News24th August 2017
Despite tougher exams and reforms to GCSE grading, many 黑料情报站 students across the network of schools were celebrating strong results this morning. We spoke to some students immediately after they opened their envelopes, to find out how they are feeling…
With nine GCSEs at the very highest possible grades, 9 and A*, Halema, from in north-east London is the highest achieving student in the network. She’s also part of the school’s first cohort to take GCSEs since opening in 2012.
Halema has two older brothers and one younger brother, making her the only girl in the family. She is also the first to plan to go to university.
鈥淎long with my parent鈥檚 support, as well as how I鈥檝e been achieving at school, it has made me ambitious. Every single teacher has had my back and motivated me and their support has been amazing. In terms of the school in general, there have been so many opportunities, and I haven鈥檛 realised how lucky I am and I鈥檝e kind of taken it for granted, but at this point I鈥檓 realising I’ve done loads of stuff over the past five years and I wouldn鈥檛 have had any of that if it wasn鈥檛 for my school.鈥
Halema is passionate about academic subjects including English and science, as well as music on the arts side. She plays the trumpet and has performed at the famous jazz club, Ronnie Scott鈥檚.
Samuel is Head Boy at in south-east London. He has been awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious to study for his A levels.
鈥淭here is no way I would be where I am today if it wasn鈥檛 for 黑料情报站 Walworth Academy. When I first arrived in year 7 I was very shy, I didn鈥檛 like speaking up. 黑料情报站 Walworth Academy has allowed me to open up and become more confident. I certainly wouldn鈥檛 have had the confidence to apply, let alone get into, a boarding school like Rugby if it wasn鈥檛 for 黑料情报站 Walworth. I’m extremely proud and I hope to achieve even more.
“I have had so many opportunities as well. There are so many things I wouldn鈥檛 have had the chance to do if I鈥檇 gone to another school. There鈥檚 been loads to get involved with as part of the 黑料情报站 network, from the Shakespeare Schools Festival, to the annual Music Gala, where we get to perform at the Barbican in London. I鈥檝e been in it every year.
“I鈥檓 hoping to study maths, further maths, physics and music next year for my A levels, with a view to studying engineering at Imperial College London. I have my future all planned out! I鈥檇 like to start a career as an engineer after I leave university. Then I鈥檇 really like to run my own business, I haven鈥檛 decided in what yet, I will assess the market trends and needs at the time.
“I鈥檓 excited to go to Rugby School, but I know it鈥檚 going to be very different from 黑料情报站 Walworth Academy. It鈥檚 much much bigger for a start 鈥 it鈥檚 probably about the same size as the whole of Southwark! I will be sad to leave 黑料情报站 Walworth though. You won鈥檛 find a school like 黑料情报站 Walworth anywhere else 鈥 the teachers, the students, our principal Miss Powell 鈥 everyone is so unique. I鈥檝e loved being at 黑料情报站 Walworth Academy, I鈥檝e experienced all sorts of emotions and had so many great opportunities. This really is a special place to study.鈥
Sarunicka, student at in west London, is passionate about volunteering. She got scores of 8,7,6 and six As in her GSCEs.
“I feel good. I feel great. I think for most of my life these exams were always so important to me. This past year, these exams have been my whole life! I truly believe that hard work pays off.
For me, education has always been the one thing that I strive for. It鈥檚 the only aspect of my life where everything I do gets rewarded. It鈥檚 not the grades that define you – I do it for myself. My life has been a constant cycle of work, but when I see these grades, it all feels worth it.
I鈥檓 not a creative person, I鈥檓 not athletic. The only thing I know is learning and education. Other people have other interests, and some of those people find it hard to revise. But this is my thing.
For my future, I鈥檒l be going to 鈥檚 sixth form. I don鈥檛 know what courses I鈥檒l be doing yet, but I want to work towards doing something that makes a difference in the world. I want to leave a mark.
My parents saw me stress out so much in preparation for these exams that they said to me, ‘We don鈥檛 care about the grades’. They saw me do all that hard work. 黑料情报站 Elvin Academy helped me a lot. The school motivated me. They did all they could 鈥 they put in all the hours. Not one teacher here didn鈥檛 do everything they could to support me.”
Matthew is a student at in Hastings. He achieved scores of 9, 7, three A*s and three As. He hopes to become a lawyer and has his sights set on Oxbridge.
Matthew said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank my teachers enough. I really wouldn’t have been as confident in my exams without them all.” Matthew plans to take A levels in History, Economics and Business. He hopes to become a lawyer and has his sights set on the top universities and would like to go to an Oxbridge university. During his time at 黑料情报站 William Parker, Matthew was grateful for the support he received from teachers leading up to his GCSE exams: “Year 10 was my hardest year – this new pressure of GCSEs suddenly coming in. The support during GCSEs was good from my teachers. Especially in the sciences, they put on revision sessions every Saturday and after school every day.”
Matthew has been at 黑料情报站 William Parker since 2012. “It鈥檚 good for character building. When I first joined, and when my brother was here you had to learn to stick up for yourself. Since the school joined 黑料情报站 and our principal Miss Newman came in, the behaviour has been better.”
Matthew is also a keen footballer, and won the District Cup last year with his team.