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Sorna Zand celebrates his results at Acland Burghley |
Sorna leads the way with GCSEs
Student who suffers from autism is among success stories as the borough's youngsters shine
SORNA Zand did not expect to do well in his GCSEs and his teachers at Acland Burghley weren’t sure how he would fare. The 16-year-old has a type of autism called Asperger’s syndrome.
But last week Sorna became one of Camden’s great GCSE success stories, with five As, three Bs and three Cs.
He said: “It’s above my expectations – I had to work so hard. I really want to go to sixth form. Then I’d like to go on to be an economist or do something in the financial industry.”
Fellow Acland Burghley pupil Maxima Smith, 16, managed to get six A*s and four As despite juggling her revision with working as a waitress at Archway gastropub St John.
Zach Bergman, 16, from Islington, scooped nine A*s and two As, while Jasmine K-Spencer, also 16, got nine A*s, an A and a B. Acland Burghley headteacher Michael Shew said: “What’s really pleasing this year is that, as well as the success of a whole group of students who got A*s and As, there are those students who turned themselves around and achieved high academic success. They now have a really bright future ahead of them.”
After a disappointing year last year, Hampstead School took special measures in a bid to ensure overall GCSE grades returned to their usual high standards. Headteacher Jacques Szemalikowski assigned a mentor to every pupil taking exams. Together they mapped out special learning programmes and targeted potential problems early.
And the school in Westbere Road, West Hampstead, was celebrating this week after 51 per cent of students got five A*-Cs including English and Maths – up 17 per cent on last year results.
Kosovan Dashmire Baca and Romanian Bianca Buliga couldn’t speak a word of English when they arrived at Hampstead three years ago.
Bianca said: “My mum sent me here because she was really impressed with the school system. In Romania, you have one teacher for everything. But here it is much better. When I came here I didn’t have any English at all. People would look at you a bit funny because we were new.”
Dashmire, who has passed all her GCSEs, said she wants to work as a translator in England.
“I think the mentors really helped because I was struggling,” she said. “I got some extra help with and it means I’ve passed my exams. She is going to study languages in Hampstead’s sixth form.”
Whizzkid teen writers Mika Govedarica and Meg Drewett aced their exams with a haul of straight A and A* grades.
The girls, both 16, are devotees of the “steampunk” genre of “fantasy historical” fiction, normally set in Victorian times but with a sci-fi twist.
Inspired by author Chris Wooding, Mika, who lives in Quex Road, West Hampstead, is working on a new science fantasy yarn called South City.
She said: “Meg likes to write more old-fashioned sort of thing – you know, about knights, dragons and elves. She’s more Lord of the Rings and I’m Harry Potter.”
The girls are staying on at Hampstead sixth form together and plan to go to King’s College London to learn how to become professional writers.
Mr Szemalikowski said: “I am absolutely delighted with these fantastic results. It shows how much can be achieved when the school community works together with determination and belief.
“Ours is a school that is committed to developing the skills and abilities of all young people.”
At Camden School for Girls, Indiana Seresin, 16, got 10 and half A*s.
At South Camden Community School, Hollie Kostis, 16, gained four As, four Bs and a C. Her A grades came in textiles, English, art and drama.
She said: “I’m really happy, especially with my B in maths. I was struggling a bit with that one so it was great to get a B.”
Tahmidah Kalam, 16, got nine A*s and one A in her GCSEs and was praised by headteacher Rosemary Leeke as one of the highest achievers in her school. Tahmidah said: “I thought I hadn’t revised enough.” |
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