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Sheikh Mansour's son among top A-Level achievers in UAE
Mohammed Al Nahyan, son of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, scored 2 A* grades and a distinction in BTec Entreprenership and is set to study at New York University
- PUBLISHED: Thu 13 Aug 2026, 6:41 PM UPDATED: Thu 13 Aug 2026, 8:08 PM
As hundreds of UAE students received their A-Level results today, the jubilation over good results spread to the highest levels of the nation's leadership.
Among the top performers at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi was Mohammed Al Nahyan, son of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
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Mohammed secured two A* grades in Maths and Economics, along with a Distinction in BTEC Entrepreneurship. He will now study at New York University.
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His achievement was part of a record-breaking year for the school, which recorded its strongest A-Level results to date with 32 per cent of entries awarded A* and 89 per cent achieving A*–B. The school also maintained a 100 per cent overall pass rate across 310 examination entries.
Standout performance
Mohammed was one of several Emirati pupils recognised among the top performers, reflecting the growing strength of UAE National talent within rigorous international pathways.
Elyazya Almarzooqi, Head of School Majlis and an active leader within the school community, achieved 3As in Business Studies, Geography and EPQ, alongside a Distinction* in BTEC Entrepreneurship. She plans to pursue Economics and Politics at the University of Toronto.
Deema Al Athba scored 4 A*s in Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and EPQ, and will study Mechanical Engineering at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Other standout achievers included Parijat Bhattacharyya, who attained 5A*s and will study Physics at Imperial College London, and Charlotte Holden, who scored 4 A*s and will specialise in Politics and International Relations at St Andrews University.
Tan Giai Tuyen, who also attained 5A*s in Biology, Chemistry Maths, Physics and EPQ, will study Medicine at Cardiff University.
Sarah Matthews, Principal of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, praised the cohort's achievements.
"At Cranleigh, we are boldly ambitious for our students in every sense as they develop the knowledge, skills and habits of mind that ensure they are ready to thrive beyond our gates and become worthy leaders in any field they choose," she said.
Challenging year
The results came after an unprecedented examination cycle in which traditional written exams were cancelled due to regional tensions.
British exam boards Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA cancelled all IGCSE and A-Level examinations in the UAE for the May/June 2026 series, citing safety concerns amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. Instead of sitting formal exams, students were assessed through a Portfolio of Evidence process, using coursework, internal assessments and other work gathered throughout their courses.
