Students across Redbridge are set to receive their A level, BTEC and T Level results today, August 18 – and we will be updating results from all schools and colleges as they come in.
Overall, A Level grades are down on the past two years, though they remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The drop was expected as exams were held for the first time since 2019, with a number of adaptations, including advance notice of some topics, to mitigate lost learning during the pandemic.
Students will begin receiving their results from 8am, but universities will already know grades and will be on hand for students with any queries.
For those who do not get the grades they hoped for and need to consider other options, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) chief executive Clare Marchant said there are more than 27,000 courses in clearing, as well as a range of apprenticeship opportunities available.
She said: “While many will be celebrating today, there will be some who are disappointed.
“My advice is to take advantage of the wide range of choices on offer, which includes over 27,000 courses in clearing, along with a range of apprenticeship opportunities.”
Students can visit ucas.com to see their options or speak to a UCAS adviser on the phone or social media.
Let us know your results and stories at londonlive@archant.co.uk
Beal Sixth Form
Four Beal Sixth Form pupils are on their way to Oxbridge after achieving the grades required.
These include Imaan Khaliq, who achieved four A* in maths, further maths, biology and chemistry and is going to study medicine at Oxford University.
He said: "I am pleased and over the moon with my results. The sixth form experience at Beal was great. I'm looking forward to going to university."
Manuela Dauti achieved A*A*A* and an A in economics, English literature, history and politics and will be going to Warwick to study PPE.
Matthew Ingle achieved straight A grades in maths, biology and economics and is exploring his options before deciding which Russell Group university to study at. He said: “Work hard and all will fall into place. I have really enjoyed my time at the TFA campus and have achieved grades that I am delighted with.”
They are among 27 students to achieve straight A/A* with another 26 getting straight Distinction/Distinction*s – the top grade - in their Btecs.
Mahdi Hasan didn’t initially qualify for A Levels so enrolled for the three year pathway back in 2020 - and has now achieved three Distinction*s in the Btec business national diploma and Btec extended certificate in information technology.
He is going to study business at Queen Mary University and said he is “absolutely delighted with my results,” adding: “Never give up on your dreams even when things look impossible!”
Gifted pianist Zaeem Gandhi sat his music exam a year early in year 12 and achieved an A*. His final composition featured his own take on a Mozart masterpiece.
Ed MacLeod, vice principal of Beal High School, said: “We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students across both sites of Beal Sixth Form. Our staff have worked tirelessly to ensure students are all able to progress onto further education and study, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”
Wanstead High School
Twin brothers are leaving Wanstead High School with six A*s between them and will now go and study economics.
Alex Davey-Hardcastle achieved four A*s and brother Sam got two A*s and two As.
Though they are both studying economics, Alex will be doing it in Bristol and Sam in Sheffield.
They were among the school's top performing A-level students.
Louis Johnson, who achieved four A*s and an A, is going on to study philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford.
He said: “I’m really amazed and grateful to everyone who has helped along the way and I am really excited about university."
Overall, 40 per cent of grades were A* to A, 67pc A* to B and 83pc A* to C.
A*s amounted to 15pc of all grades, which the school said was higher than it had ever achieved before.
Jason Gharu, acting headteacher, said: “When you consider the challenges that our young people have faced the last couple of years, their achievements speak volumes about their resilience and determination.
"We are extremely proud of all of our students and know they will do great and wonderful things in future."
Emma Hillman will become the school's new head in September and added: "Our challenge now is to ensure that these brilliant outcomes continue year after year. A huge well done to all involved.”
Woodbridge High
Iona Moir juggled studying with training for the Commonwealth Games – with the Woodbridge High pupil achieving three A*s.
Iona, who represented Scotland in the women’s 500m time trial cycling event at the Lee Valley VeloPark just weeks ago, will now be heading to Loughborough to study sports science.
She said: “It’s been quite overwhelming with A Levels and dealing with cycling at the same time, so to have the summer holidays and coming to get the results has been really good. I’m super pleased, super happy.”
Other top achievers include Jay Mistry, who is off to study electrical and electronic engineering at Imperial after achieving three A*s, while Luca Cross achieved two A*s and one A and will be going to Manchester to study physics.
Fatima Elgerbi, who came to the UK from Libya in 2013, achieved AAB and will be off to Queen Mary to study business and law, with the ambition of becoming a human rights lawyer.
Bianca Dumitrascu came to the UK in 2017 from Romania, and has only been at Woodbridge since she was in year 10. She achieved D*D*D - D* being the top grade - in her Cambridge technical business qualification and will be fulfilling her long-held ambition to study law at Royal Holloway.
Headteacher Steven Hogan said: “Woodbridge students have been working hard for two years in some very difficult circumstances.
“We are so pleased that so many of them have achieved excellent grades that will enable them to go on to study their chosen courses at universities across the country, or to take up apprenticeships in range of companies. It has been lovely to celebrate these successes with our students as they have collected their results. “
Overall, 38pc of A Levels achieved by pupils at the Woodford Green school were graded A*-A and 70pc were graded A*-B.
Caterham High School
Belinda Chapple, headteacher at Caterham High School in Ilford, has spoken of how “proud” she is as students collected their A Level results.
Hope Edwards, a student at the school who turned 18 on the day results came in, said she was “pleased” after securing a spot at Oxford University.
Achieving an A in history and A* in both art and English literature, she said will be going to Lincoln College in the autumn, to study history.
Hope added: “I was surprised by my results. I thought my exams hadn’t gone well. It’s not really sunk in yet, but I’m pleased.”
“I wasn’t sure about applying to Oxford, but my teachers really encouraged me to reach my full potential,” she explained.
“They gave me lots of support, particularly with my personal statement and university interviews. They helped me through the application process.”
Speaking as students collected their results on Thursday, Ms Chapple, headteacher at Caterham High School, said: “The students have worked very hard and I’m proud of their efforts and achievements.
“It’s been an extraordinary time for these students, they’ve overcome such huge challenges during the pandemic, unlike any generation before them.”
King Solomon High School
More than 70pc of grades at King Solomon High School in Barkingside were A*-C, it has revealed.
In religious studies, art and digital photography, every grade was at B or above.
Headteacher Hannele Reece said: "Congratulations to all our students and the team of staff that supported them in achieving these wonderful results.
"I wish all our students the very best in their next steps and look forward to hearing about their future successes."
Overall 72pc of grades were A*-C and 49pc A*-B.
Valentines High School
Richard Laws, headteacher of Valentines High School in Gants Hill, said the school is delighted with this year's results.
The school saw 30pc of grades at A* and A, 59pc A*-B and 83pc A*-C.
Mr Laws added: "The most important thing is most of our students have got their first choice of university place.”
Seven Kings School
Just under 90 per cent of pupils at Seven Kings School recieved A* to C grades this A Level results day.
Additionally, 39pc bagged A and A*s and 44 high-flyers achieved only those top grades.
Jane Waters, executive headteacher of the all-through school in Ilford, said: "We are thrilled that so many of our students will have achieved their first choice course and university."
She said young people will be heading off to top institutions such as Oxbridge and LSE on a range of courses including dentistry, law, engineering, history, architecture, psychology and neuroscience.
This includes Deborah Rothoff, who achieved four A*s and is to study at Imperial College London.
"These students had not sat public exams before and had to remain committed, focussed and determined to fulfil their wonderful potentials," Ms Waters added.
"Within these grades are also inspiring stories of students who have overcome real adversities. We are proud that working together with our parents we continue to do right by our wonderful community."
West Hatch High School
The majority of pupils at this Chigwell school achieved the A Level results they needed to go onto their next stage, be that university, apprenticeshop or employment.
West Hatch has reported more than 60 per cent of its pupils have achieved A* to B grades, with headteacher Daniel Leonard saying the students performed "exceptionally well and given themselves a sound platform for a successful future".
Top achievers included Evie Aviram, Omar Gabr, Seyon Kuhan and Dylan Panesar, who all achieved A Level A*s across the board.
The school also noted pupils taking BTECs did well, with examples of those who got D and D*s being Ealasaid Ahad, Viraj Chauhan, Chloe Goldman and Kacie Hysa.
A number of subject areas also performed well this year, West Hatch said, with 100pc of the pupils taking government and politics, business studies and art gaining A* to B grades.
University destinations include law and aerospace engineering at The University of Manchester; medicine, maths and environmental science at the University of Southampton; law, business management and marketing at the Queen Mary University of London; and film production at the University of York.
West Hatch students are also taking up degree apprenticeships at companies such as Deloittes, AIG and WTW Insurance.
Mr Leonard said: “These results are a testament to a fantastic group of students who overcame all the obstacles in front of them; we are all exceptionally proud of what they have achieved.
"Results like these do not just happen, and I would like to thank the school’s staff on behalf of the students for all their dedication and support for the students over the last two years.
"I’d like to wish all our students the very best of luck for the next stage in their lives in whichever path they choose to take, whether it be university, apprenticeships or straight into the world of work.”
Oaks Park High School
Students at Oaks Park High School in Ilford have been congratulated for their “resilience and determination” following a tough couple of years as they recorded a series of successful A Level and BTEC results.
An overwhelming majority have been able to secure their favoured university, the school said, with more than a quarter accepting places at Russell Group centres.
In total, 30 per cent of students achieved grades A* to A, with 83pc getting A* to C, in addition to vocational results, which the school said were also “excellent”.
Among those to secure their top spots were Saima Baig (three A*s) who is off to University College London to study pharmacy, Deven Dattani (A* A* A), who will be doing computer science at the University of Birmingham, and Kelsey Shum (A* A* A), who is to study law at York.
Headteacher Joanne Hamill said: “I am incredibly proud of all the work that Oaks Park sixth form has done in order to get to today.
“The cohort has shown great resilience and determination in the way that they have approached the return of public examinations.
“They have demonstrated the capacity to rise to the challenges faced to achieve their goals.
“I am very grateful to all the hard-working staff at Oaks Park who have supported and inspired the students during the past two years”.
Woodford County High School for Girls
Pupils at Woodford County High School for Girls have been described as "outstanding" after 78 per cent achieved A* to B grades this results day.
Additionally, the school said 56 students achieved three or more A* or A grades and 11 received straight A*s.
Headteacher Jo Pomeroy said she is "enormously proud": "They navigated the anxiety of an international crisis, the emotional impact of enforced isolation and multiple transitions in and out of Woodford County High School Remote Schooling over an 18-month period."
She added: "We would have been proud of the resilience and focus shown by these students, whatever the results."
Ilford County High School
More than 90 per cent of Ilford County High School’s (ICHS) students have achieved A* to C grades in their A Levels, with the headteacher adding they are “exceptionally proud” of the results.
The vast majority of students from the Barkingside school have secured their first-choice university, said the school, with Cambridge, University College London and Warwick among those they will be attending.
Avaanis Narendran, who will be studying medicine at Cambridge after achieving two A*s and an A, said: “When I saw the honours board in the main hall at ICHS in year seven, I decided there and then that I wanted to get my name on the board.”
Another student, Peter Stevens, said: “I am excited to be heading to Cardiff to study architecture, after achieving three A* grades and one A grade, to follow in the footsteps of two of my grandparents who both studied there.”
Headteacher Rebecca Drysdale added: “We are exceptionally proud of our students and staff today.
“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic they have responded with hard work, determination and a positive attitude.
"Congratulations to all our students and we wish year 13 every success for the future!”
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