Yasmeen receives her GCSE results at Fulham Cross Girls School
Hundreds of local pupils, parents and teachers celebrated an outstanding set of GCSE results across the borough on Thursday (24 August).
It was even harder to get the top grades this year after Ofqual, the exams watchdog for England, announced it was bringing in tougher marking following the increased number of high grades awarded during the Covid pandemic.
Many pupils will now go on to study for their A-Levels in September.
“A huge well done to everyone who took their GCSEs this year,” said Cllr Ben Coleman, Deputy Leader of H&F Council.
“And massive thanks to the committed teachers and parents who have supported our borough’s young people to fulfil their potential. It’s a proud time for everyone.”
The latest exam results success comes as all schools in H&F are currently rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Exam Stars
One of the star performers on GCSE results day was Phoenix Academy pupil, Nawal Mohamed, who achieved all 9s in her exams.
She is excited to be staying on at Phoenix Academy in Shepherds Bush, joining their Sixth Form to study A-Levels alongside her close friend Radwan Askar.
Radwan was also a standout achiever, receiving one 8 and seven 9s in his GCSEs. “I’m incredibly proud of myself,” he said.
Phoenix Academy Principal, Tony MacDowell, said: “We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students.
“Our teachers and students have worked tirelessly this year to achieve outstanding outcomes which allow students to progress onto further education and study. We look forward to welcoming students into Phoenix Sixth Form at the start of the new academic year and look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”
Other top performers included The Fulham Boys School students Maxim Subbotsky, who earned nine grade 9s, two 8s and one 6, and Jadiael Yared who walked away with six 9s, two 8s, and three 7s.
Over at Fulham Cross Academy in Kingwood Road, one of the standout performers was Vitali, who only arrived at the school – and in the UK – last year, having moved from his native Ukraine in 2022.
He received a strong set of results, including an 8 in Maths, and a 7 and 8 in Combined Science. He was particularly proud of his achievements in English Literature and Language, as it is not his first language.
“It was very difficult and very hard to get used to everything but the school staff and teachers helped me a lot,” said Vitali. “I want to say I’m really grateful for them for these grades because without them I wouldn’t have done it.”
Vitali will go on the study at the school’s Sixth Form in September.
Read more on how schools in H&F did on GCSE results day
- The Fulham Boys School
The Fulham Boys School in Fulham Road was full of happy faces this morning (24 August) with students receiving top grades for their GCSEs.
Maxim Subbotsky, earned nine grade 9s, two 8s and one 6, and Jadiael Yared walked away with six 9s, two 8s, and three 7s.
Daniel Gilmore achieved eight 9s and three 8s, and Edmund Koe was awarded six 9s, two 8s, and three 7s. The pair are off to Reading Festival to celebrate their success along with many of their classmates.
Headmaster David Smith, said: “We are delighted that our students have achieved such a great set of GCSE results, with some outstanding individual success stories. Our boys have worked tirelessly to meet their potential and lay foundations for the next step of their academic journey.
“We are extremely pleased that so many of our boys are enrolling in our Sixth Form, and that many have secured alternative education or employment. These include those taking up places in specialist music colleges, digital design, electrical installation and multi-trade courses.”
The only way is up
The Year 11 class kept the trend of improving statistics in all grade categories since 2019.
The cohort achieved grades 22 per cent above the national average, with 90.2 per cent of all results marked at grade 4 or above. Most impressively, 68.8 per cent of English and Maths grades were a 5 or above.
- Fulham Cross Academy
Fulham Cross Academy students celebrated another great set of GCSE grades this year.
Amongst the standout performers was Vitali, who only arrived at the school – and in the UK – last year, having moved from his native Ukraine in 2022.
Despite the upheaval, he received a strong set of results, including an 8 in Maths, and a 7 and 8 in Combined Science.
He was particularly proud of his achievements in English Literature and Language, as it is not his native language.
“It was very difficult and very hard to get used to everything but the school staff and teachers helped me a lot,” said Vitali. “I want to say I’m really grateful for them for these grades because without them I wouldn’t have done it.”
Vitali will go on the study at the school’s Sixth Form in September.
He was not the only Fulham Cross student with a smile.
Keilan earned four 9s after his hard work.
“I’m very proud. I’ve been waking up at 4am, revising constantly to get these results,” said Keilan.
“I’m proud of these grades because of all the work I put in.”
- Fulham Cross Girls
Fulham Cross Girls’ School students achieved another fantastic set of results in their GCSEs.
More than a third of the Year 11 students achieved a top grade in English and 75 per cent earned a 5 or higher in Maths.
Standout stars included Nancy who earned eight 9s and one 8 while 12 other students – Theoma, Lara, Javeria, Sundus, Yasmine, Rachayita, Sheyma, Prisha, Umaymah, Chante, Ella and Lujain – all achieved grade 8s or above across the board.
The staff are particularly proud of Zara and Kainat, who arrived in the UK from Afghanistan with very little English, but who have worked incredibly hard throughout the past 18 months to both achieve a strong set of grades.
All students in Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Media Studies, Health and Fitness and Health and Social Care passed and 40 per cent of all grades in History scored a 7 or higher.
- Hammersmith & Fulham, West London College
Students were glowing with pride after receiving their GCSE results at Hammersmith & Fulham College, part of West London College, in Gliddon Road.
One of the standout stars was Shreyas Vartia, 16, who achieved a 9 and 8 in Double Science, 9 in Maths, 8 in RE, 7 in Sociology and 6 in English.
Shreyas’ good friend, Chris Dsouza, also earned a good set of results with an 8 and 7 in Double Science, 7 in RE, 6 in Maths, 6 in Sociology and 4 in English. She wants to work in medicine one day.
Shreyas and Chris felt the best thing about college was the great friendships they had made there.
Their classmate, Kira Dunbar, was home-schooled for most of her secondary education. When she reached Year 11, she joined Hammersmith & Fulham College.
Kira achieved two 7s in Double Science, 6 in Sociology, 6 in English, 6 in Maths and 5 in RE.
“My teachers really helped me to adjust to college as when I first came here it was a little overwhelming,” explained Kira.
Fellow pupil, Khloe Datig, 17, took her GCSEs alongside studying for her Health and Social Care Diploma Level 1.
“I was aiming for Grade 4 in English and Maths, and I achieved Grade 7 in both,” said Khloe, who is Head of Education in the West London College Students’ Union.
“This is fantastic news for me because it means that I can probably progress straight to Health and Social Care Level 3.”
She plans to study Nursing at university.
Aiesha Mechure, 17, is on the same course and wants to become a nurse too. She is the West London College Student Union Deputy Head of Education and works alongside Khloe.
She achieved a grade 5 in GCSE Maths and 6 in English.
“I was so excited to pass my English and Maths GCSEs. Now I can spend time focusing on my other subjects,” she added.
Oleksandr Vengeruk, 17, and Viktoriia Tokan, 17, both from Ukraine, study ICT Level 2 at Hammersmith & Fulham College.
While they didn’t like maths in Ukraine, they both achieved grade 6 in their GCSE Maths exams.
Both students plan to go to university to study Computer Science. Oleksandr wants to work in cyber security, and Viktoriia wants to become a computer programmer.
Deputy Principal, James Taylor, said: “We are really thrilled for our students who have achieved so well in their GCSE grades this year, which comes from a lot of hard work and commitment by our learners and their teachers.”
- Hammersmith Academy
Students at Hammersmith Academy have opened their results this year to unveil excellent GCSE grades.
Seventy-eight per cent of marks achieved by the Year 11s were a 4 or above, and 30 per cent were marked as a 7 and above.
The two cherries on top were the 61 per cent of students who achieved a 5 or higher in Maths and the 74 per cent of pupils who earnt a 5 or higher in English.
Ayushi Fernando was the Academy’s top performer, achieving nine grade 9s.
“Prior to opening my email, I was feeling nervous but hopeful,” she said. “When I saw my results, I was overjoyed and very relieved. I am still slightly in disbelief but am looking forward to continuing my education at Sixth Form.”
Classmate Anisha Ali, who earned seven 9s and three grade 8s, said:
"When I opened my results, I felt super proud of myself. It’s a great feeling to know that my hard work over the last few years has been worth it. I am incredibly grateful to all of my teachers and friends who were always there to give me advice and help."
Zoe Kemp achieved eight 9s and two 8s. She’s off to celebrate at Reading Festival, adding: “I had to double check my name and, when it sunk in, I was so happy. I was worried about my English, so I think I did every past paper possible. The teachers never complained about the extra work.”
Also sporting a collection of high grades is Leo Marshallsay who received four 9s and five 8s.
“Seeing the grades was a great relief, as the nerves and uncertainty had been building up,” he said. “The support in lessons from my teachers was incredible. I am looking forward to focusing on a smaller range of subjects that I enjoy as a Sixth Form student.”
Ayushi Mehra also achieved high grades, with seven 9s and three 8s.
Georgia Marshallsay, who received four 9s, three 8s and two 7s, said: “When I saw my first results, I felt very excited because I could finally see that my hard work had paid off. I am really excited to be taking my favourite subjects and doing more of what I love doing most. I recommend that if you don't know exactly what you want to do you pick what you love most.”
Headteacher, Gary Kynaston said: “Congratulations to Year 11 on such a strong set of GCSE results. Not only were the results impressive as a whole, there were outstanding individual successes. This is all the more pleasing given the reduced number of top grades nationally this year.
“I wish to thank all our staff in their efforts in supporting the students to such heights. Students should undoubtedly be proud of their own achievements and we look forward to seeing many of them return to the Academy as fully fledged Sixth Form students.”
- Hurlingham Academy
Students at The Hurlingham Academy in Peterborough Road celebrated some outstanding GCSE exam results.
An impressive three-quarters of all Year 11s achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and Maths with 41 per cent of them achieving a grade 7 or higher in the two subjects.
A few excellent individual performances included:
- Chloe Z, who achieved an incredible twelve straight grade 9s
- Anais and Yan, who each received ten grade 9s and a grade 8
- Ilgaz, who got eight grade 9s, two grade 8s and two grade 7s
- Timofey, who bagged seven grade 9s, two grade 8s and a grade 7
- Arian K, who achieved seven grade 9s, two grade 8s, a grade 7 and a grade 6
- Ravi, who received four grade 9s and six grade 8s
- Safia, who got two grade 9s, seven grade 8s and a grade 7
- Undram, who achieved two grade 9s, five grade 8s, two grade 7s and a grade 5.
Eighty-three per cent of students achieved a grade 5 or above in either English Literature or Language, and 77 per cent of pupils receiving a grade 5 or higher in Maths.
In Chemistry, Physics and Biology, every single student achieved a grade 6 or above. As well as in Spanish, 100 per cent of students achieved a grade 5 or above, with 73 per cent achieving grade 7 or above.
Eighty-eight per cent of Business students attained a grade 5 or above, with 48 per cent achieving grade 7 or above.
Leon Wilson, Principal at The Hurlingham Academy, proudly said: “It has been fantastic to see students celebrating not only some exceptional individual performances today but a set of results for the whole cohort that puts us among some of the best schools in the country.
“Each student has been a credit to themselves during their time at The Hurlingham Academy – showing character and determination amid the challenges of the pandemic and excelling in their GCSE studies.
“These results will provide strong foundations for success as they move onto Sixth Form and further study – we can’t wait to see what they do next.”
- Phoenix Academy
Pupils at Phoenix Academy in Shepherds Bush celebrated achieving the school’s best GCSE results this year.
Excitement and music filled the school as pupils came down to open their exam results’ envelopes.
One star student, Nawal Mohamed, was thrilled to have achieved all 9s in her GCSEs.
She is excited to be staying on at Phoenix Academy to join the Sixth Form to study A-Levels alongside her close friend Radwan Askar.
Radwan was also a standout achiever, receiving one 8 and seven 9s in his GCSEs. “I’m incredibly proud of myself,” he said.
Fiza Ahmed was pleased to have achieved the grades she needs to go on to study for her A-Levels in Psychology, Sociology and Politics.
Her classmate, Irma Mohamed, beamed as she explained: “I didn’t sleep all night. I’m really happy with my results, and I can’t stop smiling.”
After getting his results, student Amer Halmstrand, said: “I’m happy with my results because they’ll enable me to do the subjects I want at A-Levels.”
Other outstanding performances include pupils Hassan, Abdirahman, Josh, Armando, Farah, Joshan, Ridwan, Salma, Agnes, Hanad and Victoria who all achieved grades 7-9 across their subjects.
Principal, Tony MacDowell, was full of praise for the students.
“There were some absolutely phenomenal results across a range of subject. It’s a testament to their hard work, commitment and perseverance over the past two years,” he said.
“We are immensely proud of all the work and achievements of our students. Our teachers and students have worked tirelessly this year to achieve outstanding outcomes which allow students to progress onto further education and study. We look forward to welcoming students into Phoenix Sixth Form at the start of the new academic year and look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”
- Westside
It has been another great year of exam success for students at Westside School in Galena Road.
Teachers and school staff worked hard to ensure pupils got the opportunity to get back on track with their studies and achieve the grades they need in a variety of GCSE and vocational qualifications.
Highlights this year from the pupils included:
- 100 per of vocational students achieving a pass in ICT, Enterprise, Hair and Beauty and Sports Science at both L1 and L2
- 67 per cent achieving grade 4 and above in GCSE Combined Science
- 50 per cent receiving grade 5 and above in GCSE Art
- 40 per cent earning grade 4 and above in GCSE English Literature.
One student achieved 9 GCSE passes at grades 6 to 8, while the school saw their first grade 8 in French and first grade 6 in Computing.
Twenty per cent of the students earned five good GCSE passes including in Maths and English.
“It is truly humbling to see that the students have been rewarded for their hard-work, resilience and ambition. I wish our students continued success and hope that they will stay in touch with us beyond their time in the school. Our transition and support for leavers of Westside is offered for as long as it is required and is there to support students not just with their first next steps, but throughout the challenges of early adulthood. Well done to the class of 2023 on their amazing achievements,” said headteacher Patricia Hanley.
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