BY LAUREN CODLING
STUDENTS across the country expressed their happiness and surprise as their A-Levels results were revealed today (16).
Students were able to collect results on Thursday morning to see if they had been accepted to their university of choice, as it was announced grades are at a six-year high despite the introduction of new “tougher” exams.
Earlier this year, new A-levels and GCSEs were sat by students following reforms brought in by former education secretary Michael Gove.
However, national figures showed 26.4 per cent of students were awarded either an A or A* this year.
This is the second year in a row that the A*-A pass rate has increased.
Rehaan Bapoo, 17, and Milan Shah, 18, are students from Queen Elizabeth’s School (QE), London, who celebrated their achievements.
With one A* and two As, Bapoo has successfully secured his place to read law at Lincoln College, University of Oxford.
Twenty-eight QE leavers have received offers from Oxford and Cambridge this year.
Bapoo told Eastern Eye his family and teachers are overjoyed with his results. Expressing his surprise at his final scores, he revealed the experience felt “unreal”.
“[My family] had a lot more faith in me than I did in myself,” Bapoo said. “They were extremely happy.”
The student from Ruislip in west London was chairman of the politics society at QE. In his role, he has helped to bring several political speakers to the school, including Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable.
“I’ve had a lot of great moments at the school, but I think [collecting my A-Level results] has been my proudest,” Bapoo revealed. “It was so nice to see how happy all my teachers were, and I was very thankful to all of them.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
Shah, from Southgate in north London, achieved A* grades in history, art and English literature. He will be taking up a place at University College London to read History in the new school term.
“I initially logged into UCAS track to find out I’d gotten into my chosen university,” Shah told Eastern Eye. “But when I got the grades at school, I was amazed and so happy.”
He will be the first person from his family who will attend university.
“My parents were happy for me. They were happy for me to stay in London for university too, especially as I had my heart set on that particular school.”
Of the 482 A-levels taken at QE school, 45.2 per cent were awarded A*.
In Hertfordshire, pupils such as Dillon Kurani and Animesh Misra from The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School (Habs) also celebrated their grades.
Kurani achieved three A*s and one A in maths, further maths, chemistry and economics. He has secured a place to study economics at London School of Economics.
He enthused he was “really happy” with his results and he was looking forward to his future.
“The support from Habs was incredible,” he added.
Misra said he was “happy” with his achievements, one A* and two As in maths, Physics and Geography. He will study geophysics at Imperial College London.
“My brother, who also studied at Habs, helped me a lot throughout my Sixth Form years,” Misra said. “It’s with his support, and the support of the teachers and Head of Sixth Form at Habs, that I have achieved these results.”
At the school, 42 per of all grades awarded were A*.
Other national key figures showed boys have achieved highest grades than girls, with 26.2 per cent of girls achieving As or A* compared to 26.6 per cent of boys.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)