount of effort in half the time," said one student, who achieved grades of A*A and B, falling below her predicted A*A*A. The student, who sat her Cambridge board exams, added, "On top of that, we had no clarity on how the board was marking our evidence, and we still don't. I truly believe scores would have been better if we actually sat the papers."

Another student who studies in a Dubai school directed his frustration at the Cambridge board, which he felt was "very strict". He contrasted it with Pearson Edexcel, which he believed offered a "justified" option by using "enhanced grading" based on previously sat exams. "I think the Pearson and Edexcel boards gave the option to use enhanced grading which based the students' grades off of the exams they'd already given,” he said. “It was much more justified given the condition. I feel like the Cambridge board has been very strict, and it felt very unfair to us."

Across the board, school leaders maintained a far more positive outlook. Andy Kai Fong, Secondary Principal at GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis, expressed delight with his students' outcomes. "The portfolios of evidence were accurate reflections and have been reflected in the results outcome that the students have got,” he said. “From that point of view, in an unusual year, we're delighted with the outcomes for our kids."

Fong also highlighted the immense emotional toll on students and families. "I think the thing that goes perhaps unnoticed is the level of stress and tension and upheaval and change that these families and these kids have experienced through no fault of their own,” he said. “But having to experience that, and obviously, they went through Covid a few years ago. It has been a really turbulent ride for them. So, anything that they have achieved, it is a really fantastic acknowledgement of all of them and the efforts that they do."

Sheridan Teasel, Head of Secondary at Dubai British School Emirates Hills, shared confidence in the process, noting that the evidence was completed "under formal examination conditions and replicated real A-level papers". However, he acknowledged a significant challenge: "The incredible amount of work that was unexpectedly transferred to teachers, which would normally have been carried out by the examination boards."

Rebecca Coulter from Dubai British School, Jumeirah Park, added that "the approach provided a more condensed assessment period, with students completing a more intense schedule of shorter assessments alongside their coursework and other evidence".

Mike Davies, Vice Principal – Quality Assurance, International Collaboration and Innovation at Safa Community School, painted a vivid picture of the extraordinary effort required to make the PoE system work.

"Behind the results is a remarkable collaborative effort involving students, teachers, heads of department and senior leaders, with more than 7,000 pieces of evidence collated, quality-assured, and electronically submitted to examination and awarding bodies,” he said.

“Staff and students worked tirelessly both in school and remotely to complete portfolios, coursework, practical assessments and supplementary evidence. The school even operated a 24-hour evidence drop-off facility, ensuring that students were not disadvantaged by logistical challenges and that every opportunity was taken to showcase their knowledge, skills and achievements."