THERE was success across the ages at Reading College in this year’s GCSE results: nearly 90% of entrants achieved a pass.
That includes students taking full-time programmes or standalone maths and English GCSEs, including learners who resit maths, English or both, to continue in education or progress their career.
Among those was teenager Conrad Cameron-Tueton, who is celebrating after receiving a grade 9-9 (double award) in GCSE combined science, 8 in maths, 7 in English and statistics. Conrad recently relocated to the UK after having moved from New Zealand.
The 17-year-old said: “I am relieved with my results as I was aiming for a 7 or above in English and 9s in all of my sciences.
“I enjoyed studying at Reading College as it was a lot more independent and you get treated like an adult. I made some good friends and the teachers are very good.
“My drive for learning has become much better after being pushed to achieve these grades. When you put in the hard work, anything is possible.”
Conrad will now go on to Farnborough Sixth Form College to study A-levels in chemistry, physics and maths and is aiming high: he would like to go to Oxford or Cambridge to study physics and business with the aim of starting his own rocket engineering and development company.
Mature students included 36-year-old Joanna Chennell, who is studying an Access to HE in Nursing and Midwifery (online) course and has also been a part-time GCSE student. She achieved a grade 8 in English.
“I have always wanted to train to become a midwife, but I have never been able to do it before,” she said.
“Studying the access course online enabled me to fit it around looking after my three children.
“I’m really pleased with my results. I worked really hard and attended all of my classes. It has shown me that I am able to do anything that I put my mind to.”
Joanna is awaiting confirmation to study midwifery at the University of West London.
And 50-year-old Julie Gorst achieved a grade 4 in maths after resitting the qualification.
She will now progress to do an Access to HE: Health Professions Level 3 Diploma at the college with the aim of then progressing to university to study to be an occupational therapist.
Julie said: “I didn’t realise that studying maths and English was free until a friend said that they had done it.
“I started studying GCSE maths and English at Reading College in 2018, I passed my English, but failed maths so had to do the course over again, I preferred maths as I like working things out.
“It was actually better second time round as I was able to understand more.”
The students’ results, compiled under the lockdown conditions, was praised by Sally Dicketts, the chief executive of Activate Learning which runs Reading College.
“I would like to congratulate everyone who is picking up the results they need today in their GCSEs,” she said.
“For everyone that’s managed to get what you need, I want to say a big well done! This hasn’t been the easiest of years in which to study, but your perseverance and commitment to your studies has got you to where you need to be.
“And for those who haven’t quite achieved what you’d hoped for, don’t despair. We will be there to support you over the coming days and help you to get where you need.”
