Seven students at a comprehensive in one of the most deprived areas of London have today won scholarships to top independent schools worth more than £300,000.
Pupils collecting their GCSE results at Cumberland School in Newham spoke of their relief after exam grading uncertainty put their scholarships to colleges, including Eton and Kings, in doubt.
The students, dubbed the “magnificent seven” by teachers, were offered bursaries earlier this year but needed to achieve top marks to confirm their places.
They said they were “relived” that an algorithm-based grading system adopted by exam bodies was scrapped after students, particularly those in poorer areas, were marked down at A-Levels last week.
Pijus Dragunas, 16, from Newbury Park, spent the first two years of his life in the UK living with his hairdresser mum in a friend’s loft, having moved from Lithuania aged seven.
He is now going to the City of London Freemen's School on a £40,000 scholarship.
“I was very worried about the way the exams were being graded," he said. "This opportunity will change the trajectory of my life. After all we had been through I was thinking this is going to be so unjust if I do not get the grades to take up my place.
“Once they changed their minds and went with the teacher’s grades, I knew we would be ok. The teachers here know us, they know how hard we have worked for this.”
Classmate Erica Darfour, from Leyton, also won a place at the Freeman School with a £72,000 scholarship.
She said: “I was worried at first about my grades because my school is in a very working-class area that they might down grade.
"I got call from City of London on Monday saying whatever happened they would be offering me an unconditional place, which was amazing.”
Maleehah Khan, from Plaistow, will study at University College School, Hampstead on a £40,000 scholarship.
"I am glad common sense has prevailed," she said. "It has been an amazingly stressful time for us.
"First exams are cancelled and it is teachers who will decide, then it isn’t, then it is. It has been hard enough without bringing all this extra stress into our lives.”
Waez Amin, 16, will swap a council house in Canning Town for the hallowed halls of Eton in September.
Waez hopes the prestigious school will help him into a career in scientific medical research, a path he was inspired to take after seeing the devastating effect Covid-19 had in Newham.
He said: “I want to do medicine and what has happened over the last few months, particular in Newham and my community, has made me even more determined to achieve that dream."
Swatiya Montaha, 15, and classmate Alexia Kieya will both attend King's College, Wimbledon on £43,000 scholarships.
Meanwhile Kira Maiberg was offered a £63,000 bursary to attend Mount Kelly in Devon after she narrowly missed out on a scholarship to Highgate School.
All of the students went through Cumberland School's prestigious colleges programme, which is for pupils from deprived families.
Cumberland School Headteacher Omar Deria said: “I am so pleased that common sense has prevailed and the magnificent seven will all be taking up their places at fee paying schools.
“There was a degree of nervousness when you saw so many students left in limbo over their A Levels results so we were all relived when the decision was reversed."
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