Anna Ursakii will be studying Natural Sciences at Clare College after gaining A*s in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. In 2022, she and her family were forced to flee their home in Kyiv following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They managed to travel to Italy where she emailed a number of UK schools. Brighton College was the first to reply, offering her and her brother full scholarships to study there.
"I’ve really valued the opportunity to be at Brighton College. It is a gift to be free, to be safe, and to have a future. I feel safe now, I have good friends and a warm home. And it breaks my heart that my friends from Ukraine don’t get to experience this and instead have to study in shelters."
Anna Ursakii
Anna Ursakii
Harvey Blackshaw, 18, from Hull rang the celebration bell to celebrate achieving A* grades in Maths and Further Maths, an A in Physics and a Distinction* in Engineering. He is now looking forward to studying Engineering at Trinity College. “I worked hard and I’m glad it paid off. I’m thrilled and proud of myself. It means so much to me to go to Cambridge and it was amazing when I went for my interview. I didn’t think I would get in, so I’m really excited. I’ve loved being a Ron Dearing student and I’ve had so much advice and support from the teachers.”
Harvey Blackshaw
Harvey Blackshaw
18 year old Louis Mann is off to St John's College to study Natural Sciences. Louis attended Canon Slade's School in Bolton where he achieved A* in Physics, A* in Maths, A* in Further Maths and A in Computer Science. He's a keen cyclist - sorry to disappoint but it's not very hilly in Cambridge!
"After studying hard for two years, I am proud of the results I have achieved. Cambridge has always been the dream as it is a world renowned university and it's the opportunity of a lifetime to attend. I want to thank my parents and school for their support and encouragement, especially my physics teacher, Dr Eves, who inspired me and gave me a lifelong passion for physics, which has motivated me to work my hardest."
Louis Mann
Louis Mann
Sneha Daga is on her way to Christ's College to study Medicine. She nailed her A-levels, achieving 4 A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths plus an A in her EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). She went to Roundhay School in Leeds and is now looking forward to the next chapter.
Elijah Denning, from Dudley in the West Midlands, is coming to Queens' College to study a Foundation year in Arts and Humanities. The 18-year-old, who studied at Dudley College, achieved an A* in Sociology, Bs in Psychology and English Literature and an A* in his Extended Project Qualification exploring exclusion.
The Cambridge Foundation Year is a unique course intended to provide a stepping stone to Cambridge degree courses for students who have been prevented from realising their potential due to educational disadvantage or disruption.
Elijah said: "I spent Year 9 out of school and joined an Alternative Provision unit in Year 10, where I was only on track to achieve GCSEs in English Language and Maths. I had to really take it upon myself to go further. I used second hand textbooks to teach myself four additional GCSEs to be able to study A-Levels the next year; becoming the only person from my AP unit (to my knowledge) to go onto A-Levels. Alongside this, I am the only person from my college to go to Cambridge in the last 10 years. I'd really like to encourage from non-traditional backgrounds to put themselves out there and be aspirational. It is entirely possible to break down systematic barriers and achieve your aspirations."
Elijah Denning
Elijah Denning
Miriam Sellick is coming to Downing College to study Engineering. Miriam, a pupil at The King's (The Cathedral) School in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, achieved A*A*A*A* in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry A Levels.
Miriam said: "I am proud I achieved four A*s and thank my subject teachers and my form teacher for their support. I first visited Downing College on a free STEM SMART residential which was amazing and made me realise it was possible for me to go to Cambridge.
“I am excited to start the University of Cambridge Engineering course because it has such breadth and depth. I want to specialise in civil engineering because I’m passionate mitigating climate change and making major infrastructure projects truly sustainable.”
Miriam Sellick
18 year old Sahla Lawal studied for her A-levels at Brampton Manor Academy in London achieving A*s in Biology and Maths and an A in Chemistry. She is heading to Girton College to study Veterinary Medicine.
"I have really enjoyed my A-levels and am so grateful to all the who have helped get me this far, including my teachers and the University's Access team. I am really looking forward to studying Veterinary Medicine with leading academics at Cambridge, but also to taking my bike for a cycle around the city. Although my grandma has picked up that I'm studying Medicine, I do keep having to explain to her that it is Veterinary Medicine so I won't be checking her teeth and blood pressure!"
Congratulations to all these future Cantabrigians celebrating across social media too...
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