Just under half of all students in Barking and Dagenham have secured A* to B grades in their A-level results – the borough’s best performance since A-levels were overhauled.
Some 45 per cent of pupils received the good news, which marks the second year of A-levels moving away from coursework and focusing on students’ exam results.
Overall, 98 per cent of A-level entries in the borough were awarded A* to E grades, slightly above the national average of 97.6 per cent. Nationally, results have dipped slightly.
There were celebrations at Robert Clack School of Science, where more than four out of every five students (82 per cent) picked up an A* to C grade, and more than 100 pupils secured their first-choice university place – with eight heading off to study medicine in September and over a third going to prestigious Russell Group universities.
Headteacher Russell Taylor said: “Despite the challenges of the new curricula, our students have fulfilled their potential through hard work, dedication and the outstanding support of their teachers.
“I am, as always, exceptionally proud of all of them and can only imagine how proud their families must be.”
At Eastbury Community School, three out of every five pupils (61 per cent) achieved an A* to B grade, their highest in the last five years, with six students receiving straight A* or A grades in all of their subjects.
The school’s top performer, Daniel Dosti, picked up four A* grades in maths, further maths, physics, and computer science. He’s heading to University College London to study mathematics.
The 17-year-old said his secret to success was “consistent revision rather than short bursts”.
Mustafa Abdulrahman, 18, has opted to go down a different route, joining global accountancy firm, Ernst and Young, in September as part of a degree apprenticeship after picking up two A* and an A grade in sociology, business and ICT.
Councillor Evelyn Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, said she was extremely proud of today’s results.
“Our young people have once again demonstrated to us that they are among the brightest thinkers in the country, and I am proud that many of the world’s best-known universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, will be welcoming students from Barking and Dagenham in September,” said Cllr Carpenter.
There were jubilant scenes at Elutec University Technical College, which saw improvements across all grades, including 38 per cent of students securing A* to B grades and more than a quarter of pupils picking up A* to A – a stark contrast to last year when no one achieved the top grade.
Cllr Carpenter added: “I’d like to thank schools, parents and pupils for their hard work and commitment and although our figures show we have made some fantastic progress in some areas, we are determined, as part of our long-term vision, to continue improving the educational standards in our borough.”
The results follow another successful academic year for schools in Barking and Dagenham, where nine in ten were deemed good or outstanding by Ofsted.