We caught up with some of our Class of 2020 students to find out what grades they got and what they're going to do next!
Molly Drayton
“I'm Molly and I’m from Hurst in Berkshire. I came to The Henley College from The Emmbrook school.
I studied A levels and received A*A*A* in Geography, Photography and English Literature.
I’m extremely pleased with my results and I plan to go to The University of Oxford in October this year to study English Language and Literature, then I will possibly proceed to a career in journalism.
The best thing about studying at The Henley College was the close relationship I had with my teachers, who were always helping me push myself and stay focused on my goals.
My teachers have been great over the lockdown period, using Microsoft Teams to communicate with the class and keep us updated on exams and results. For the last two years they have supported us endlessly, in and out of class, to make sure we enjoyed the classes we were taking.
The pandemic caused me to miss the last 3 months of my A Level studies and have my exams cancelled, and it was a very stressful wait to see how the government was going to calculate our grades. After seeing the Scottish results come out and the classist way in which results seemed to be based on your school area and reputation rather than your individual performance, I was very worried that my grades were going to be lowered to match the ‘average’ of my state school.”
Brian Jackson
“I studied BTEC Performing Arts at the College and got a triple distinction, which I’m extremely happy with and proud.
I’m going to the University of Chichester and then to pursue a career in film and the West End.
The best things about studying at The Henley College were the opportunities given to me and the friends I made. I also loved starring in musicals and plays the college put on!
I felt very supported during my studies and during lockdown - my tutor Lisa Crew would always check up on me even when she didn’t need to!”
Ella Eacott
"I studied Travel and Tourism and received Triple Distinction*. I’m shocked but absolutely over the moon and feeling so proud.
I’m going to Buckinghamshire New University to study air transport with commercial pilot training.
The Henley College is different to any other college I visited. It’s so welcoming and there’s a sense of home. My course really helped to grow my confidence as I got involved with a lot of things at the college that I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do before. I believe this is due to the freedom and independence you are given. I would recommend it to anyone finishing their GCSEs.”
Toby Hill
“I’m Toby and I studied Level 3 Creative Media Production Extended Diploma and I received a Distinction*
I'm very happy with the results I received this morning, and although I may not be entering the media industry I did gain valuable skills which I owe in part to my awesome teachers, Sarah, Adam, and James who devoted a lot of time and effort in order to help me and other students throughout the course.
I’m going to Aberystwyth University in Wales to study Astrophysics. It's a long story about why I changed path from media to science, but again, without my teachers and personal tutor I wouldn't be in the sure-footed position I am in currently.
The best thing about studying at The Henley College was definitely the teachers. Although much of the work was independent, the teaching staff offered so much support for all aspects of the process in making my productions and it was invaluable.
I had consistent support and marking throughout the course and lockdown which meant that I was always confident with the work I was doing as I could always consult with my teachers when unsure or worried. They would regularly give feedback and always be available.
Unfortunately though due to the pandemic I was unable to finish the last production I was working on for my final major project, which was so disappointing as I had worked so hard to try and make it, however with the lack of access to location and being unable to have a film crew to help me, it became impossible to film most scenes.
On the plus side, the short and abrupt ending to my studies allowed me plenty of time to study for my course starting in September at University so I got a head start on my future.”
Dominika Kliszczyk
"I’m Dominika and I am from Poland but live in Reading. I received A*A B A level Photography, Biology and Maths and overall I’m really happy with my grades, even through the difficult circumstances I am glad all my hard work in the last two years has paid off.
I’m planning to study Dietetics at The Warsaw University Of Life Sciences (SGGW) in Poland, and I am really excited to have gained a place at my first choice University.
Thank you to The Henley College for all of the support, wishing everyone all the Best in the future.”
Jaydon Bakermault
"My name is Jaydon and I’m from Reading. I just finished studying Forensic Applied Science and I got MMM.
I know I could have pushed myself harder during some moments of the course as I did have trouble, but nonetheless I am happily content with my grades as they have opened doors for me. I am going to go on to study at Bournemouth University and then go into Forensics as a Forensic Scientist or a Scene of Crime Officer.
The best thing about studying at The Henley College was the friends I made through my studies as we had each other’s backs through our studies and helped each other.
The impact of this pandemic has been massive on a global scale but regarding my studies it hasn’t stopped me from working hard, it’s just a different location from an educational view, but I’ve had more time to relax and feel less pressured. In all fairness, the government had to be more lenient with grades but not massively as this has affected A level studies a lot harder in general, but on my studies the government weren’t all that impactful."
Damon McGourty
"I am delighted with a D*D*D* in Public Services. I was able to achieve excellent grades doing a BTec and will be using this to study Film and Television at the University of Reading."
Har-Roop Kaur Wassi
"I am from Chalfont St Peter, in Buckinghamshire, and I studied for a BTEC National Applied Science Extended Diploma. I achieved a D*DD, which is higher than I was expecting. I am very pleased with my results, as it means I can go straight in September to study Adult Nursing at my dream university, King's College London. The minimum requirement was DDM. I am grateful to Jon Lagden for spending an hour of his time to help me prepare for my interview. Jon really boosted my confidence and helped me gain my offer at King's College London.
At Henley College my teachers motivated and encouraged me in my studies. Additionally, I felt supported on a personal level by the friendly nature of students and staff.
I had four assignments outstanding during lockdown and I feel that the college supported me effectively online to complete them. My BTEC gave me the opportunity of receiving continuous feedback from my teachers, and this gave me the drive to improve and to achieve my best.
The timing of the pandemic meant that I was fortunate, having already completed all my external exams in January and prior to lockdown. The government's measures did not greatly affect my BTEC course as I had already completed nine out of thirteen modules, as well as the four external exams. The College supported me well online to help me complete the remaining four assignments during lockdown. The coursework was continuously assessed and verified externally. Therefore, I feel confident that the grades I achieved are accurate. I made the decision to come to The Henley College as it offered a variety of courses compared to my school and I am really glad.“
Jacob Andrews
“I’m Jacob and from Twyford. I received a Triple distinction star in BTEC Business Level 3 Extended Diploma, and in September I will become a resource controller apprentice at Softcat PLC in Marlow.
I feel delighted to have achieved my predicted grade as I have put so much effort and dedication into my coursework over my years studying at The Henley College.
My favourite thing about the College are the study facilities such as the SLC and library. They are great for doing work in between lessons and offer everything you need to complete work. Also the opportunity given to me via the industrial placement scheme, which I completed with HM Staffing, has really helped me gain essential experience in the workplace. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Harry and his team and it has really set me up for where I would like to be in the future.
Over the two years I’ve been at College, there have been so many supportive people who have helped me with my studies and helped me decide where I would like to be in the future. The College careers advisor Julia Lock, has been really helpful in making sure I had somewhere to go after I finished college, and thanks to the assistance of my tutors I was able to complete all my work at home through Microsoft Teams in the early part of lockdown.
I have really enjoyed my time studying at The Henley College.”
Saoirse Coveney
“I’m Saoirse and I’m from Goring and came to The Henley College from Langtree School.
I studied Geography, Biology and Chemistry and achieved an A* in Geography, A in Biology and B in Chemistry.
I’m really pleased with my results as I feel they reflect the hard work I have put into each of my subjects over the past two years and have enabled me to meet the offer conditions for my first choice university.
I will be going to Imperial College London in the autumn to study Geology with an integrated Masters.
Since joining The Henley College one of the things I have most enjoyed has been the step up from school to being treated as a young adult and having the freedom to become more independent, which has ultimately enabled me to flourish and grow into a more confident person, in addition to helping me achieve my academic potential. The positive atmosphere and sense of community across both campuses has made Henley a fun and exciting place to study and meet new people.
I’m extremely lucky to have been taught by some great teachers who are enthusiastic and passionate about their subjects and are always willing to go above and beyond to help me out, even more so during lockdown.
The college is excellent at offering support to students which is something they continued to do despite the pandemic. The student services team and staff have all been fantastic at helping me with any issues I have had during my time at Henley and I’ve also benefitted hugely from all the help I’ve received from our career’s adviser Julia Lock and all of my teachers who have been brilliant in helping me explore my options after college.
During my time at Henley, the College has been subject to government cuts in funding for further education. This meant that as an A-level student I received a reduced amount of lesson time in my second year in comparison to my first year, amounting to a loss of 40 minutes per subject each week. Despite this, I have still received a fantastic education due to the dedication and hard work from my teachers and all the staff at Henley, who have gone above and beyond to support us in the face of these challenges.”
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