Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards

The Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards recognise top-performing international students worldwide who have taken all levels of Pearson Edexcel qualifications: iPrimary, iLowerSecondary, International GCSEs and International A levels, and achieve outstanding results in their examinations.

Each year, we celebrate our top achieving students with in-school presentations and award ceremonies around the world, honouring and recognising the achievements of these learners and the educators and families who support them.

OPLA motif

Celebrating academic achievement

Our Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards are awarded to learners worldwide (outside the UK) and celebrate their outstanding examination results.

Each year's awards are based on students' achievements in the previous October, January and May/June exam series and winners are notified through their schools in November. 

Our annual OPLA ceremonies are much-anticipated events for students, parents, educators and Pearson colleagues alike.

Pearson OPLA winners

OPLA awarding criteria

Across every OPLA series, we make every effort to ensure the integrity and validity of our awarding data. Results data is accurate at the time of generation (October annually). 

Please note: The awarding criteria stated below are correct at time of publishing but will always be subject to change and regional variations. Pearson reserves the right to redefine awarding criteria year on year.

OPLA award categories

There are three levels of Outstanding Pearson Learner Award per subject, open for awarding to all Pearson Edexcel learners who sat for any Pearson qualifications at an international approved centre during an exam series. These award levels are:  

The Highest Mark in the World  

The Highest Mark in Region

The Highest Mark in Country

Highest possible grades criteria

OPLAs are awarded to achievers who receive the highest mark and the highest possible grade in their subject exam. If a student achieves the highest mark in their cohort but not the highest possible grade, they willl not will not be considered for an OPLA. Highest possible grades for our qualifications are defined as: 

Grade A* for International A Levels and UK GCE A Levels  

Grade A for International AS Levels and UK GCE AS Levels 1

Grade 9 for International GCSE and UK GCSE 2  

Grade S4 for iLowerSecondary

Grade P3 for iPrimary 

1 OPLAs for International AS and UK GCE AS levels are only awarded to students in certain countries in the Middle East.

2 OPLAs for UK GCSEs are only awarded to students in certain countries.

Highest award received rule

The Highest Mark OPLAs are awarded to the learners who achieve the highest standard mark in a single subject in their country, region or the world.

If another learner in the same country, region or the world scores exactly the same mark in that subject, those learners will receive equal recognition and each will be awarded a Highest Mark in the Country, Region or the World OPLA for that subject.

In all cases, learners will receive the highest category award that applies to them. For example if a learner has achieved the highest mark in the world for their subject, and their mark also stands as the highest in their region or country, they will only receive the Highest Mark in the World OPLA for that subject. 

 

How OPLA winners are determined

We operate minimum entry thresholds for each qualification suite (excluding UK entries) in each region to ensure that the region's OPLA achievers are selected from a sufficiently representative group of learners taking the same subject exam where relevant.

This means that if the number of entries for a particular subject within an exam series does not meet the minimum threshold for entries in that series, OPLAs will not be awarded for that subject and series.

OPLA recipients are determined based on the examination results for each exam series and individual award winners are derived electronically using Pearson’s Qualifications Database Management (QDM) system. The results are tabulated after the reviews of marking and moderation deadlines to ensure all learners final marks are considered. Any revision to learner results after that deadline may not be included for that year's OPLA awards.

Share your Pearson Edexcel learner story with us!

Are you a Pearson Edexcel International GCSE or International A level student? Have you received an Outstanding Pearson Learner Award for your achievements in your studies?

If so, we would love to hear your success story: what you loved about your Pearson learning journey and where your qualifications have taken you!

Share your Pearson Edexcel learner story