London Borough Celebrates “A” Level Success

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Tower Hamlets Sixth Form College serves one of the poorest boroughs in the country – a community where a quarter of the adult population are on means tested benefits and where over 50 percent of school pupils qualify for free school meals.

Last week, the college welcomed current and former pupils alongside representatives and delegates from the world of education to the launch of a new publication to celebrate the colleges involvement in the national Aim Higher Scheme. The programme, which is run in conjunction with universities keen to achieve a more socially diverse intake, is designed to encourage students from all sections of society to “aim higher” and to achieve the “A” level results necessary to secure a place at one of the institutions who are supporting the initiative.

Highlighting Success

The new magazine highlights the success of 34 students from Tower Hamlets Sixth Form College who were officially designated “high fliers” over the past year having achieved three or more B’s at “A” level. The launch was inaugurated by the director of the college, Ken Warman, who enthused about the achievement of his pupils: “We are absolutely delighted with the success of, and interest in, our Aim Higher programme. The message of the event and of the publication is simple: the young people of Tower Hamlets are capable of great things and their best is as good, if not better, than anywhere else in the country”.

The borough, whose political control fell to George Galloway’s Respect Party at the May general election, boasts one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in London. The college is particularly proud of the multicultural make up of its pupil intake. Last year the college produced 4 students who secured a place to study at Cambridge, 8 who progressed to medical school and achieved a 97 percent pass rate amongst its “A” level students.

Jafar Alam, a former Tower Hamlets Sixth Form College pupil now studying Economics at Cambridge University, spoke of his time at the college and the support he still receives from Tower Hamlets College and the wider local community. “I believe we can all realise our ambitions if we work hard and aim high”, he said.

Michael Lloyd

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