Never too old to be star pupil

AGE is no barrier . . . front, from left, Judith, Oldham college principal, Alun Francis, Ume Habiba Ghulam, Carla Cordock, head of caring professions, Carly Unsworth, head of maths. Back, from left, James Bacon, Alison Burton, and Riaz Bibi

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OLDHAM College is proving that age is no barrier to GCSE achievement.

It is celebrating a range of success stories after students picked up their results.

They include Alison Burton (50), from Wren's Nest in Shaw, who received an A in maths - 32 years after originally getting a B.

Alison has an accountancy degree and previously worked for the NHS, but has long-term health issues. She hopes to become a maths tutor and has a place on a teaching degree at University Campus Oldham, which she has deferred until next year.

She had always felt that she was capable of getting better than a B and said: "I actually wanted to get an A* but I wasn't feeling well around the time of the exam, I was very stressed. I had contacted the tutor and told him I was withdrawing, but in the end I thought 'I'll just do it''.

"I enjoyed the course and I liked going to college and challenging my brain, but it was hard work because I get fatigued."

James Bacon (18), of Firwood Park, Chadderton got a C in maths and a grade 3 in English after getting Fs in the subjects at Newman College secondary school.

He will do a level 3 diploma in technical theatre at the college where his mum, Helen Hewitt, said he had flourished.

She added: "I was at work when he rang me with his results. I had tears in my eyes - I'm so proud of him.

"He really put the work in and he has blossomed and become his own person at the college. The support he has received, and the relationships that he formed with his tutors, really helped him to achieve what he has."

Ume Habiba Ghulam (20), of Lee Street, Coppice, has been fast-tracked onto a masters course in biomedical science at Manchester Metropolitan University after getting an A* in maths, a grade 8 in English and a triple distinction in level 3 science.

She moved to Oldham from Brescia in Italy in 2015 and hopes to do PhD in immunology. Delighted with her results, she said: "I didn't expect to get an 8 in English because I started the course late."

Siblings Judith (17) and Matteo (19), of Hathershaw, also studied at the college after moving to the UK from Verona in Italy.

Judith will study applied science at Oldham College after getting a B and C respectively in English and maths, and also hopes to do a biomedical degree. Her brother, who wants to be an architect, got Cs in both subjects and will do art and design at the college.

College principal Alun Francis said: "Each story represents the diversity of the people we have at the college. They are all stories about people making progress in different ways."

Mr Francis said there were 1,400 GCSE maths and English re-sits at the college this year. The pass rate (A* to G equivalent) is expected to be in the high 80 per cent for both subjects.

"It's absolutely critical they try and get these qualifications post-16 because it unlocks so many other opportunities," added Mr Francis, who said the college's results had improved significantly in all areas against a backdrop of stabilising the college facially.

"Our results are as good, if not better, than all of our neighbouring colleges," he explained.

"That, plus all the work we do around employment and the support that we provide for students with different challenges, means students should be very positive about making Oldham College their first choice."

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