Hackney students collect A-level results

Yasmin Hanson is off to study law at the University of Hertfordshire. Photograph: Urswick School

The wait is finally over for A-level students all over Hackney today as they flocked to colleges and schools to collect their results.

Local schools will be hoping to improve on last year’s A-level results which saw Hackney students buck the national trend showing a slight dip in grades.

The Urswick School in Paragon Road saw its second year of A-Level results, which opened its Sixth Form Academy in September 2012.

Students achieved a 99% pass rate, with 71% of students awarded grades A* to C, an increase of 7 per cent from last year.

Marion Budd, Deputy Headteacher, said: “Our students have worked very hard for these results and it’s fantastic to see them so excited about starting university. They have brilliant futures ahead of them.

Yasmin Hanson, 18, who accepted an offer to study law at the University of Hertfordshire, achieved three grade Bs in psychology, government and politics, and English literature.

Hanson said that she couldn’t wait to start university: “I’m really excited about moving away to university and living independently, I want to start right now. I’m really grateful to my teachers for all their help, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

Joe Kimber, 18, achieved B grades in chemistry and psychology and C grades in biology and general studies.

He has accepted a place at the University of Bristol to study physics. Joe said: “I’m very excited about going to university and meeting new people. I plan to become a teacher after completing my degree.

Joe Kimber will study physics at Bristol University. Photograph: Urswick School

At The Bridge Academy, a mixed independent secondary state school for 11 to 18 year olds, 66 per cent of students gained A*-C grades.

Stephen Foster, the Principal of The Bridge Academy, stated: “I am very proud of the courage our students have shown in working towards such wonderful achievements. Our aim in creating the Sixth Form was to deliver exceptional outcomes for our students, so that they could access quality destinations.

“These results show the commitment of both staff and students in working towards aspirational goals.”

UPDATE August 17

At Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form 80 per cent of students have achieved A*-C grades in their A-levels. Five students from the community school have gained places at Oxford or Cambridge or Imperial College.

Headteacher Annie Gammon said: “We are delighted to see these brilliant achievements from all our sixth form students in both A level, AS level and vocational courses. They, and their teachers, have worked hard and deserve this success.”

Students Weyland Mckenzie and Liam Charles congratulate each other. Photograph: Stoke Newington School.

Haggerston School is celebrating its best ever sixth form results overall. Highest grades were obtained by Franca Chidera Onyeama, with five A levels (A* AAAB), Nadia Yates-Stephenson, with four (A* AAD), Safwana Abdulrashid (A* BB) and Selcan Findicoklu (ABB). Of the year group 45 per cent achieved A*-B grades, with the majority taking up university places or apprenticeships.