Oxbridge success for Prior Pursglove – local college celebrates outstanding year for students

Ahead of its next open event on December 9, Prior Pursglove College is absolutely delighted to share with you some of their highlights from this year’s results day celebrations. Here, Principal Asma Shaffi talks through this year’s successes, and where students go next on their journey.
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Published 6th Oct 2023, 10:28 BST
Updated 24th Oct 2023, 14:49 BST
The Principal Asma Shaffi with Bradley Sills, Adam Tiling and Lauren Hinton, Oxbridge students. Submitted imageThe Principal Asma Shaffi with Bradley Sills, Adam Tiling and Lauren Hinton, Oxbridge students. Submitted image
The Principal Asma Shaffi with Bradley Sills, Adam Tiling and Lauren Hinton, Oxbridge students. Submitted image

Amongst the successes we have a total of nine students who have confirmed offers for Oxbridge, five for Oxford and four for Cambridge.

Principal, Asma Shaffi, said “We are absolutely amazed at how brilliant and hardworking our students are. Our students have been able to secure highly competitive destinations in both higher education and with employers alike.

“The highlight for us is to have confirmation for nine Oxbridge students, they have certainly put our college on the national map, and those who secured their grades to go the university and the higher apprenticeship of their choice.  We are immensely proud of them.”

Vice Principal Olivia Wytcherley with Grace Hinton, Arthur Leaper and Francis Nozedar. Submitted picture.Vice Principal Olivia Wytcherley with Grace Hinton, Arthur Leaper and Francis Nozedar. Submitted picture.
Vice Principal Olivia Wytcherley with Grace Hinton, Arthur Leaper and Francis Nozedar. Submitted picture.

The students holding offers for Oxford will be studying subjects including Engineering (3), Mathematics, French with beginner’s Russian:

Adam Tilling, ex Laurence Jackson student, secured 5A*s and will be studying Mathematics at St Anne’s College Oxford.

Twins Lauren, and Grace Hinton, ex Sacred Heart students, both with 4A*s, will be studying Engineering at Oxford.  We also have a further student, formerly from Stokesley School, who secured 4A*s and will be studying Engineering at Oxford.

Francis Nozedar, ex Sacred Heart student, secured 2A* A and has been offered a place at Wadham College, Oxford to study French with Beginners Russian.  

In addition, we have three students holding offers for Natural Sciences at Cambridge alongside one of our students from last year who received an unconditional offer for English Literature.  

Our Natural Sciences students are:

Bradley Sills, 4A*, Arthur Leaper, 3A* A, and Alexander Evans 4 A*s, all former Outwood Bydales students. Alex became eligible for the summer pool and was offered his place on results day! Brilliant news for Alex, we are delighted for him.

Thomas Ewan Cornwall, previously of Stokesley School had taken a GAP year and will now be studying English Literature at Cambridge. 

Prior Pursglove College also has six students who have been offered places to study medicine, amongst them, Ethan Clifford, who achieved 3 As and will be going to Manchester.

Ethan says “I wanted to study medicine for as long as I can remember, and getting the A level grades was the easiest part. I did 9 months of volunteering, did the entrance exam and got a score in the top 2% of all applicants and then got interviews.”

However, Ethan’s was not an easy journey as after 4 interviews he was not offered a place and admits the rejections knocked his confidence.

He said: “I was pretty set on taking a gap year, however, literally on my train home from the first time I solo travelled (Croatia in July), Manchester University rang and said they had a single vacancy on their course, and of the 2000 other potential applicants they offered it to me. I managed to fulfil all academic and non-academic criteria so my offer came through formally today (results day), and I'm now going there!!”

This is super news for Ethan and confirms that hard work, determination and resilience really do pay off.

Another of our students, Ella Winspear, achieved 2A* A and is going to Teesside University to study Biomedical Science.

She says “I initially wanted to do Medicine but wasn't getting the grades needed in my first year at college so I decided to apply for biomedical science instead as it was also to do with disease/treatment etc. The content looked very interesting and heavily biology based which was my favourite subject in college.

“My advice would be don’t give up hope in first year as I managed to pull through and get the results I would have needed for medicine, it's bittersweet but I'm happy going down the biomedical science path. And there is still opportunity for me to enter medicine if I don't feel fulfilled with Biomed. It's not the be all and end all! But I’m happy and looking forward to studying Biomed at Uni nevertheless.”

Daniel Bury and Molly Hewitson, both former ex Stokesley School students have secured Solicitor degree-apprenticeships with Watson Woodhouse Solicitors. This is a fantastic achievement for them both.

Lauren Kirwan, another of our success stories, is off to study Law at Sunderland University and then hopes to do a teaching qualification. 

Lauren says “I knew from Y11 that I wanted to do Law but I didn’t know until a year or so ago that I actually wanted to teach Law – specifically at Prior. 

“The support that I’ve received from college as a student has honestly been unbelievable and massively appreciated. I absolutely cannot wait to hopefully return as a member of teaching staff and provide students with the same support I received as a student. My teachers are huge inspirations for me and I would not be here if it wasn’t for them. 

“The advice I would give to future students is to honestly follow your heart. Use your passions and people/places that ground you to help direct you on what path to take. Use the supportive people you have around to help, it is not a sign of weakness.”

Vice Principal, Olivia Wytcherley, said: “We are very proud of Lauren, not only for her academic achievements allowing her to gain a place at university, but also of the progress she has made on a personal level. She has shown resilience and determination to overcome the challenges she has faced to achieve her goals and we look forward to seeing her embrace a bright future.”

Huge congratulations to all our students on their amazing achievements. We are very proud of all of you and wish you the very best of luck in whatever your future endeavours may be.

Parents and students can visit Prior Pursglove for the open event on December 9 or visit the website at any time, to find out more.