Cheers and tears of joy at A level results day
HARD WORK PAYS OFF
STUDENTS across Uxbridge celebrated yet another year of bumper A level results last week.
Uxbridge College
Top A Level achievements at Uxbridge College this year included one student achieving four A* grades and winning a place to study maths at Cambridge University, and another on his way to Brighton & Sussex Medical School.
Staff and students celebrated strong results and some fantastic individual performances, with 40% of students achieving A*-B and 74% A*-C. The overall pass rate at grades A*-E was 98%. AS Level pass rates at Uxbridge College were 81%.
Rumail Azhar is on his way to Cambridge University to study maths after achieving a fantastic set of grades with four A* grades, in chemistry, physics, maths and further maths. He also had to pass an additional advanced maths exam called STEP with high grades to be admitted to Cambridge.
As he picked up his A Level results Rumail, 19, said: “I have been awake all night, I did not think I had done well enough in the STEP exam or Further Maths A Level and had given up hope of going to Cambridge – so it is a surprise but I am very happy and so are my parents.”
Before studying at Uxbridge College Rumail, who was this year’s top A Level performer at Uxbridge College, lived in Dubai.
Erdi Tewelde, 21, achieved A grades in biology and chemistry and a B in Physics, and will be studying medicine at Brighton & Sussex Medical School.
Erdi has been at Uxbridge College for three years, including studying GCSEs, before progressing to A Level. Originally from Eritrea, he has always wanted to become a doctor. He said: “I had family at Uxbridge College and it had a good reputation which is why I chose to come here. It’s been exciting to be in the UK but hard to be away from family - it’s been a tough journey but Uxbridge College has been fantastic in terms of teachers and I have had great support.”
Puneet Grewal, 19, was the second highest performer at Uxbridge College, achieving A* grades in Maths and Further Maths and an A in Chemistry. She is now going to UCL to study maths.
She said: “It is hard work that pays off – I really wanted to go to UCL so I am very pleased.”
Yamen Badran, 20, came to the UK from Syria and has achieved an A* in Maths, an A in Chemistry and a B in Physics and is going to Queen Mary’s to study mechanical Eengineering.
He also took his GCSEs at Uxbridge College. “I am so happy to have got my place – I was so worried about my maths - the exam was awful,” he said.
Emily Harris, 18, got two A grades and a B in English, politics and law, and is going to study politics and international relations at Royal Holloway College, University of London. She said: “I did really badly last year and have had a lot of work to do but it just goes to show you can catch up if you try.”
Jack Harris, head of Uxbridge College Sixth Form Centre said: “A massive congratulations to all our students – the numbers progressing to university are extremely impressive, especially with students going to prestigious universities such at Cambridge and winning places on competitive subjects such as medicine.”
Dr Darrell DeSouza, Principal of HCUC (Harrow College Uxbridge College, the merged college group), said: “We are extremely pleased with the strong A Level and AS Level results at both Uxbridge College and Harrow College and the many individual success stories.
“The successes in science and maths subjects at both colleges, both this year and previously, pave the way for our exciting new Institute of Technology due to open next year – we are very proud to have been chosen for this as just one of 12 organisations nationally – and for the introduction of the new technical equivalents to A Levels, the T Levels.”
There was also success over at Ruilsip High School were Marcelo Bovill had more than one thing to celebrate, achieving straight A*s on his birthday.
He said: “I feel happy and relieved and I can’t believe I attained straight A* grades and am going to study physics at the University of Manchester.”
Marcelo wasn’t alone in celebrating, with more than two thirds (71 per cent) of students at Ruislip High achieving between A* and C.
The school said that staff were delighted that the vast majority of students attained the grades needed to meet their university offers, including biomedical science at the University of Oxford and medicine at the University of Plymouth.
Uxbridge High School
Students at Uxbridge High School also had a great day, with a third of students coming away with B grades or above, marking a year-on-year increase.
Figures from the school show 98 per cent of exams entered received between an A* and an E, with history, maths, further maths, physics, business and finance among the school’s top performing subjects.
One of the school’s top performing students was Rajan Bhatoy, who achieved an incredible five A levels with an A in Biology, B in Chemistry, A* in mathematics, A in further maths and an A in physics.
He will now study computer science at Brunel University.
Caterina Silva, who leaves her spot as head girl, achieved an A* in Spanish and a distinction in performing arts, is off to study performing arts at Arts University, Bournemouth. A student who worked in a call centre to fund her A-level studies has said she’s ecstatic to have achieved her dream of going to university.
Hamdaa Ali, 19, moved to Hayes when she was just nine from Somalia.Her mother died about a week after she was born, and her father has not moved to the UK, leaving Hamdaa and her 35-year-old sister to support themselves.
She received an A* in sociology, a B in psychology and an A in business studies after studying at Villiers School in Southall and will now study sociology and media at City, University of London.
Hamdaa said: “She said: “When I first came to the UK it was a big adjustment. It’s just made me want to make it. My sister’s supported me a lot and put her life on hold for me.”
Head of sixth form, Patrick Cootes, paid tribute to Hamdaa’s hard work saying: “Today is actually the first time we’ve received the full story. We know that she was supporting herself and these days it’s alarmingly often that you get cases dealing with real life challenges.
“I feel really privileged to play a small part in the lives of these people. I’m really proud of her.”
She said: “I am so proud, really, really happy.”
There’s nothing like sibling rivalry to get the grades, and Kavilash and Kavinash, twins, both achieved the same grades: B, C, C.
Ahmad Eblagh, who achieved A* A A, is going to study engineering at UCL, said “hard work is everything!”.
Jonathon Churchill, head of sixth form said: I am very proud of the student’s achievements. The results are testament to the hard work and dedication of the students, parents and staff. I wish the students every success in their future pathways.”
This year’s high flying vocational students included Hasina Majithia, Sophie Hennings, Savannah Antoine, Marsan Bajramkurti and
Yashraj Songra, all gaining D*D (distinction) in business studies.
Amazing Mia Collins has secured a great internship at Google after completing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in creative media at the recently set up Global Academy. The school has extensive media facilities and was set up on part of the site that used to be the EMI factory in Hayes.
Mia Collins, 18, said: “Without Global Academy, I wouldn’t have developed the skills to even apply for a job or apprenticeship at Google – let alone actually work there.”
Principal Jonty Archibald said the sixth form celebrated 25 per cent of students receiving distinction grades (AAA*) – much higher than the national average of 15 per cent.