Breadth of BRILLIANCE at RGS Newcastle
The Royal Grammar School Newcastle is celebrating its strongest ever performance in STEM subjects, with a remarkable 41% of STEM A-Levels (a total of 293 STEM results) awarded at the coveted A* grade – the best result in the school’s history.
But while STEM has provided a headline achievement for the Class of 2026, the results also showcase something equally distinctive about RGS: the extraordinary breadth of opportunity and achievement across its Sixth Form.
Excellent A-Level Results
164 Year 13 students secured 524 A-Levels with outstanding results across all 27 subjects.
Overall, 90% of grades were A*-B1, 66% at A*-A2, and 33% at A*3 with a staggering 45% of the cohort – 73 students – celebrating straight A*-A grades.
In the 2026 cohort, 32 ambitious students sat four A-Levels, of which 26 secured straight A*-A.
Bucking a national trend, this year, RGS girls outshone the boys, with female students achieving 34% A*, 68% A*-B and 93% A*-B4.
Destination Sixth Form
The 36 students who joined RGS at the beginning of Sixth Form also performed incredibly well, with 9 achieving straight A*-A demonstrating the school’s ability to welcome and support students joining in any year group, from a wide range of schools and backgrounds.
A Breadth of Subjects
RGS students achieved outstanding results across all 27 A-Level subjects, reflecting the exceptional academic breadth of the RGS Sixth Form that give the Sixth Form its distinctive breadth.
In English, 100% of students achieved A*-B, alongside 98% in Economics, 97% in Further Maths, 95% in Physics, 93% in History, 91% in Chemistry, 87% in Maths and 87% in Biology.
But the strength of the stellar results extends far beyond the most popular subjects. 100% of students achieved A*-A in Art, EDT, Latin and Theatre Studies, while 100% of students achieved A*-B in German, Music and Ancient History.
The results demonstrate the breadth of academic choice available to RGS students – and the ability to achieve at the highest level whether their passion lies in STEM, the humanities, languages or the creative arts.
Geoffrey Stanford, Headmaster of RGS Newcastle, expressed his pride in the students’ accomplishments: “Of course, we are incredibly proud of our best ever performance in STEM, and 41% of STEM grades being awarded at A* is an exceptional achievement but what makes these results particularly special is the breadth of achievement across all 27 subjects and at all levels of ability.
“Just one of many examples of this is the outstanding work of our Art Department, which must be amongst the finest in the country, where 85% of this year’s grades were A*. It is a huge endorsement of our decision to invest even further in subjects such as A-Level Photography which we are introducing this September.
“Similarly, alongside the strength of our Economics Department, which enabled 98% of achieve A*-B grades, we are excited to be introducing A-Level Business Studies this year.
“An RGS education is not about asking students to fit a particular mould. It is about giving them the opportunity to discover what they are passionate about, challenging them to excel in it, and providing expertise and encouragement to help them succeed.
“Most importantly, RGS students do not have to choose between breadth and brilliance. They can pursue almost any academic passion – and excel at it.”
Student stories
Amidst the outstanding headline figures above, are numerous individual stories of perseverance, of students who have immersed themselves in their subjects in pursuit of their goals.
Chioma O – A* A A – Aerospace Engineering at Manchester University
“My time at RGS has shaped me into someone who is more confident, independent, and willing to take opportunities.” After joining RGS Newcastle in Year 7, Chioma O has fully embraced life at RGS.
Today, she is celebrating achieving A*AA and will take up a place at The University of Manchester in September to study Aerospace Engineering.
“I am particularly excited by the aerospace industry because it combines technical problem-solving with innovation and pushes the boundaries of what is possible,” she explains. “I hope to explore different areas of engineering and eventually build a career through which I can make a meaningful impact.”
Reflecting on her journey, Chioma is particularly proud of embracing every opportunity, developing teamwork, resilience, leadership and confidence while creating some of her fondest RGS memories.
From earning a Gold CREST Award through a Nissan engineering project and serving as a Senior Prefect to supporting the student-led Culture Week, Chioma embraced a wide range of experiences at RGS. She also performed in SIX: The Musical, represented RGS in the 1st Netball and Hockey teams, and took part in the South Africa sports tour.
Grateful for the support she received throughout her time at RGS, Chioma is particularly thankful to Mr Bellew, whose guidance inspired her love of Physics, and Miss Enevoldson, whose encouragement helped her recognise her potential and aim higher.
“RGS has given me chances to step outside of my comfort zone and discover new interests and strengths. Most importantly, it has been a place where I have grown not just as a student, but as a person.”
Joe O – A* A* A* A – Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey
“I have always had a strong interest in science and a love for working with animals,” Joe O explains as he prepares to study Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey after achieving A* A* A* A.
Since joining RGS Newcastle in Year 3, he has enjoyed being part of the school community. “Looking back over the past 11 years, it has been an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable journey,” he reflects, “From the very beginning, I have always felt welcomed and supported by both students and staff”.
Joe has paid that sense of belonging forward through his role as a Pastoral Senior Prefect, which he describes as an “extremely rewarding experience” through which he proactively supported younger students across the school.
Over the years, Joe has built lasting friendships, grown in confidence and taken on a wide range of new challenges. Reflecting on his journey, he credits his development to the positive influence of every teacher at RGS, whose support and encouragement have played a key role throughout his time at the school.
Central to Joe’s RGS journey have been two teachers in particular, Miss Enevoldson, Head of RGS Sixth Form, and Mrs Boyle, Teacher of Psychology. “During sixth form, they were both incredibly kind and supportive,” he said, “They always took the time to offer help and encouragement whenever I needed it, and their positivity made a real difference to my experience at RGS during sixth form.”
“Although he is not technically a member of staff, I must mention Miss Enevoldson’s dog Vinnie. The Sixth Form wellbeing walks with him on a Tuesday were always an enjoyable break from work and something I could look forward to.”
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