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Teenagers who missed out on sitting traditional exams for their GCSEs due to the pandemic have picked up their A-level results.

Year 13 students are heading to university, on to apprenticeships and into work.

 

Samaya Kaleel, from Waltham Abbey, achieved A*AAA grades in her A-levels and is heading to University College London to study history.

She praised her teachers for helping her year group to succeed through the exam season.

She said: “I am really, really happy with my results. It was a massive relief to see that the hard work had paid off.

“The teachers stepped in and really helped us to get our final grades. It was hard work, so it was a team effort. The teachers were really reassuring. There is no stopping them from helping you and solving any issues you may have.

“It was weird to sit in exams and realise that was absolutely it. Everything we had done came down to those exam papers. We did not do that before, for our GCSEs. We have done some exams before, of course, but not with the same level of pressure.

“Epping St John’s is a really nice environment to take exams in. You feel really cared for and that your feelings matter.”

 

Tilly Nelson, from Epping, achieved A*AB and will study geography at Newcastle University.

She said: “I thought I would get ABB at a push. But, the school has been very, very supportive and really pushed us. Our work was marked really well, so I knew what I had to do to get the grades. I could go to my teachers for help and I could practise papers again and again until I got the grades I wanted.

“It is great to know the last two years have paid off. These are the first set of exams we have ever sat, but we have sat so many mocks and so felt more prepared going into the exam hall.

“It is also the first time we have got exam results that we feel we have really earned. It is such a relief. I always worried I would not get into uni or get the results I deserved. But, I got more than I thought I deserved!

 

Josephine Andylorde, from Harlow, is taking a year out to travel and get savings behind her before going to university.

She said: “I did better than I thought I was going to. I was very nervous opening my results.

“It was really hard to do our exams as we are not used to it. But, we were able to adapt to it quite quickly.

“The school has been really supportive. If I wanted extra help, they were quick to help me.”