A Level results: Hackney schools buck national trend

Off to Oxbridge: Mossbourne students (L-R) Alba Gibbs Joffe, Louisa Shalden, Sylvester Bloggs, Lili Fairclough, Taylor West

Impressive A Level results in a number of Hackney schools have bucked the national trend.

With fewer pupils across the UK receiving top grades as marking returns to pre-pandemic standards, many young people in Hackney will have extra cause to celebrate their outstanding performance.

Mossbourne Sixth Form

At Mossbourne Sixth Form, 48 per cent of all grades achieved were grades A*-A, and 80 per cent of all grades achieved were grades A*-B. A total of 96 per cent of students gained A*-C grades in every subject they studied.

Mossbourne pupil Luke Thorne achieved four A*grades, including an A* in his EPQ (Extended Project Qualification).

Luke will go on to study Natural Sciences at University of Cambridge while Alba Gibbs Joffe achieved three A* grades and will study History at University of Cambridge and Elida Arslan, winner of the Bourne University Bursary, a monetary award which supports one Mossbourne pupil during three years of university, gained achieved A*AA and will study medicine at UCL.

Mossbourne students celebrating their A level results (L-R): Luke Thorne, Rahat Chowdhury, Baboucarr Jeng and Ibrahim Sillah. Photograph: Mossbourne

A total of 15 Mossbourne students are heading to Oxbridge, eight students have gained a place at medical school and students will be studying architecture.

Jane Sames, Head of Mossbourne Sixth Form, said: “Congratulations to all our sixth formers. These results are so well deserved. The class of 2023 have bright futures ahead of them and we are thrilled to see our students’ glowing results across so many subjects. Teaching staff at Mossbourne continue to go above and beyond for our students and it is a day for all to celebrate the hard work of our community.”

The Urswick School

The Urswick School is also celebrating strong results. Osamagbe Eruogun achieved straight As in Biology, Chemistry and Maths and is going to Imperial College London to study Chemical Engineering.

He thanked all of his teachers and said “my time at The Urswick School has been amazing. I am going to miss everyone”.

Gabriel Meditsch Tejada was awarded As in Biology and Psychology and B in Chemistry and is studying Pharmacology at Bath University. He thanked the school for supporting him through the UCAS process and said “I will miss my friends and the teachers”.

Other notable results at the Urswick were achieved by Bruno Pereira De Barros with Bs in Spanish, History and Psychology and a place at Southampton University studying Psychology, and Sharnah Banton who is going to Exeter to study Art History and Classics having achieved an A grade in Ethics and Bs in English and Psychology.

A Level students at The Urswick School. Photograph: The Urswick School

Richard Brown, the Urswick’s Executive Headteacher, said: “These are an excellent set of results and I am really proud of this group of young people who have adapted so well following Covid. Although the national picture is that grades are down, at Urswick our average grade and the number of A and A* grades is virtually unchanged from last year and higher than 2019 – the last pre-Covid set of results. I am particularly pleased that as a school we had higher grades in both Maths and Science subjects.”

Clapton Girls’ Academy

Clapton Girls’ Academy (CGA) is likewise proud of their students’ achievements in this year’s exams. A total of 30 per cent received A*-A marks, a rise of two per cent from 2019 pre-Covid results; 68 per cent garnered A*-B marks (up 11 per cent from 2019) and 90 per cent were awarded grades in the A*-C range (up five per cent from 2019).

Soumia Bekhli, who got three As and is heading to Kings’ College London to study Computer Science said, “I am surprised but so happy. The revision lessons during exam time were so helpful in getting my amazing results.”

Amy Bryant and Lily Farrow both achieved top grades (three A*s) and are due to study Geography together at the University of Manchester. They said, “We are very, very happy with our results. CGA is so supportive and welcoming. All the teachers are really willing to help – all the time with whatever you need. Everyone is so nice and helpful.”

Meanwhile Zaynab Cadow, (A*AA) who will be studying Aerospace Engineering at Bath said, “My results are more than I expected! Incredible support from my Maths teachers got me an A* and I’m really looking forward to being at uni now.”

Clapton Girls Headteacher Anna Feltham said: “All of our students have been highly successful in both academic and vocational courses, many achieving top A-level grades and BTEC Distinctions and we are extremely proud of them as they take up their degree studies at university or go on to apprenticeship training. We are fully committed to our motto of ‘Arrive with a Dream, Leave with a Future’ and to supporting our students to achieve whatever they want in life.