Elmhurst GCSE and A-Level Results 2026
Students at Elmhurst Ballet School are celebrating another successful year of GCSE and A-Level results, with pupils achieving impressive academic results alongside the demanding training required to pursue a career in professional ballet.
Students progressing from Elmhurst’s Lower School to Upper School have achieved excellent GCSE results in 2026, with 90% achieving Grades 4 and above, equivalent to A* to C under the former grading system. 45% achieved Grades 7 or higher, while 88% achieved five or more passes.
There were particularly strong performances in the creative subjects that complement Elmhurst’s specialist dance training. 50% of students taking GCSE Dance achieved a Grade 9, alongside 43% in GCSE Music and 36% in GCSE Art. One student achieved an outstanding six Grade 9s.
Alongside their intensive daily dance training, most Year 10 and 11 students study five full GCSE courses in English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and Double Science, alongside three additional subjects chosen from options including a Modern Foreign Language, Art, Drama, Music, Geography, History, Dance and Religious Studies.
The GCSE success follows equally impressive results from Elmhurst’s sixth form, where students achieved a 100% A-Level pass rate (A* to E). Five A* grades were awarded, including two students who achieved two A* grades each, while 50% of all grades achieved were A* to C. Mathematics students performed particularly strongly, with 67% of Mathematics grades at A* or A.
Elmhurst’s A-Level students benefit from specialist teaching in subjects including Art, Geography, English Literature and Mathematics. In Year 13, students can also undertake an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), completing a year-long research project on a subject of their choice. The qualification is highly regarded by universities and provides students with an opportunity to develop their academic interests alongside their vocational dance training.
A-Levels form an important part of Elmhurst’s holistic approach to education, complementing the school’s intensive vocational training and providing students with options for their future beyond professional dance. Whether students go on to university, continue their dance training or embark on a professional career, their academic qualifications provide valuable opportunities and a strong foundation for the future.
Following their A-Levels, students move into their final year with Elmhurst Ballet Company, where they take the next step towards professional life and gain experience of performing as part of a company.
Jessica Ward, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School, said: “We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the achievements of our students this summer. These results are a wonderful reflection of their commitment, resilience and hard work throughout the year, balancing the demands of an intensive vocational dance education alongside their academic studies.
Our students work exceptionally hard to develop as young artists and dancers while also achieving academically. These exam results are testament to our students’ determination and ambition, as well as the dedication and expertise of our teachers and wider school community. We are particularly proud of the academic achievements of our students, alongside the considerable demands of their vocational training.
These qualifications give our students a strong foundation for whatever comes next - whether continuing their journey at Elmhurst, pursuing a career in dance, or exploring opportunities beyond the stage. We are incredibly proud of every student receiving results this summer and wish them every success as they take the next steps in their journeys.”
Academic education is an integral part of life at Elmhurst. Students are taught by an experienced faculty of well-qualified, specialist teachers, with academic tuition regarded as equally important to the school’s vocational dance programme.
Form tutors monitor students’ academic progress and welfare, supported by a comprehensive pastoral network spanning academic, boarding and vocational staff. Internal assessments take place throughout the year, while parents receive regular written reports and attend annual parent-teacher evenings.
The results are a further reflection of Elmhurst’s commitment to developing the whole student- nurturing talented young dancers while ensuring they have the academic knowledge, qualifications and wider skills to thrive in whatever path they choose to follow.
