GCSE successes springboard to further study for Uxbridge College students

Three friends celebrating excellent GCSE results at Uxbridge College are among those on their way to further study thanks to their achievements.

Science students (left-right) Nazila Nadiri, Iqra Razzaq and Simranjit Kaur, are all coming back to college to do A Levels then plan to continue to university, whilst others who completed Maths or English GCSE alongside their vocational qualifications are now able to take up their degree places.

Uxbridge College Sixth Form Centre, which offers a full-time one year GCSE programme for students who are either doing the exams for the first time or who have not fulfilled their potential at school, achieved a 67% pass rate at GCSE grades 9-4 (equivalent to the old A*-C).

The college’s top performer at GCSE this year was Iqra Razzaq, 18, who achieved grade 9s – the equivalent to top scores at what used to be A* – in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, a grade 8 (formerly A*) in Maths and a grade 6 in English (formerly B).

Iqra, who took her GCSEs for the first time at Uxbridge College after moving to the UK from Italy to study, said: “Uxbridge College is a good college and I am really happy to have chosen it. The teachers are nice and friendly and work hard to help you achieve your goals – although you have to study hard too. I have made a lot of friends and I am glad to be continuing A levels. I am planning to go on and study medicine.”

Nazila Nadiri, 18, who also wants to study medicine and was taking GCSEs for the first time, achieved grades 9 in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and grades 7 in Maths and English. She said: “I am very happy with my grades especially as I thought I was going to fail maths – it was very hard! I think I have progressed as a person at Uxbridge College, as well as getting good results, the teachers have been very helpful.”

Simranjit Kaur, 17, who also achieved high grades in Maths, sciences and English after taking GCSEs for the first time, said: “I am happy with my results and it is thanks to the teachers and the extra classes when needed that I have done so well.”

Jack Harris, Head of Uxbridge College Sixth Form Centre, said: “Our one year full-time GCSE students have shown a strong performance yet again and we are very pleased to see so many of them progressing to A Levels or other Level 3 qualifications in vocational subjects. Whilst our students do not do the same number of GCSEs as at school, as they are completing the programme over just one year instead of two, it is still a demanding programme which is only successful thanks to the hard work and high standards of students and staff alike. Congratulations to everyone.”

In addition to the full-time GCSE programme, students who took GCSE English and/or Maths alongside vocational programmes are also celebrating. 

Emadeddin Golpayegani, 18, completed a BTEC Extended Diploma in IT at Uxbridge College this year, but needed to pass his GCSE in English at grade 4 or above, which he studied alongside his Level 3 Diploma.  He is now off to study a degree in Software Development at University of Westminster after achieving a grade 6 in GCSE English.

Anastacia Korshoonoff, 17, who has achieved grade 5 in both her English and Maths GCSEs during her first year alongside a Level 3 Performing Arts course at Uxbridge College, now plans to apply for a degree in acting at Drama School.

Dr Darrell DeSouza, Principal of HCUC (Harrow College Uxbridge College, the merged college group) said: “I am delighted to see so many students in a position to go on and study at a higher level either at college or beyond thanks to their GCSE achievements at HCUC. As well as the many opportunities that come out of our successful one year full-time GCSE programmes, students who have not yet achieved Maths and English or need to raise their grades in these subjects, can make that essential step to get them into university or other Higher Education programmes.”