Bosworth Independent College

As a College that focuses on trying to ensure great results for every individual, and knowing that all our students and teachers have worked exceptionally hard in preparation for examinations. A-level Results Day is always a nervous wait. Therefore we are delighted to report this year’s results have yet again outperformed the UK national average with 71% achieving A* to B grades and 86% achieving A* to C grades.

Fiona Pocock, Principal at Bosworth believes, “It is wonderfully rewarding to learn of the top grades and excellent university outcomes achieved by our students.  The national press and public bodies can react to exam results with statistics and point towards trends but for us, the results are about individuals!  We’ve worked with them usually over several years and have shared their challenges and witnessed some of the hardships they have endured so as to reach their full potential.  Our whole staff share in the success of our students and we are thrilled now to have evidence that effort and dedication pay off.”

We offer huge congratulations to all of our students who can now move to the next stage of their careers, they are all success stories in our eyes, but highlighted below are some of the highest achievers – with three students gaining places at Oxford and Cambridge:

Nicole Gray (British) A*A*A*a achieved in Biology, Psychology, Geography and Maths and she has been accepted to read Human Sciences at the University of Oxford. Nicole sums up her experience, “To sum up my time at Bosworth in 5 words; diverse, friendly, comfortable, focused and relaxed. The personal advice and assistance given by the teaching staff has really helped me.”

Toyin Ihinmikalu (Nigerian) A*AAB achieved in Psychology, Government & Politics, Biology and English Literature and she has been accepted to read Law at Lady Margaret Hall College, University of Oxford. Toyin told us, “It was interesting being taught by such amazing and experienced teachers. The smaller-than-average class sizes and the individualised interactions between teachers and students made it highly enjoyable.”

Debbie Chisom Ifeobu (Nigerian) A*A*A*Ab achieved in Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Economics and she has been accepted to read Engineering at Christ’s College, University of Cambridge.

Eniola Ayodele (British) AAAb achieved in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English Literature and he has been accepted to read Medicine at the University of Manchester. Eniola tells us in detail, “The medical school application process can be quite convoluted and is definitely extremely competitive. Bosworth has provided me with exceptional support in this journey, from arranging talks with leading local Doctors, to multiple full mock medical (MMI) interviews. As a result, I was as best prepared for my real interviews as I could have been, which may not have been the case had I been a student elsewhere. Bosworth is the best thing that has happened to me.”

Joy Ho Sze Nip (Hong Kong) A*A*A*A*A achieved in Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chinese and she has been accepted to read Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. Joy explains, “The teaching is flexible, for example the one-year maths course and providing extra lessons to meet the needs of each individual student.”

Valerie Xing Yee Ho (Malaysian) A*AAa achieved in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics and she has been accepted to read Dentistry at Kings College London. Valerie explains, “The teachers were extremely helpful and were always ready to help us whenever we needed guidance.”

Trung Kien Nguyen (Vietnamese) A*A*A*B achieved in Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and Physics and he has been accepted to read Chemical Engineering at University College London.

Masem Abbas (Irish) A*A*A*A achieved in Economics, Chemistry, Maths and Physics and he has been accepted to read Engineering (Chemical) at Univers ity College London. “The hard work of the teachers has helped to keep me motivated right to the end, especially the encouragement from Mrs Johnstone (Head of Chemistry) and Mr Jones (Vice Principal).”

The individual care and attention each student receives at the College will continue to ensure that each individual can fulfil their academic potential and we will remain proud to follow this year’s cohort as they progress and grow in their chosen fields.

Nicole Gray and Masem Abbas are pictured below.

Eighteen students who gained outstanding A-level results last summer were presented with awards for academic excellence at the House of Lords on Thursday 7^th April. One exceptional Foundation Course and GCSE student also received awards.

Bosworth Independent College is extremely proud that the top prize, the CIFE Gold Award, has been won by Vu Thao Dan (Ariadne) from Vietnam. Ariadne is now studying Law at the University of Durham, having obtained A* grades at A-level in History, Sociology, Economics and Mathematics. Ariadne was awarded the Model United Nations “Best Position Paper” in Yale NUS Model ASEAN. Prior to joining Bosworth, Ariadne worked as a volunteer for six months on Camp Blast 2013 – a camp for primary school children in Vietnam, where she was made “Head of Core Team”. Once in Northampton, she did voluntary work at the local central library throughout her A-level years and also taught Vietnamese to an English teacher. Bosworth regards Ariadne as an outstanding young woman both personally and academically and is very proud to have been able to facilitate her success.

Ariadne told us “I was surprised and delighted to receive a CIFE Academic Award and to discover it was the Gold Award was humbling. All of the other award winners have done so well and I feel very proud to be in their company at the House of Lords. I thoroughly enjoyed studying at Bosworth where the teachers and other staff always inspired me to do my very best and to keep up my other interests too. I felt cared for, as if part of a big family.”

In all, Bosworth students have received six awards: Science Award – Youssef Ahmed, College Prize Award – Camilla Li Ying Chong, Value Added Award – Georgia Jeffrey, GCSE Award – Corey Markie, Baroness Perry Award – Jin Zheng and the Gold Award as above. Details of each student and their individual achievements are in our Spring Newsletter, please take the time to read this online. Of the 19 Colleges who make up CIFE and the 20 prizes on offer, Bosworth has achieved 30% of the accolades and indeed this is the third year in a row they have maintained the Gold Award.

From the left: Ariadne, Jin Zheng, Fiona Pocock (Principal) Georgia, Lord Lexden, Youssef, Corey

Bosworth Success Stories

Graduate of the London School of Economics

Teresa Wang left Bosworth in the summer of 2013 and has just graduated from LSE and has sent some good news to share.

“I obtained a first class degree in Actuarial Science at LSE, and I also obtained both first and second year CS Mac Taggart Prizes, which is a scholarship prize awarded to the top three best performance students of the year.  And throughout my three years of study, I got 7 actuarial exemptions, so I have only 8 more to go, which is a lot faster than others.”

Teresa also interned at Ernst & Young Global Ltd in her second year and obtained a return offer from EY- Actuarial Advisory team, so she will be joining EY this September as an Actuary in the Pension team. She goes on to thank Mrs Renouf (AS Course Director) “I would really like to thank you for inspiring me and supporting me in my A-level study.”

Success at Cambridge

We are extremely proud to report Baba, a former Bosworth student, received a First Class result in this year’s exams at the University of Cambridge where he is studying Engineering.

As a consequence, he will be made a Scholar of St. John’s College for the coming academic year. In addition, he has been awarded a College Prize and a United Steel Companies Scholarship.

“At Bosworth the aims of each individual student are important and every student receives tailored support. This provision helped me achieve my goal of studying at an Oxbridge University.” Baba 2013

Principal Fiona Pocock (pictured right) is proud to report that Bosworth Independent College has achieved a top 100 placement in The Telegraph for the Top 100 Secondary Schools by A-level Results 2015 which also places us as the number one school in the Northamptonshire league table.

To put this into context there are 4,322 schools/colleges currently in the Post 16 category in England according to the Department for Education, so to achieve a top 100 placement is no easy task and places us in the top 2% of A-level schools in England.

Bosworth is essentially a non-selective college and our success at A-level reflects a high standard of teaching and dedication across the college and to rank 96th is extremely rewarding. For students this academic rigour coupled with a comfortable day and boarding environment allows them to thrive in its culture of achievement.

For more details visit bosworthschool.co.uk

Five students from Bosworth Independent College were treated to a VIP visit to the House of Lords, guests of Lord Lexden, CIFE President.

Lord Lexden offered this visit as a generous prize to the winning team of the CIFE Challenge, similar to University Challenge, held on 27^th February at The New College of the Humanities.

The five Bosworth students photographed are (from the left): Kelvin Choo, Olivia Orbih, (Lord Lexden), Son Olszewski, Pako Motsomi, Vaughn Gardner.

The visit took place on Budget Day, and on arrival in Westminster, the students first enjoyed watching the busy media teams on Abingdon Green as they interviewed politicians and commentators .  They then passed through strict security at the Peers’ Entrance and were greeted by Lord Lexden who gave a breath-taking tour of The Royal Gallery, the Princes’ Chamber and other rooms, resplendent with coats of arms and paintings illustrating scenes from history.  Then, furnished with their pass signed by Black Rod, they were shown to guest seats in the Peeresses West Gallery over-looking the House of Lords Chamber where Lord Lexden had already taken his seat.

After 30 minutes on questions and answers from government ministers, the House moved on to other business and Lord Lexden joined the Bosworth students again for tea in the Peers’ Dining Room. They enjoyed dainty sandwiches, fresh-baked scones with jam and clotted cream and then exquisite cakes.  Lady Perry, CIFE’s former President, kindly joined the Bosworth students, and with Lord Lexden enquired about their future plans and congratulated them on their CIFE Challenge success.  Later she wrote to Fiona Pocock, Principal at Bosworth Independent College, “It was lovely to meet your delightful students. They were all formidably bright and motivated – a real tribute to Bosworth.”