AMONG the more remarkable tales of A levels achieved against the odds is that of Liam Johnson.
Liam, from Shildon, Co Durham, was diagnosed with leukaemia aged 15, midway through his GCSE course.
Eighteen months of intensive treatment meant he could not sit any of his exams, but the Barnard Castle School pupil managed to get two GCSEs based on the effort he put into his coursework alone. He got a third by resitting later.
Although it was suggested that he repeat a school year, Liam, now 18, was determined to take his business studies, English language, and ethics and philosophy A levels at the same time as his friends.
Yesterday’s three B grades, and being told last month that he was in remission, mean that he can start a film and TV studies degree course at Northumbria University.
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It’s a triple celebration after exam success
TRIPLETS picked up four As each in their A levels. Nikini Jayatunga and her brothers Madu and Wikum, from Stourbridge, West Midlands, attended the King Edward Schools in Birmingham.
Nikini, 18, who went to King Edward VI for girls, got As in French, maths, further maths and classical civilisation, for which she came in the top five in the country.
Madu, 18, who went to King Edward’s, got As in chemistry, maths, physics and general studies, and his brother, also 18, got As in biology, chemistry, maths and general studies. “We are all over the moon,” Nikini said.
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Sarah Evans, headmistress of the girls’ school, said: “The triplets have worked very hard and have done a lot for other people . . . They did a lot of fundraising for the tsunami.”
Nikini and Madu are both going to Cambridge — she will study languages and he will read natural science — and Wikum will be studying medicine at Imperial University, London.
School dropout swaps burgers for Oxford
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At 17, Paul Walsh was studying French, German and maths A levels at Bradford grammar school. But before he could sit the exams, high expectations caused him to fall victim to depression.
Seven years on, after working his way up to restaurant manager at his local Burger King, the school dropout yesterday won a place at Worcester College, Oxford, to study French.
“I’m really pleased. I was a little worried that I’d not got the full grades, but I’m off to Oxford in October and I can’t wait,” he said.
At 24, Paul — who achieved A grades in French, business studies and accounting from Bradford College — will be a little older than most of the other undergraduates, but he does not regret the delay.
“Seventeen’s a difficult age. I never would have got the same grades then, in any case,” he said.