Syrian student's success as Newman College breaks record

Alessar Badin was awarded two A* and two A grades at Newman College in Hove, six years after she fled to the city.

She will continue her life in Sussex by studying pharmacy at the University of Brighton from September.

"When I came to England I immediately came to Newman. I went to the school and then the college - and now I've finished with grades I'm really proud of,” said Alessar.

"The war was part of the reason I moved here and also to get closer to my parents' families who have lived here for a long time.

"I did chemistry, biology, maths and French. It feels really good, I'm very relieved and I'm really excited for the future."

Newman College achieved its best ever results with more than 40 per cent of students gaining all As and A*s.

Left to right: Alessar Badin, Olimpia Bouillot, Caspar Wynniatt-Husey, Arya Sharma, Rebecca Franklin, James Martello-Gallagher

Assistant head teacher Richard Marsh said he was extremely happy with the outcome.

“We are absolutely delighted for all our students who have gained incredible results, both in their A-levels and BTECs,” he said.

“They have all risen to the challenging circumstances of the last two years and we could not be prouder of them.”

This year’s cohort of students did not sit GCSEs, meaning their A-levels were the first official exams they had sat after SATs in Year 6.

But good results were abundant, including for Arya Sharma who will now go to Cambridge University to study medicine.

"It was really a pipe dream to begin with, it's not something I expected to actually achieve,” she said.

“But when I got in, me and my friend who also got in where texting each other saying 'is this actually real?'.

“But now getting the confirmation of results - me and my parents are just over the moon."

The majority of students received their results online at home, but that did not stop celebrations as many were heading to join their friends at the pub this afternoon.