Recorder
2018 Exam Special ??????? 20??
Top grades reward for students’ hard work HAGGERSTON School celebrated huge success at both GCSE and A-Level with students exceeding expectations to post top grades. Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville, marked 20 years since picking up his own A-Level results by celebrating with our own sixth form students. Cllr Glanville joined students as they tore open the envelopes containing their exam results and it seems the mayor was a good luck charm, as many pupils achieved grades which earned them places at top universities. Just under half of pupils at the school scored grades which will secure places at Russell Group universities, known as the best in the country. An impressive 53 percent of students scored the benchmark A*- B grade – a 16 percent increase on last year’s results –
which was well above the borough average. At GCSE, a fifth of students scored all grade 7s, the equivalent of A* and A, while 10 per cent achieved seven A grade marks or above in their best eight subjects. Co-Head of Sixth Form Ms Eagleton said: “We are delighted with another year of excellent A-Level performance at Haggerston School.” Headteacher Ms Emmerson said: “We have seen some fantastic achievements from students this year, at both A-Level and GCSE. “Students have performed excellently against a backdrop of new, tougher examinations at GCSE and produced some our best-ever results at A-Level. “It is really rewarding to see the results of students’ hard work and the opportunities that lie ahead because they have secured excellent qualifications.”
A-Level EXCELLENCE n 53% of grades awarded were A*- B n 16 percent rise in grades A*- B awarded n 80% of grades at A*- C n 13 out of 16 subject areas have improved from last year n Huge improvement in all STEM subjects
GCSE JUBILATION n New GCSEs: 4% of grades at grade 9 n Almost a fifth (18%) of results all grades 7 and above n 10% of students have 7/A or above in their best eight subjects
A-LEVEL EXCELLENCE
Poppy will use Ghana trip as learning curve KIND-HEARTED Poppy Pierce deferred a place at a top university to study medicine so she could help the sick in Africa. Poppy could have had her pick of the country’s best universities after scoring A* in psychology, A in biology, A in chemistry and A in physics, all at A-Level. But the student decided to take a year out so she can help out at hospitals, clinics and orphanages in Ghana. When her peers are starting their degrees next September, Poppy will be heading for the Jirapa in the west of the country. She plans to apply for Cambridge next year. She said: “University will still be waiting for me when I get back from Africa but this type of opportunity does not come along very often. “Yes, education is extremely important but to get the chance to make a really positive difference is just as an important to me. “I actually think spending time helping people will make me not just a better person but a better doctor.” Headteacher Ciara Emerson said: “Poppy is an exceptionally bright young woman who will make an excellent doctor. “Haggerston is a school which places great importance on both academic excellence and the broader development of well-rounded individuals. “Poppy is a fine example of a student who has fantastic qualifications, the confidence to embrace new adventures and a strong sense of duty and responsibility to help others.“
Kind: Poppy has put further education on hold to spend a year working in Ghana
Students’ success brings hope for the community
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Mayor of Hackney, Cllr Phillip Granville (left), discusses his visit to the school on A-Level results day... in the country. This sends a very strong message that young people in Hackney can aspire and achieve places in the very top professions and careers. This is a school that is clearly making rapid and sustained improvement under the leadership of Ms Emmerson and her leadership team. We are proud to support our local school and wish them luck on what is a very exciting journey they are taking.
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It has been 20 years since I was in the position that the young people collecting their results in August were, so I wanted to go along and share in their success. I visited this school earlier in the year and was deeply impressed by the remarkable improvement journey this school and sixth form has been on. The hugely impressive 16 percent increase in the top A* - B grades is not only good news for these students but also for the school, families and community of Hackney. Many of the students I have spoken to are leaving our borough to do degrees in medicine, engineering, physics and law at some of the very best universities
2018 Exam Special
A-LEVEL EXCELLENCE
GCSE JUBILATION
Stuart setting his sights high STUDENT Stuart Antonio Carrion-Rivas scored top grades to earn a place at Bristol University to study aerospace engineering. Stuart exceeded expectations to get an A in maths and Spanish and Bs in physics and further maths.
Jayon’s quick return paid off JAYON McKENZIE has a career goal of becoming a barrister after scoring the grades required for a law degree at City University. His A in EPQ, B in English literature and sociology and C in government and politics were enough to secure a place at his firstchoice university. Jayon left Haggerston after his GCSEs to study at another college but returned to complete his A-Levels. He said: “I quickly realised leaving Haggerston was a big mistake. The teaching here is of a very high quality, something you do not realise until you go somewhere else. “Also, the teachers here know and understand your needs because they have worked with you since you were 11 years old. “If I had not have come back, I don’t believe I would have got on a law degree course at such a good university.”
He said: “I am really pleased with my results and being accepted to my first-choice universities. “My dream is to make and fix planes and these results mean I have taken my first step towards that career.”
Deniz plots course for Cambridge BRIGHT Deniz Clarke took one step closer to her dream of studying at Cambridge after achieving top grades at GCSE. Deniz (above) achieved a double A* in further maths, three 9 grades, two 8s, four 7s and three A* and will study at the prestigious King’s College London Mathematics School. She said: “I am so happy. I am going to study maths, further maths, physics and computer science at King’s Maths School from September. “I hope to eventually go to Cambridge. This has taken me one step closer to that dream. “A lot of my success is down to the teachers at this school.”
2018 Exam Special
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GCSE JUBILATION
Duo beat the language barrier to find success TWO students could not hide their smiles after achieving A* level grades at GCSE – despite being unable to speak a word of English when joining Haggerston School. Estefania Garzon and Tahmid Rahim, both joined the school five years ago from their homes in Colombia and Bangladesh. Estefania, who achieved one 9 grade, five 8s and two 7s, will now study science and business studies at sixth form. She said: “When I arrived at the end of Year 7, I couldn’t speak any English. I went to a languages club at the school every single morning and evening to catch up and join in with classes. “By the end of Year 8, I was fluent in English. I was always the top of the class in Colombia, where I lived with my mum, so my family had high hopes for me. “When I opened my results today I started crying. I just can’t believe I got a 9, I never expected to do so well. I am so happy.’ Tahmid, 16, who joined the school when he was 11 years old, said: “When I started in Year 7, I didn’t understand any English. I remember sitting in an exam and looking at the paper thinking ‘I can’t do any of this’. “I had so much support from teachers and friends and they helped me understand things. I didn’t become fluent in English until two years ago but I still passed my GCSEs.”
Remarkable: Estefania and Tahmid have overcome hurdles to achieve success
Good reason to celebrate for Elizabeth STUDENT Elizabeth Neri achieved seven 9 grades, two 8s, one 7 and an A* at GCSE and will study maths, biology, chemistry and English literature at A-Level. The Year 11 student, who celebrated her 16th birthday the day after results day, expressed relief at passing her exams. She said: “It’s my birthday tomorrow and I wasn’t going to celebrate but now I definitely will. “If I could describe the whole experience in one word it would be ‘stressful’, but I am so happy.”
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Hal’s results joy YEAR 11 Hal Bishop is set to study history, English and maths at A-Level after achieving eight 9 grades, two 8s and one A.
2018 Exam Special