A-level results day bring joy to many students, their families and the educational institutions that taught them
Here are a few stories and results of some from our area
Students at Lambeth Academy are celebrating a successful set of A-level and vocational results, with many students securing the university places of their choice. There were strong improvements across the board at the academy’s Sixth Form, with 34 per cent of A-level entries achieving A* to B grades and 62 per cent awarded A* to C grades.
There were a number of notable individual successes, including; Maddie Leach, who achieved As in English literature and drama and a B in maths and will be taking up a place at the University of Manchester to study Social Relations; Nimco Qasim, who achieved Bs in biology, chemistry and psychology and has been awarded a place at Imperial College London to study biomedical sciences; Kacper Nowak, who achieved an A in maths, a B in physics and a C in computing and has secured a place at the University of Leeds to study physics; Caleb Thompson, who achieved an A in maths and Bs in physics and chemistry is going onto the University of Westminster to study accounting; Phoebe Berko, who achieved an A* in sociology, a B in psychology and a C in English literature.
BTEC results were also positive, with a number of students celebrating very strong achievements. Among these were Sahra Hassan, who achieved three Distinction * in health and social care, and Ana Cardosa, who achieved an A in Portuguese A-level and a Distinction * and two Distinctions in health and social care.
Both Sahra and Ana are now going onto King’s College London to study nursing.
Leon Wilson, Executive Principal of Lambeth Academy, said: “I am very pleased for each sixth former who is celebrating their success and wish all of them well for the future.
“One of the best features of the Lambeth Academy Sixth Form is that every student is given the personalised support they require to not only choose the appropriate subjects that work best for their interests but also to make the best decisions for the next stage of their lives.”
Bacon’s College
Students and staff at Bacon’s College are celebrating another set of strong A-level results, with students securing top university and apprenticeship places.
Overall, 45 per cent of A-level entries achieved A*-B grades and 72 per cent achieved A*-C grades.
Outcomes for A-level equivalent vocational courses were likewise very strong with 92 per cent of all grades at Distinction or Distinction*.In addition, there were a number of notable individual successes, including: Simon Canniffe: chemistry (A*); mathematics (A*); physics (A*). Simon has secured a place at the University of Cambridge to read chemical engineering. Jasmine Atkinson: art (A); media studies (A); English language (C). Jasmine will be studying visual communication at The Ravensbourne University, London.
Katie Downing: art (A); media studies (A); English language (C). Katie will be studying illustration at The University of Arts, London.
Daisy-Jo Palmer: textiles (A); CTEC media (Double Distinction*). Daisy-Jo will be starting a degree-level apprenticeship in digital marketing.
Arjun Patel: physics (A); business studies (B); mathematics (B). Arjun has accepted a place at the University of Liverpool to read Physics.
Mohammed Rahman: chemistry (A); mathematics (A); biology (B). Mohammed has accepted a place at King’s College London to read chemistry.
Miryam Greco: Spanish (A); Italian (B); CTEC media (Double Distinction*). Miryam has been offered a post as a school languages assistant.
Alessandro Canonico: graphics (A); art (B); CTEC media (Double Distinction*). Alessandro will be going to Bournemouth University to study visual effects.
Hakeem Ahmed, outgoing head boy, said: “It’s been a pleasure spending seven years at Bacon’s College and taking on a leadership role.
“Throughout this time the staff have helped so much to shape me into a young man ready for the world of law.”
Media student Elizabeth Agyemang said: “Being at Bacon’s has really helped me realise my full potential and prepare me to dive into my future in the media industry.”
James Wilson, principal of Bacon’s College, said: “I’d like to congratulate all our students who are celebrating their results.
“With these qualifications, they will now be able to go universities and colleges or take up apprenticeships in key careers.
“As a headteacher, it is particularly pleasing to see students fulfil their potential and celebrate success. Many staff at the college have worked with these students since they joined us in Year 7, and so it is a pleasure for them to see how these young people have matured and grown in their confidence and ambition during their time here.”
DLD College
Students and staff members at DLD College London are triumphant following another year of A-level success.The cohort collected their results from the Westminster Bridge-based college, boasting a highly-commendable A-level pass rate of 98 per cent.
DLD students and staff are proud of the A-level results with 26 per cent gaining the top grades of A*- A grades, 54 per cent achieving A*- B and 87 per cent achieving A*- C grades.
One student who excelled, Mathieu Deschenes, 19, attained an exceptional A* A* A* in mathematics, further mathematics and physics and a Distinction in the Advanced Extension Award. He will study mathematics and computer science at the University of Bristol.
DLD College London Principal, Irfan Latif said: “DLD is proud of its high performing and diligent students who are reaping the benefits of their hard work and the excellent teaching, pastoral care and support they receive from their teachers. The College continues to place students at many of the most prestigious universities in the country and abroad. We are proud of all our students’ results and the progress they have made during their time with us.”
The College has a lot to celebrate not only at A-level, but also at BTEC where students achieved an outstanding pass rate of 100 per cent and the International Foundation Programmes (IFP) where students achieved a 96 per cent pass rate.
Kingsdale Foundation School
Approximately 40 per cent of all grades achieved at Kingsdale this year were at A*/A with roughly two thirds at A*-B.About 75 per cent of graduating students have secured places at prestigious Russell Group Universities which include Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Bristol, King’s College London, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.
Students will also be attending highly esteemed institutions including the Royal Drawing School, the Slade School of Fine Art and 1994 Group universities.
Elba Feo has used her outstanding 3 A* grades at A-level and A grade at AS-level to study chemistry at Oxford University.
Iona Clark will be using her impressive A* and A grades to read history at Cambridge.
Ricardo Parson’s excellent A grades at A-level, including biology and chemistry, have enabled him to study biochemistry at the University of Birmingham.
Ben Hullett has used his highly impressive A* and A grades to study history at Durham.
Holli Glasson will be using her excellent mathematics and further mathematics A* and A grades to read mathematics at Leeds.
Nathan & Callum Wells, who between them have six A* and A grades, will be studying bioengineering and biology at Sheffield and Manchester respectively.
Saahia Mayenin will be using her excellent A* and A grades to study English at King’s College, London.
Eli Wiener’s highly impressive four A grades at A-level have enabled him to study physics at Birmingham.
Alice Baker will be taking an art foundation course using her impressive A* in art and Design.
Prendergast Sixth Form
Teenagers in Lewisham are celebrating great A-level results that will see them head off to top universities later this year including Oxford, Cambridge, King’s College London and the London School of Economics.
Prendergast Sixth Form student Charlotte Bogle, 18, achieved two A*s and two As and will be heading off to Oxford University to study chemistry. Fellow student Leyla Reveillon-Kessali, 18, overcame personal challenges to achieve three As and secure a place at Cambridge University to study history and politics.
Joey Weller, who studied for his GCSEs at Prendergast Vale before attending Prendergast Sixth Form, gained three A*s and will be studying physics at Durham University.
He said: ‘I am completely in shock. I actually checked UCAS before I came here to get my results to see if I had been accepted and I was.”
Students at Sydenham and Forest Hill Sixth Form (SFH6) have also been celebrating their success. Jude Moyle, 18, gained one A and two Bs and will be studying English and film at Birmingham University. He said: “I’ve never felt this proud of myself before.”
Maya McFarlane, 17, will be off to Cambridge to study human social and political sciences after getting three A*s. She said: ‘I’m very happy. It’s my birthday tomorrow so this is a great present.”
Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, and Vicky Foxcroft, MP for Lewisham Deptford, joined students at Prendergast Sixth Form as they received their results.
Prendergast Sixth Form headteacher, Paula Ledger said: “We are determined that everyone who joins our Sixth Form achieves results they can be proud of and are able to realise their ambitions.
“We are delighted too for their families who play an important part in individual success. We know they will keep in touch as part of the Prendergast family and join the ever widening group of Prendergast alumni who are so successful at university and in their careers.’
Prendergast Sixth Form students celebrating their success with Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan; MP for Lewisham Deptford, Vicky Foxcroft, and headteacher Paula Ledger
Balham Sixth Form College
A teenager scored a string of top results and a place at a prestigious university- just three years after being told she couldn’t do A-levels because she had been home-schooled.
Kasablanca Adu-Odonkor, 18, pictured, from Croydon, was turned down at a number of sixth form colleges because she didn’t have GCSEs.
But the brainy teen was given the chance of a place at La Retraite in Clapham.
She passed her GCSEs with flying colours scoring top grades in every subject before taking A-levels in art and design, history and English literature.
She discovered she had scored an A* and two As in her exams, enough to secure a place to study English literature at St Andrew’s University.
Her mum decided to home school her for 10 years through primary and secondary school because she did not like any of the school in their local area.
She was 15 when she came to La Retraite where she took her GCSE in just one year, before studying for A-levels in the school’s sixth form.
She said: “I have had amazing support at this college, a lot of places would not let me in to do A-levels.
“They would only allow me to do B-Techs because I had been home-schooled and I didn’t have my GCSEs.
“But staff here gave me the chance to pursue my dreams, they really pushed me.”Kasablanca said she is delighted all her hard work has paid off.
She said: “My advice for other people is never to put limitations on your abilities.
“That meant that I was a bit behind and I had a lot of catching up to do. But getting these results has taught me that you should never let anything stop you in life.
“The teachers here have been brilliant. They are there for you when you need them, to help and answer questions. They pushed me and have given me chances.
“They did not put any restrictions on what I could achieve. I am so excited about going to university and studying English. I would love to be a novelist one day.”
Head of Sixth Form Ruth Coyle said: “She has been turned down from other schools but we saw something in her and wanted to give her a chance.
“I said if you come here and get top grades on your GCSE you can go on to A-levels and now she is gone on to get top grades which is fantastic success.”
Blackheath High School
Blackheath High School GDST students were celebrating following their A-Level results.
The diversity of excellent results across the school year was exhibited by the school’s head girl team. The ‘Fab Five’ excelled in a wide range of subject areas.
Among them was US student, Zoe Hadsell, who will be attending Cambridge to study English having achieved A A*A in French, English and maths.
Zoe said: “I’ve wanted to go to Cambridge ever since I was aged eight, so I’m absolutely shocked that it’s actually happening. It was my teachers who inspired me to do English and now I’m just so excited to be going.”
Fellow head girl team member Freya Cracknell was also in a joyous mood having followed up her straight A*’s at GCSE with straight A*’s at A-level.
Upon finding out that she will be studying biomedical sciences with French at Manchester, Freya said: “I’m ecstatic, I really want to be a neuroscientist or research scientist and hopefully help discover a cure for cancer one day.”
Having been inspired to study sciences following her GCSE astronomy classes at The Royal Observatory with Blackheath High, head girl Hana Khan will be taking a gap year to work and travel in Costa Rica before pursuing a career in medicine or natural sciences.
Rounding out the Fab Five are Monique McIntosh, who earned a well-deserved place at Kent to study law, and Emmy McLaughlin who will be studying liberal arts in Durham.
Other success stories include Hodan Ismail and Christine Mustapha, two Blackheath High bursary students who will be the first in their families to study medicine after achieving outstanding results.
Christine, from Blackheath, achieved grades A A B and will be attending Manchester in September. She said: “I wouldn’t have applied for medicine if it hadn’t been for my teachers who gave me the confidence to do what I wanted and achieve my full potential.”
Hodan achieved grades of A* A A. She said: “I’m so pleased all the hard work has paid off.”
With a 100 per cent pass rate across the entire A-Level year and 60 per cent of the grades A*, A or B, and 29 per cent of the grades at A*/A, it was a day of excellent results for Blackheath High which is rated ‘Excellent in all areas’ by the Independent Schools Inspectorate .
Head at Blackheath High, Mrs Carol Chandler-Thompson said: “We pride ourselves on inspiring individuality, so it is fantastic to see results and the range of paths chosen by each of the girls.”
Main Picture (top) Blackheath High Schools Fab Five Head Girl Team
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