Nunhead student who came to the UK at the age of 12 gets into Oxford University
A Nunhead student who moved to the UK at the age of 12 has received three A*s at A Level – and has got into Oxford University.
Juan Erazo Rojas, who attends St Thomas the Apostle School, achieved the top grade possible in Chemistry, Physics and Maths.
He will be going to the University of Oxford to study Chemistry.
Juan said: “I moved to the UK at the age of 12, and I never thought this would be possible. I have worked hard and had the help of brilliant teachers to get me to today.”
Juan is not the only student at St Thomas the Apostle School who achieved A* grades across the board.
Georgy Shine, Amarie Phillips and Ryan Pereira also all received a full sweep of top grades.
Georgy, who studied Economics, Chemistry and Maths at A Level, will be studying Physics at the University of Manchester.
He said: “Life is difficult but perseverance is what makes or breaks it. I’m proud of us all – we are living proof of this at STAC.”
Amarie, who will be going to study Chemistry at UCL, received A*s in Chemistry, Maths and Computer Science.
He said: “I didn’t expect this at all and I don’t even know how to react. I am extremely proud of myself and this shows what can be achieved when you keep working hard.”
Ryan also received three A* grades, saying: “After getting my GCSEs a few years ago, I could have become complacent but I worked hard and it was worth it – I’m off to Cambridge to study Land Economy.”
St Thomas the Apostle School is celebrating their impressive results despite the difficult circumstances.
More than six out of ten of all students achieved at least one A Level Grade A*-A and 48% of students achieved AAB or above.
The average grade achieved by A-Level students was an A.
Headteacher Eamon Connolly said: “I am delighted for each and every one of our students for these excellent results; both those who have been with us since the age of 11 and those who joined our Sixth Form. I am proud of the achievements and feel confident we have prepared them, both academically and personally, to enter adulthood and embark on their chosen degrees as fine young people.”