A-level results 2011: 'These children are a credit to the school, their families and the community'

When I last visited Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, Manchester, on A-Level results day two years ago, it was raining heavily. On Thursday morning, the weather was much more temperate with hazy sunshine and the mood was good natured, with small groups of students hugging one another having received their results. A local newspaper photographer took pictures of the students jumping for joy while clutching the sheet of paper containing the results. Bernadette McGrath, head of sixth form, says the community involvement of the students and their academic success showed that young people were far removed from the perceptions of teenagers in recent weeks. She said that overall a quarter of the grades were A* and A, while 54% were A* to B and almost 80% were A* to C. Four students are going to Oxbridge and 17 students achieved at least three A/A* grades. "While academic achievement has been our priority," she says, "I am very proud that students have also taken full advantage of enrichment activities, including [the] Duke of Edinburgh [awards scheme] and various community service opportunities." Umair Gondal, 19, moved with his family from his native Germany three years ago when he was in Year 10. He has secured a place at Manchester University to study medicine. He tells me that when he first joined Parrs Wood High, he had to write his essays in German and then translate them. He doesn't have a hint of a German accent now even though English is his third language. He logged on to the UCAS link at 6.30am Thursday and found out that he had got his place, but until he came into school he didn't know what his results were. "I did quite a lot of voluntary work at Stepping Hill hospital and the Manchester Royal Infirmary and with Vitalise, a charity that provides respite for disabled people and their carers. It was still nerve-wracking opening the piece of paper as I don't trust technology. "During the application process another university got me mixed up and sent me a rejection and invited the wrong person for interview. Until I saw the paper with my own eyes I couldn't be sure." He got As in Chemistry, Physics and Maths. Gondal is the first one in his family to go to university, so they are particularly proud of him. He is very active in the community and is also a peer mentor. Grace McKelvey, 18, is going to Girton College, Cambridge, to study Spanish and Portugese. She got A*s in French and Spanish and an A in history. She says she has always loved languages and she didn't specifically target Oxbridge, but it happened to be the best course for her. "As part of the application process, I had four interviews and had to do an exam," she says. "I had two interviews before Christmas and I was pooled, then Girton fished me out and I went for further interviews in January, where they were talking in Spanish. I thought the first set of interviews went better than second, but it was obviously the other way round." She also had a backup place at Kings College, London, but was happy to get in to Cambridge. "I went downstairs after checking the UCAS link early this morning and woke my parents. Obviously they were really happy. Because of the fees going up next year, there was a real pressure to get it right this time round. Until you get that piece of paper you don't know how well you've done, no matter how hard you've worked." Steven Jackson, 18, wants to be an army officer and go to Sandhurst. He got an A in English and two Bs in History and Classical Civilisations. He set up a Duke of Edinburgh scheme at his sixth form that led to 30 students achieving a silver award and he is going to Canterbury University to do a degree in War Studies. "Even if I'd known about the link, I wasn't going to check at 6.30 this morning, " he says. "There was no real point - if you'd checked and not got your place then you'd be like a condemned man. I really felt that this was our chance because next year the fees are going up and you don't want to be saddled with £50,000 of debt before you start work. The government have no idea what this will be like. It was a real do or die feeling." His Mum is so proud of him, he says that she was literally screaming with excitement down the phone. Haroon Ahmed, 18, got As in Chemistry, Biology and an A* in Maths. Like Umair, he will now be studying medicine at Manchester University. His cousin is already studying medicine there. "I've always wanted to do it and I like the idea of helping people and making a difference to their lives. I came in and opened the letter on my own, as I didn't want anyone around. I went off into a corner. The Maths A-Level was the hardest exam I've ever done in my life." He got an A* in it. "It's not really sunk in yet. One of our good mates missed his offer by just five marks, which is just really cruel. My Mum's a lawyer and she really helped me with the application process and interviews. She didn't push me, she just encouraged and supported me. She was actually sat outside in the school car park when I came down." Haroon has carried out voluntary work at Christies Hospital in Manchester and Vitalise. Headteacher Andrew Shakos said: "I am again very pleased to report impressive A-level results from our Parrs Wood sixth form students. Their success continues our proud tradition of high academic achievement and reflects a further improvement on last year's results. Parrs Wood staff and governors are proud of all our students who have consistently been great ambassadors for Parrs Wood School and excellent role models for younger pupils. They are a credit to the school, their families and the community".