Jay Purkayastha, Sabeeha Patel, Manuzza Shah, Lovelace Odoi, Florence Ross, and Jude Agyemang rejoicing over their A Level results.

Another bumper year for A Level results at St Angela’s and St Bon’s Sixth Form

Melissa York, Reporter Thursday, August 16, 2012
1:05 PM

Boys have caught up with girls for the first time at St Angela’s and St Bonaventure’s Sixth Form Centre in Forest Gate, as A Level results give students yet another reason to celebrate in 2012.

Filing in from 7am, the nervous students were not to know that 98 per cent of their cohort had achieved A* to E grades this year.

Top A* to C marks were awarded to 71 per cent of students at the co-educational sixth form in St George’s Road, mostly in the ‘core’ subjects of Maths, English Literature and the Sciences.

This year, two students are off to Cambridge University and 10 will embark on degrees in Medicine or Pharmacy.

Mark Johnson, headteacher of St Angela’s Ursuline, said: “We can still say that three out of four of our students are getting A* to C grades in a tougher climate which is really something to be proud of.

“The boys have also caught up with the girls with 71 per cent achieving A* to C in both groups, so now it’s about pushing that level up and keeping it there.”

Paul Halliwell, headteacher of St Bonaventure’s said: “It’s a very stressful time for the students. We have a team of staff upstairs that have been here since 7am and we encourage them to get on to the computers and check with their universities that they have a place as early as possible.

“Even if they have got the grades, it can take a long period of time to confirm that their hard work has paid off.”

St Angela’s and St Bonaventure’s achievements were even more impressive considering the involvement the school have had in the Olympic Games with students taking roles in every aspect from the Opening Ceremony, to catering, to security at the Olympic Park while three students were chosen as Torchbearers.

Pictures of the venues were put on a chart to coincide with their academic achievements throughout the year and the Olympic values were also used to influence lessons.

Sarah Siaw, director of the Sixth Form Centre, said: “We got as involved as everyone else in the community and the level of enthusiasm and commitment from our students really has been phenomenal.

“They’ve really taken to volunteering and really embraced the opportunity.”