A Level results 2010: London Oratory
Tuesday August 24, 2010
Tom Peacock happy with his results
The future is looking bright for many London Oratory pupils after they achieved an impressive run of ‘A’ and ‘A-star’ grades in their A-levels assessments.
The Roman Catholic school, in Seagrave Road, Fulham, posted overall provisional results of 11 per cent of pupils achieving A* grades, 24 per cent getting As and 28 per cent with Bs.
Pupils ran a gauntlet of emotions as they opened their results on August 19, and for most it was a cause of celebration and relief.
Leading the festivities was star pupil Beth Hancock, 18, of Barnes, who achieved dazzling results with four A-star grades in maths, further maths, English and physics.
“I’m feeling pretty good!” she said after reading her results. “It’s just nice to get into university and it’s almost an extra thing to get these marks. I thought I would probably get As in maths but I wasn’t sure about the other two.”
Beth is now bound for Oxford where she will study maths – and the dedicated student is both thrilled and daunted to be embarking on university life. “I’m pretty excited – it’s probably going to be hard work, but also a really interesting experience,” she said.
Beth said supportive teachers, self-discipline and calmness in exams had all played a part in her brilliant grades. “The teachers were really good and made sure you had everything you needed,” she said. “And it’s about knowing when you need to work and just doing it. I don’t panic in exams either, so that’s an advantage.”
Also feeling ‘pretty chuffed’ was maths and science whiz Joe Gibbs, 17, of Bromley, who received two A-stars in maths and further maths and two As in chemistry and physics. “I just feel happy now, and there’s a great sense of relief. But this morning when I found out my marks with my parents there, I was just jumping around!” he laughed.
Joe, who is now set to study aeronautical engineering at Imperial College, said a good memory and an enjoyment of his studies were the keys to his academic success. “I’m very good at remembering things, so that’s a big help, and I think I just enjoyed the subjects so I found it came naturally. And all the hard work towards the end paid off.”
And among the school’s more arty pupils, Daniel Johnston, 18, of Mitcham is brimming with pride after notching two A-star grades in English literature and history and an A in philosophy. “I’m shocked and it’s so overwhelming,” he said. “You couldn’t really guess how you went because they changed everything with the grades this year.”
But while many of his peers battle it out for university places, Daniel plans to take a gap year to work in Rwanda. “Our school in twinned with another school in Rwanda, so we will be supporting the English teacher there and working with young people at the school,” he said.
And when he returns home, Daniel hopes to continue his studies at Oxford, Cambridge or Durham universities. “Originally I wanted to do philosophy but now with these grades I have no idea – I might play to my strengths,” he said.
