Students at Activate Learning’s City of Oxford College and University Centre are celebrating today after collecting their GCSE exam results.
Congratulations to the 289 students who achieved a grade 9-4 grade in their GCSE maths and English.
Overall, 1,561 learners across our group of colleges in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Surrey and our online provision achieved a grade 9-4 today.
Many of the college’s GCSE students are learners who resit maths, English or both, to continue in education or progress their career.
This includes mature students who need these GCSEs to progress in the workplace, learners who may have missed the chance to go to university and want to study at degree level, alongside part-time students who have studied GCSEs in evening classes.
Hannah O’Neill, Group Director of Academic Studies Faculty and City of Oxford College City Centre Campus at Activate Learning, said: “I’m so proud of our learners. Today’s results reflect their determination, hard work and effort and the support of fantastic teaching teams.
“Many students getting their results today have taken English and maths alongside full-time programmes as they resit their GCSEs, while others have returned to secure the grades they need to take up new opportunities while juggling work and home commitments. Every student has been on their own journey and they should all feel proud of their achievements.
“Further education colleges such as City of Oxford College and University Centre exist for moments like this; we help people of all ages gain the qualifications and confidence to move forward, whether that’s into higher education, apprenticeships or straight into work.
“I would like to thank all our amazing staff and our students’ families for their encouragement at every stage. I hope that these results will lead to lots of amazing opportunities for our learners and wish them all the best for the future.”
Shareef Abdullah, 18, from Oxford, who studied the college’s STEM (STEP) programme, is celebrating excellent results, including a grade 6 in Maths, grade 7/6 in Combined Science, grade 5 in Statistics and grade 5 in English Language.
Shareef said: “My teachers were amazing. They guided and supported us to get the best grades that we could, and I really appreciate their efforts.
“City of Oxford College is a great place. It gives you an opportunity to be better.
“I didn’t go to school in this country. I came here two years ago and I’m 18 now, so if you’re 16 or 17, I would highly recommend coming to City of Oxford College because you’ve got an opportunity to grow and progress your learning.
“It’s a really nice place to study, and you meet lovely teachers who understand and help you to get to where you want.”
Shareef now plans to study A Levels in Further Maths, Maths and Physics at City of Oxford College and University Centre.
Sophie Duffy-Harrison, 27, from Oxford, achieved a Grade 5 in Foundation GCSE Maths.
Sophie said: “I studied a part-time GCSE maths programme at the college and really enjoyed it. I chose to study it as I like maths, but unfortunately had to leave school at the time of my original GCSEs due to ill health.
“I’d like to use this GCSE to potentially go on and study an art course, as I love art but you need certain GCSEs to be able to take those courses.
“I’d like to thank my tutor Antonio who was an incredible teacher that motivated and inspired the whole class and made each lesson a joy.
“The college was great at helping me avoid challenges caused by my poor eyesight. I was shown where the class was before the term started so there was never an issue.
“I would really recommend this college as they’re all so supportive and understanding and it creates a really positive environment to learn in.”
Paige Howard, 18, from Oxford, is a Level 1 Diploma in Art and Design student at City of Oxford College and University Centre. She is thrilled with achieving a grade 6 in GCSE English Language today.
Paige said: “I’m very happy about finally passing my English. I felt a little more confident about it this year than the previous time, and managed to answer every question on both papers.
“I would like to say thank you to my teachers for helping guide me through the course, giving advice and support whenever I struggled with my work and contributing to make my days at City of Oxford College some of the most enjoyable days in my entire education. So thank you to Laura, Angus, Jane, Jade and Leila for all they’ve done for me this past year!
“I would absolutely recommend City of Oxford College to others. It’s ’s a lovely place and I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”
Erin Cha, 38, from Bicester, is celebrating an exceptional grade 9 in English Language.
Erin said: “As a non-native English speaker, I really wanted the chance to study English at the college, both to improve my language skills and to understand the English language and culture better, helping me feel more at home in the UK. I also wanted to work on my English qualification so I can progress in my career.
“I’d like to start an apprenticeship or get a job in accounting while working on professional qualifications, and this course has given me a lot of confidence, preparing me well for the next step.
“I want to say a big thank you to my teacher Annette. She’s always been supportive, caring, and treated us with respect. Her passion for English literature sparked my interest and inspired me to enjoy reading. I’ll never forget how much I enjoyed the course thanks to her!
“At the beginning, studying and getting ready for the exam felt a bit overwhelming, but with practice and support from my teacher, I started to feel more confident and made real improvements. Having classmates alongside me also helped me get through the challenges.
“The course was well structured and the extra online study materials were really helpful. The college staff are incredibly kind and caring, and I’m especially grateful to the staff for their support when I had an unexpected health issue at the college, and how promptly they helped me!”
Syd Bennett, 17, from Abingdon, is celebrating a brilliant set of results, achieving a grade 6 in English Language, grade 8 in Sociology, grade 6 in Psychology and grade 4 in Maths.
Syd said: “I feel really happy. These subjects interested me, and I genuinely enjoyed learning them!
“My teachers were always there to help me when needed, especially my tutor, so I’d like to thank them for supporting me throughout this academic year.
Syd is hoping to progress to A Levels next year.
City of Oxford College and University Centre offers part-time GCSEs in English and maths.
City of Oxford College and University Centre also offers a one-year, full-time programme for 16-19-year-olds who want to improve their GCSE grades.
Each programme is suited to a student’s level of grades and a range of subject choices are offered. You can find out about the STEP, STEP UP and STRIVE GCSE programmes at City of Oxford College and University Centre on the college website.
City of Oxford College and University Centre also offers a wide range of A Level subjects, vocational programmes, Higher Education and apprenticeship opportunities.
This year, the college is providing information, advice and guidance via Clearing sessions at City of Oxford College and University Centre from GCSE Results Day, and throughout the end of August and September. Tutors and career advisers will be on hand to help anyone who is unsure as to what to do next after GCSEs and can also provide advice on funding and other student support services. Book an appointment on our website or contact Activate Learning via 0800 612 6008.