Students at Bilborough College are celebrating outstanding results again this year, rewarding the huge effort they have made over the last 2 years of study.

Bilborough College students recorded a 97% pass rate across all courses and within that there have been some stunning subject performances too with, for example, 110 students achieving A*-A grades in A level Mathematics. Bilborough was in the top 20 state schools in the country for offers from Russel Group universities this year and so we know many of our students will be going onto fantastic destinations in higher education, degree apprenticeships and employment.

David Shaw, Principal at Bilborough College, congratulated students on their results.

He said, “Along with the whole staff team here at Bilborough, I’m delighted that once again so many of our students have performed so well. It is great to see all the hard work, commitment and dedication rewarded with excellent results.

“We continue to see percentages significantly above the national average of students completing the full 2 years and achieving their qualifications, reflecting our commitment to never giving up on students and doing everything we can to ensure that they stay with us and succeed.

“We wish our students all the best for their futures whether at university, on apprenticeships or in the workplace, knowing that they are well equipped for a bright future.”

The college has dedicated staff available every day right through to the start of term for advice and guidance around results, UCAS, and next steps for students. College is also ready to welcome its next cohort of students when our new Y12 enrolment begins next week on Thursday 21^st August.

The latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is in, and it’s fantastic news for Bilborough College students! Once again, our students have outperformed national averages, showing just how valuable our approach to learning is. By encouraging independence, developing key skills, and supporting student-led learning, we’re helping young people achieve their full potential—whatever path they choose.

Here are some standout stats:

• 4% higher than the Sixth Form College (SFC) average for students achieving First-Class and Upper Second-Class (2:1) degrees.
• 4.6% higher than the SFC average for Firsts and 2:1s at prestigious Russell Group universities.
• 3.5% higher than the SFC average for Firsts and 2:1s among students from areas with traditionally lower university participation.
• 1.9% more likely than average to continue into their second year of university.

These figures are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, as well as the support they receive at Bilborough. Whether they go on to university, apprenticeships, or straight into the world of work, we’re committed to equipping them with the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

A huge congratulations to all our former students—we’re so proud of what you’ve achieved, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for you!

For the full data set – use the following link: Bilborough College HESA data

Students at Bilborough College are celebrating outstanding results again this year, rewarding the huge effort they have made over the last 2 years of study.

Bilborough College students recorded their highest achievement rates ever and 74% of them achieved A*-C grades.

David Shaw, Principal at Bilborough College, congratulated students on their results.

He said, “Along with the rest of the staff team here at Bilborough, I’m delighted that once again so many of our students have performed so well. Everyone has worked incredibly hard over the last 2 years, so it is great to see all the effort and dedication rewarded with excellent results.

“After last year’s record number of students completing the full 2 years and achieving their qualifications, we’ve seen a further rise in 2024, reflecting our commitment to never giving up on students and doing everything we can to ensure that they stay with us and succeed.

“We wish our students all the best for their futures whether at university, on apprenticeships or in the workplace, knowing that they are well equipped for a bright future.”

The college has dedicated staff available every day right through to the start of term for advice and guidance around results, UCAS, and next steps for students. College is also ready to welcome its next cohort of students when our new Y12 enrolment begins next week on Thursday 22nd August.

Bilborough College alumni Grace Hodgett-Young has been nominated for an Olivier for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her performance as Betty Shaefer in Sunset Boulevard alongside Nicole Scherzinger on the West End. In her first role since graduating from Mountview in 2023, she won Best Professional Debut at the WhatOnStage Awards and will be part of the Broadway transfer later this year. Grace studied BTEC Extended Diploma in Performance Arts at Bilborough College. She is currently playing the lead role of Euridice in the West End revival of Hadestown – the cast also performed as part of the Big Night of Musicals in January on BBC 1.

Bilborough College alumni Ben Rose is starring alongside Michelle Dockery and Geraldine James in new six-part BBC Drama This Town, created by Steven Knight, best known for Peaky Blinders. It is set in the Midlands during the 1980s and follows the start of two-tone and ska music. The series tells the story of a band’s formation set against a backdrop of violence as the music scene explodes. This Town will be broadcast on BBC One and will be available on BBC iPlayer from 31 March. Ben studied Performance Studies and Drama & Theatre at Bilborough College, before heading to Rose Bruford to study Actor Musicianship. Ben also appeared in Line of Duty on the BBC.

Our third Student Equality & Diversity Forum is on Tuesday 23^rd April 2024.

The theme for the forum is ‘Breaking Barriers’ and our guest speakers this year are Richard Whitehead MBE and the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin. Richard and Rose will be sharing their inspiring life stories at the forum and inspiring students with personal insights into how they have, and continue to, overcome barriers and limiting societal beliefs.

Anisah Osman Britton, who studied at Bilborough from 2009-2011, is one of the youngest people to be awarded an MBE in this year’s New Year’s honours.  She received her award last week from King Charles for services to diversity in tech.  Anisah is also a Forbes 30 under 30 honouree and is listed in the Financial Times’ 100 most influential BAME leaders in tech.

After completing her studies at Bilborough College, Anisah decided to intern in small to medium sized businesses around the world as an alternative to university. Following that, she started an online freelancing business for students, winning Young Entrepreneur of the year 2012.  Subsequently, she launched a coding school for women where, for every paying student, the school teaches a disadvantaged woman in India.  Anisah said of her time at the college, “your ability to make learning fun, your belief in students and the way you treated us like adults gave (and I’m sure still gives) students that little bit of extra confidence to achieve whatever it was we wanted to achieve”.

Bilborough’s current Principal, David Shaw, who taught French to Anisah when she studied at Bilborough College, is extremely proud of her achievements.  He said, “I’d love to express my surprise that Anisah has been honoured, but my only surprise is that it has taken 10 years!  Anisah always had a desire to make a difference, and she has maintained that drive in all she has done.  She is a perfect role model for our current students who, like her, are encouraged to believe that anything is possible with the right knowledge, skills and mindsets.”

Anisah is currently a reporter at Sifted, where she writes the Startup Life newsletter and is the author of ‘Brown Bodies’ where she explores sex in the South Asian diaspora.

The latest issue of the college magazine – Folio is below.

https://view.publitas.com/p222-16718/folio-issue-3-final-version/page/1

We are very proud that one of our brilliant Bilborough College Alumni (Geography, Biology, Chemistry and English) has been heavily involved throughout COP26 in Glasgow as part of the UK Government Team working on Communications. Jasbir Basi was an excellent student at the college who progressed to study at several Russell Group Universities and has since gone on to achieve great things in his very successful career so far, also becoming a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Commenting on his experiences Jasbir said “Working on COP26 has been THE geographers dream. A dream started a while ago in Bilborough” he strongly encourages students to choose Geography at A-level, saying “Bilborough is a fantastic place to study geography and would urge everyone to study it”.

Simon Holland, Head of Faculty for Geography, who taught Jasbir when he was at the college said “Jasbir is a great example of what our students can achieve if they work hard and follow their dreams to make a real difference in their future career”. “It is fantastic and humbling to see our great Geography students like Jasbir who we have taught about the challenges facing the world such as Climate Change actively being involved in the process of finding solutions to these difficult global issues”.

We are very proud of all he has achieved – he is a real credit to the college and his journey to this crucial global climate conference highlights the many and varied high quality career progression routes open to our students after college; Bilborough College students and alumni really do make a difference every day!

You can find out much more about COP26 here https://ukcop26.org/ .