A-levels round-up: Students celebrate in schools across Wandsworth

Youngsters in the borough woke on Thursday, August 17, to discover whether their grades had secured them a place in their University of choice.

Burntwood Academy celebrated after one of its students got the grades to take up a place at the University of Cambridge.

Farah Mahmood achieved four A*s and an A to meet the offer from Cambridge to study Natural Sciences (Physics and Biology) at Christ’s College.

Farah Mahmood

Farah said: “I am incredibly excited about the year ahead and look forward to a fresh challenge.

Deputy Head Nicholas Bull, said: “We are hugely proud of Farah. Her commitment over the last seven years has been richly rewarded and we look forward to hearing of her further successes.”

Southfields Academy celebrated “another year of excellent results”.

Headteacher Wanda Golinska said: “Congratulations to Southfields Academy students who achieved the best ever A-level results.

“This year 31 per cent of students achieved A*/A grades and 54 per cent achieved A*-B grades ensuring entry to some of the best Universities.”

Students from Southfields Academy 

Students at Harris Academy achieved the “best results the school has ever had”.

There was a 100 per cent pass rate across all subjects, with “many outstanding” successes for individual students.

More than a quarter of students achieved an A*-A grade.

Dr David Moody, Principal of Harris Academy Battersea, said it was a “real cause for celebration” adding: “The quality of teaching in lessons is outstanding and the fluency with which students discuss academically challenging concepts is something that the school takes an immense amount of pride in.

“They have worked so hard to prepare for these exams, sitting silently revising at exam desks from 3:30pm until 6pm each night since January.”

Putney High School with 62 per cent of all A-Level entries achieving A* or A grades.

Five of its students are also off to Oxford.

Oxford bound from Putney High School 

More than a quarter of all entries were at A* grade, with 91 per cent at A*- B.

Five Putney students achieved all A* grades, including Erin Ailes, who will now read Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at St John’s College, Oxford, and Tasmin Sarkany, who will read Physics at Lincoln College, Oxford.

Both achieved four A* grades, with Erin also earning an A* in the Extended Project Qualification.

Straight A* grades were also achieved by England lacrosse player Lottie Durham, who is off to her namesake university, Durham, to read Biological Sciences.

Headmistress Mrs Suzie Longstaff said: “I am delighted that the hard work of our students and their teachers has resulted in, yet again, outstanding results for so many and undergraduate places secured at their first choice institutions in the UK and the USA.”

Kate Brown, who will be reading Geography at Durham and Emily Brougham, planning a post results application.

Other Putney students heading for Oxford are Bethany Reeves, who has earned a prestigious organ scholarship at Brasenose College.

Lucy Jones, reading Law at St Catherine’s College and Dora Marshall, reading Biochemistry at St Hilda’s College.

A-Level students at St John Bosco College also celebrated the school’s best ever A-Level results today.

Pupils achieved a record number of passes at A* or A of 28 per cent.

Laurentiu Fagateanu, 18 from Battersea, was delighted to learn of his four As and 1 one A*grades in Maths and Sciences.

He said: “I am so happy, I had lots of help and encouragement from my teachers and they pushed me to work really hard – I’m so glad that I did.”

Headteacher Paul Dunne said: “Our sixth form students have worked incredibly hard this year, with great support from their teachers and I’m delighted for them.”

Head of Sixth Form, Christos Polyviou said: “The majority of our students have achieved the grades that they needed to get into the universities and colleges of their choice.

“I’m really proud of them.”

Two students from Chestnut Grove Academy in Balham are heading off to Oxford after receiving outstanding results.

Ephraim Conteh (Mathematics A*, Further Maths A, History A, English Literature B) is going to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Worcester College and Orla McBride (Chemistry A*, Geography A, Mathematics A) is going to read Geography at Hertford College.

Mr Kingsley, Orla and Ephraim 

The school's pass rates were among their highest ever, with 23 per cent of entries achieving grades A*-A, 60 per cent achieving grades A*-B and 83.3 per cent achieving grades A*-C.

The overall A-level pass rate for Chestnut Grove Academy was 98 per cent

Headteacher Mr Kingsley said: “I am delighted that all of the hard work has paid off for our students and their teachers.

“I wish them all well as they embark on the next stage of their education.”

Ernest Bevin College achieved a "superb" set of A-level results this year with 64 per cent of all grades between A* and C and 38 per cent between A* and B.

Rukhsana Sheikh, Principal, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with these results, this is the first year of new examinations and for pupils to have achieved these is a reflection of the hard working and commitment by the staff and pupils for the last two years.”