Students overcome ‘toughest year’ to achieve high grades in GCSE English and maths results

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (@CollegeNELondon) are celebrating high grades in this year’s GCSE results despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Students saw 33 per cent of students pass with 9-4 grades in English and 34 per cent in maths.

This year’s results were calculated assessment grades awarded by schools and colleges after exams were cancelled due to Covid-19.

Lessons have been taught online during lockdown and will be provided through a mix of on-site and online learning from September.

CONEL’s high achievers included Yusuf Korkmaz, 18, who achieved a grade 9 in maths and is now going to study an IT Level 3 Diploma and GCSE English at CONEL.

He said: “This makes me so happy. It’s perfect. The online teaching was good. I’d have preferred to go to college, but I managed to learn everything the teachers taught me.

“My teacher was very good. If you didn’t understand a topic, he would go through it again and made sure you wouldn’t forget what you’d learnt.

“He was also really supportive. If there was something wrong on your course or in your life, he would always give you advice.”

Also among this year’s top performers Leopoldo Luccardi, 51, who gained a grade 8 in maths and a grade 5 in English.

Leopoldo took the course after becoming concerned about his career in the aerospace industry and was recently furloughed.

He said: “I am very pleased with my grades. I did not expect these results, and it just shows the hard work I put in. I cannot believe it! It’s amazing and wonderful.

“Online learning was strange at the beginning but became more normal. The teachers were fantastic and they provided a lot of material and information.”

Fiorentina Agachi, 33, is going to study an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Biosciences at CONEL’s sister college, City and Islington College, after achieving a grade 7 in English and maths.

She quit her job as a dental practice manager to return to college and hopes to go to university next year to study dentistry.

Fiorentina said: “After all the A Level results I wasn’t sure what to believe. I was feeling anxious and tried not to worry about it, but it was a nice surprise this morning.

“Learning online wasn’t much different to being in the classroom. The teachers were all very professional and had a lot of experience. They were very patient with us and explained what they had to well, and I would like to thank them in person some time.”

CONEL offers GCSEs in English, Maths and Combined Science as well as functional skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

CONEL Principal Kurt Hintz said: “This has been one of the toughest years I have known in education, and I want to praise our students for their hard work, commitment and resilience to keep on learning throughout lockdown.

“I congratulate them all on their achievements and wish them the very best of luck as they progress to the next stage in their lives, whether they are continuing their education or starting a career.”