It’s been a great year for results at City of Westminster College. Almost two-thirds of A Level courses – including Biology, Economics, English Language, Law and ICT - showed a 100 per cent pass rate among students. The College is also delighted that Chemistry and Maths were among the subjects that achieved a student pass rate of 90 per cent or more.
There was good news, too, for the College’s AS students as almost a third of courses - including History, Physics and English Language & Literature – achieved a student pass rate of at least 90 per cent.
Overall these results show an improvement on last year’s very solid performance and are particularly pleasing because they reinforce the College’s already excellent track record in the teaching of core sciences, Maths and English.
There were smiles on the faces of many of our students this morning when they summoned up the courage to open their white envelope. Here are just some of our success stories.
Khulud Omar, 17, from Islington not only achieved an A grade in A Level Arabic, but was ranked among the top ten nationally (out of 762 Arabic candidates) with exam board Edexcel. Her achievement is all the more remarkable because she was an evening student. She returns to the College in September as she is part way through her BTEC in Business and her GCSE in English. Khulud says: “I’m interested in studying International Business at university so this result makes me very happy.”
Laura Boggi, 20, from Camden was studying four arts A Levels at school when she was forced to drop out of her course because of a death in her family. She then decided she should switch to sciences, so signed on at City of Westminster College. Two years on, she has A grades in Biology, Chemistry and Maths (plus a B in Economics AS Level) and has won a place at Cambridge University to study Chemical Engineering. Laura says: “I’m delighted. I’m the first person in my family to even go to university.”
Pedro Testi, 21, from Westminster is a native of Brazil who originally enrolled at the College to study six GCSEs, a feat he managed in just one year despite having limited English at the start of his course. He stayed on at the College to take A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics, working part time throughout. Now he’s been accepted at Queen Mary College and will start his degree in Biomedical Sciences this autumn. Pedro says: “This College is very good. My advice to other students is to never give up.”
Ruwaida Begum, 18, from Islington (known as Taniya) achieved A grades in Chemistry and Maths and a B in Biology, putting her on course to study Biomedical Engineering at Queen Mary this autumn. “I’m very pleased. My advice to others – apart from working hard - is to start your personal profile early and get work experience if you can.”
Another soon-to-be Biomedical student Frances Abomeli, 18, from Tottenham came to the UK from Nigeria five years ago and has studied hard to gain the grades for entry to Kings College. “My aim after my first degree is to take a Masters and then maybe work in genetic counselling.”
Ameen Soetan, 18, from Greenwich has won a place at Brunel University to study Psychology. Ameen says: “I was very nervous when I came to open the envelope but I’m pleased with the results. I’d like to complete my first degree and then take a Master so I can work in the psychology profession.
Fellow A Level student Gemma Beaconsfield, 18 from Camberwell is also delighted with her grades and has earned a place to study Psychology at Southampton Solent. Gemma says: “I’ve had a really good two years here and plenty of good advice from tutors. Originally I wanted to be a lawyer but now my ambition is to go into criminal psychology.”
Sania Dar, 18, from Willesden has achieved the grades she needs to follow in the family tradition. Both her brother and sister are lawyers (her brother is also an alumni of City of Westminster College) and now Sania is off to study Law at Queen Mary. Sania says: “It’s taken a lot of hard work and motivation, but the teachers here have been really good.”
Shereen Zaki, 18, from Maida Vale had the College recommended by her big sister and now she’s achieved three A grades and one B, securing her place on a Law course at Kings College. Shereen says: “It took a combination of good teachers and hard work – all the tutors were willing to help.”
Esther Afolabi, 19, from Lambeth wasn’t expecting A grades in Physics and Chemistry, but these results, along with a B in Biology, have guaranteed her place on a physiotherapy course in Manchester. Esther had a particularly steep learning curve as her family moved back here from the US when she was 15 and she had to get to grips with the UK education system as well as embarking on GCSEs. Her three years at City of Westminster College have definitely paid off. Esther says: “There have been lots of sacrifices with all this study but it has been worth it. I’m very happy and so are my family – they were over the moon when I rang them.”