Spirits dampened by A-level downgrades but students remain positive at Hammersmith Academy

By Owen Sheppard, Local Democracy Reporter

Hammersmith Academy students have secured places at top universities, but moods have been dampened after some had their A-levels downgraded.

It comes after a chaotic year without exams, months of home schooling and nationwide complaints about an unfair national grading system.

Mohamed Mohamed will go to University College London to study physics after receiving A*AAA, although he missed out on his first choice of university, Imperial College London.

The youngster said: “I have just missed out on my first choice and I feel that, had I sat the exam, the A would have been an A* grade, as that’s what I have been achieving in my mocks.

“I know that no system can be absolutely fair to everyone, but I think there has not been enough focus on actual ability in the process which has disadvantaged me.

“I will have to wait for Imperial to decide whether they will make a concession or whether I am able to appeal.

“Hammersmith Academy has been brilliant in explaining the process throughout the lockdown.

“I am still excited about starting uni and I need to look at the positives.”

Kayleigh Corbin achieved A*AB and will go to the University of Leeds to study English literature and theatre.

Kayleigh said: “It has been very tense waiting for the results and the government making changes at the last minute has not helped.

“In my case I think the system has been fair and the grades I have been awarded are a fair reflection, although I think I could have achieved higher grades if I sat the exams, but the priority was to get into university.”

Nedal Harris was the academy’s top achiever. He scored A*A*AA and will study architecture at the University of Westminster.

“It was disappointing we couldn’t sit our exams, it would have been more of an achievement to get the results that way,” Nedal said.

“The teachers have been amazing. I’m happy with the grades I achieved, they were the grades I was expecting.”

Nedal has also learned that freshers week – where students traditionally spend a week socialising and partying to begin the year – has been cancelled.

Zarlasht Ashoorzada woke up on Thursday morning to find A*AB.

She has secured a place to study dentistry at Queen Mary University in East London.

Zarlasht said: “Dentistry is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I am so happy to get in.

“No-one knew this was going to happen and the academy has done all it can to support us through it and to make sure we were not disadvantaged.”

Pictured top: Kayleigh Corbin