Local reports the best ever results from their sixth form

ARK Putney school has seen their best ever set of A-Level results with the Numbers of passes at A* - C level jumping 10 points from 67% to 72% this year.

Alison Downey, Principal at ARK Putney, said: "This is a fantastic set of results for our students many of whom are going on to some of the country’s best universities. I am really proud of the journey they have made, and I wish them every success in the future.”

Particularly impressive was the number of grades awarded at the top group A*, A and B grades to enable them to go on to university. This was high at 45%. Overall there was a 95% pass rate of exams graded A* to E.

The school joined the ARK network in 2012 and last year was rated as good in all categories by Ofsted. A number of students did particularly well.

Aaisha Abdulsalam (pictured right) is a Year 13 student at ARK Putney who has just finished her A level exams in maths, physics and art. She is hoping to become the first ever female Kurdish commercial pilot and is going to study Aviation Pilot Studies in New Buck University in High Wycombe.

Aaisha said: “My uncle’s a pilot. He used to tell me about planes and how fun it was. And I joined the Air Cadets and I flew and I started flying solo and then I felt the thrill of it and I was like, “That’s it. I want to be a pilot.” That’s the day when I was definitely, a 100% sure where I wanted … what I wanted to do. In my country as well in Iraq, there are no women pilots. So if I do become a pilot I will be the first Kurdish person to become a pilot."

She has been awarded a £3,000 bursary from Marshall Wace to help support her during her first year of studies. Aaisha continued:“It means a lot because I live in a council flat. Money doesn’t come easy. My mum doesn’t work. So I wouldn’t know where else to get a loan from and I know that if I get this bursary and I don’t need to pay it back when I’m older, I hope. It’s really beneficial for me.”

Aaisha is keen to give something back as well: “I want to be a pilot. But I don’t want to stop there. I want to retire kind of early and then organise my own charity.” The idea behind the charity would be to provide support to families or carers of those who have terminal illnesses. “My Mum last year she had cancer. So then it was … I had ‘A’ levels as well so my exams … I was sort of having to look after her and rather than that, I’d like people to be helped out as well so then they can look after the person that’s ill while they go and do whatever they want to do.”

She knows that her studies are critical to her future: “Education is your oyster. It takes you where you want to go. And I mean if you apply yourself to whatever you want to do and into your education then it will always be behind you 100%.”

Hamza Arshad is a Year 13 student at ARK Putney who has just got 2 As in Maths and Chemistry and an A* in Design and Technology. He has a place to study engineering at Manchester. He said:
“Obviously education is quite important. My dad’s been to university before and he knows how important it is to you know, go to university and get a degree and get a job.

As well as his studies, Hamza has been volunteering his time to support an orphanage in Pakistan, where he was born.

ARK Putney Academy is currently undertaking a £30 million project to refurbish its school buildings which began earlier this summer and is due to be completed next year. The project will provide new sports facilities – including a new four-court sports hall, an activity studio for classes such as boxing and dance, and three new outdoor games areas and a brand new art space.

14th August 2014