Reflecting on OxfordAQA’s summer exam series

Andrew Coombe is Managing Director of OxfordAQA, a partnership between Oxford University Press and AQA. OxfordAQA’s globally recognized International GCSEs and A-level qualifications blend subject knowledge with critical thinking to encourage curiosity, independent thinking, and a deeper understanding of the world. OxfordAQA qualifications are part of the Oxford International Programme – a whole school programme for students aged 2-19 that provides curriculum, assessment, and qualifications, and aims to develop the skills and attitudes needed to face the future with confidence.

Here, we talk to Andrew about how the latest OxfordAQA exam series has gone and what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead.

Looking back on the most recent exam series, how would you describe the experience for OxfordAQA and the schools you work with?

We were delighted to see students achieve strong results in their International GCSE and A-levels again this year. Every student can be proud of what they have accomplished. We know the dedication, resilience, and hard work that exam success demands, not only from students but also from their teachers and school communities.

We received exam entries in more countries than ever before, including Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka for the first time. This reflects the growing reach of our qualifications. We saw another year of double-digit growth in the number of entries, with particularly strong growth in entries for our International GCSE Psychology and across our English portfolio of qualifications.

While there was much to celebrate, this year’s exam series also brought significant challenges. Ongoing instability in parts of the Middle East and Gulf regions meant that exams could not take place in some countries, which could have prevented students who had worked tirelessly in preparation from receiving the results they needed to progress. Our priority throughout was to ensure that students and staff at both OxfordAQA and AQA centres were supported, and we worked closely with them to ensure all students who needed them were able to receive the GCSE and A-level qualifications through alternative routes. Throughout this difficult period, our commitment to supporting our schools and students remained unwavering.

What were schools in the Gulf and Middle East telling you they needed this year, and how did OxfordAQA respond?

With the cancellation of the May/June exams, schools in the Middle East and Gulf regions were clear about their priority: ensuring that students could receive their qualifications despite being unable to sit exams. Without this solution, some students would not have been able to take up university places and would have been forced to take their exams in the next series.

OxfordAQA worked quickly to provide alternative routes to certification for affected students, while keeping schools informed with clear, timely and consistent communication. Our focus was on giving schools the information and support they needed to make confident decisions during a highly uncertain period. 

I am particularly grateful to our colleagues based in the region, who worked tirelessly to support schools and answer questions throughout. Their dedication, alongside the efforts of teams across OxfordAQA and AQA, helped ensure that results were delivered on time and that schools received the support they needed every step of the way. 

I’m proud of how our teams responded to these challenges, always keeping the needs of students and schools at the centre of every decision.

How do you see the needs of international schools changing, and how is OxfordAQA responding to those changes?

The future our students will inherit is full of opportunity, but also constant change. Alongside strong subject knowledge, young people need the skills, confidence, and adaptability to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

That is why, together with Oxford University Press, we developed the Oxford International Programme: a whole school programme for learners aged 2-19 that combines curriculum, qualifications, and skills development to help students thrive in school and beyond.

We are seeing growing demand for qualifications that reflect the changing world around us. In response, we are introducing several new and revised International GCSE and A-level qualifications, including our first International GCSE in Digital and Information Technology. Building on traditional ICT, it develops the creative and technical skills students need to engage confidently with emerging technologies, including AI.

Listening to feedback from schools has also shaped a range of practical improvements. These include an additional International EPQ submission window, earlier International GCSE and A-level results from next July, and a new October/November International A-level exam series from 2028. Together, these changes will provide greater flexibility for schools and students, while helping learners make more informed decisions about their future education and career pathways. 

As the needs of international schools continue to evolve, we remain committed to providing relevant, rigorous qualifications and responsive solutions that help students achieve their ambitions.

What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead? 

This year marks the first teaching of several new OxfordAQA qualifications, including our innovative, project-based learning International GCSE in Global Skills Projects. Project-based learning is at the heart of the Oxford International Programme, developing real-world skills through active, enquiry-based learning. The International GCSE leads on from the Oxford International Curriculum for Global Skills Projects at primary and lower secondary, enabling students to develop valuable skills such as planning, research, and report writing, while exploring real-world challenges through a strong focus on sustainability. We are already seeing significant interest from schools around the world, and it is particularly rewarding to see our partnership with 8billionideas continue to flourish in supporting curriculum delivery.

As the interest in OxfordAQA qualifications continues to grow, I am excited that we’ll be reaching more students in more countries than ever before. The introduction of an October/November International A-level exam series from 2028 will create greater flexibility and opportunity for schools, particularly in regions such as Southern Africa, and I look forward to engaging with school leaders there in the coming months. 

Looking ahead to later in 2027, we’ll be holding our first Oxford International Programme conference for school leaders. This is taking place at the Schwarzman Centre for Humanities at the University of Oxford in September 2027. I’m looking forward to bringing together school leaders from around the world to connect, exchange ideas, and meet with us in person here in Oxford. 

Most of all, I am excited about continuing to support schools with qualifications that prepare young people for success in higher education, the workplace, and an increasingly interconnected world.

Find out more about OxfordAQA here.