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2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wales' most diverse school that's oversubscribed and sending kids to Oxbridge
Anticipation rippled around the school hall as pupils at one of Wales' most diverse and oversubscribed schools arrived to collect the results that will determine their next steps in higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. It was an important milestone for the pupils at Cardiff's Fitzalan High School, and further proved the school's reputation. This year's A-level results in Wales show a slight improvement in overall pass rates, with 97.5% of students achieving grades A*–E, up 0.1 percentage points from 2024. The proportion achieving the top A* grade rose to 10.5%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with last year. READ MORE: One minute I was playing a gig and the next I had cancer, but now I'm off to university READ MORE: Swansea schools beat Wales average for A-level results Across the UK, more than one in ten results achieved the highest grade, although the total number of A level entries this summer was lower than in previous years. Fitzalan High School is a school that stands out in Wales, it has built a strong reputation for academic achievement and community engagement, offering a broad curriculum that supports its students' further education. The school has approximately 82% of pupils with English as an additional language, but huge efforts are made to make sure the community is involved and recent inspection reports have praised its high standards, inclusive environment, and commitment to preparing students for a range of future opportunities. It speaks volumes that it is the second most popular school in Cardiff with recent figures showing it had to turn down 144 for its 300 places. Head teacher, Adam Lear, spoke to Wales Online about the pride he has in all his pupils. "Their results reflect not only the hard work but also the dedication and ambition and results day is very much a celebration of their individual journeys and collective success," he says. "I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the dedicated and supportive families and communities for helping our young people achieve their goals.' Mr Lear praised all the students at Fitzalan High School for their hard work and stresses the massive role that the supportive community plays in the lives of the pupils. He was also keen to stress how ambitious students at Fitzalan High School are, with many past students attending prestigious universities like Oxford and Cambridge, and with one former overachieving pupil going on to study computer science and politics at Harvard University. For the students, it was an anxious wait as they gathered with friends and teachers to open their results. For many, the moment brought relief and excitement after months of preparation. After the nerves, came the relief for many. Imeth Bandara, 18, achieved an A* in maths and three A's in chemistry, physics, and biology, and is hoping to study medicine in 2026 after taking a gap year, and he has a strong interest in becoming a biologist in the future to explore viruses and their cures. "When you do something, you need to enjoy it, that's how to get good grades, and I enjoyed doing my A levels. I try to find everything enjoyable, that's how I find it easy to understand." Fellow student Nahid Hossin, 18, from Riverside, received an A* in maths and three As in physics, chemistry, and biology, and has been accepted into University College London to study electrical engineering. His words of advice are: "Never doubt yourself, always keep working hard, and the results will come." Nahid's teachers praised him for always being a top-performing student since his early years in Fitzalan. Paluck Bhandari, 18, from Leckwith, studied Maths, Sociology, and English, and received two A*s and a B in her results, which means a place at Oxford to study law. "I just want to say thank you to all my teachers that I've had since year 7 and to my parents, it was a stressful process, but I'm so glad to be going into university that will give me the tools to make a change in the world,' she says. She originally wanted to study in Edinburgh because of her admiration for the city, but fell in love with Oxford through a summer school she attended two years ago and set her mind on attending Oxford University instead. There were also great results for AS Level students like Khadeejah Abdurahman, 17, who achieved two As and one B in English Literature, sociology, and Health and Childcare. Another top performing student, Kate Mingo, an 18-year-old student from Fitzalan High School, felt proud to open her results as she achieved four A*s in maths, economics, psychology, and sociology. She is going to the University of Leeds to study economics. "Fitzalan is such a supportive school," she says. "And I couldn't ask for any better students, really amazing staff. "I'm very relieved and very happy I don't have to retake A levels. I'm excited but also nervous to move to Leeds. I visited and it seemed very nice." Not all students are continuing their higher education in the UK. Milly Pugh, 18, studied Psychology, Sociology, and Chemistry and achieved A*, A, and C in her results and is planning to study Sociology abroad in the United States at Connecticut College. "I'm a little nervous to fly out, but I'm very excited to meet everyone and get to know America.' What inspired Milly was a former Fitzalan student that has studied in the USA, which inspired her to do the same. Milly has wanted to study in America since her GCSE years and decided to go forward with it with the help of her teachers. Aidah Dawah, 18, from Grangetown, studied in Fitzalan High School from year 7 up until sixth form. She achieved an A and two Bs in Welsh Baccalaureate, Sociology, and Medical Science. She is now going on to study medical genetics at Swansea University. Aidah describes how happy she is to pursue a degree in something she is passionate about. 'Don't let your GCSE results put you in disbelief of what you can achieve in A levels, and I promise resitting is completely fine.' Aidah stresses how difficult A levels were, but describes how supportive teachers made her experience so much easier. "Building connections with your teachers makes such a difference," she says Jo Saxton, UCAS chief executive, said: 'This year's students were just thirteen when the pandemic hit, and their secondary schooling was turned upside down. "It's great to see these applicants securing a university place in record numbers, seeking more education and investing in their futures. I am equally delighted to see how universities across the country have responded to their ambition." The class of 2025 at Fitzalan High School has demonstrated exceptional hard work, resilience, and ambition, reflected in their impressive A-level results this year. These achievements are a testament to the supportive environment at the school and the dedication of both staff and students. For many, these results represent a crucial step, laying the foundation for a bright future.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
1,000+ students in Round Rock ISD considered homeless, numbers keep rising
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — The number of students experiencing homelessness across the state of Texas has continued to rise over the last few years. According to TEA data, during the 2021 to 2022 school year, there were more than 97,000 students experiencing homelessness in public schools in Texas. If you jump ahead to the 2023 to 2024 school year, the number jumped to more than 121,000 students experiencing homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act was enacted to assist vulnerable students. It's a federal law ensuring homeless children and youth have the same access to education as their housed peers. 'This is the most amazing little portable in the entire district,' said Anne Grieshop, Round Rock ISD's Families in Transition Coordinator. Inside the portable, there are many resources for students and families who are experiencing homelessness. 'We monitor attendance, student progress, we have academic specialists who work one-on-one with the kids, and we couple that with basic needs resources,' said Grieshop. According to RRISD, during the 2024 to 2025 school year, the district had more than 1,060 students who were experiencing homelessness. A breakdown by grade showed that the most students experiencing homelessness were in elementary school, with 562 students. There were 202 middle school students experiencing homelessness and 296 high school students. Carmin Spells said she is thankful for the Families in Transition program, which she said has helped her during difficult times. 'We had to go into a place like a shelter,' said Spells. People experiencing homelessness graduate from ACC job certification program As a single mother raising two children, she said it hasn't been easy on her, but she has made it a priority to make sure her children are getting the best education. 'Just supporting in small things like this, I didn't have to overthink and say, 'Oh, what are my kids going to wear or what are my kids going to eat?'' Spells said. 'Even through this experience, they are going to grow and they are going to come out strong.' The portable is filled with food, drinks, clothing, school supplies and even a washer and dryer. 'You are not going to learn in school if you are hungry, and you are not going to learn in school if you don't have tennis shoes on your feet or if they are too small and they are falling off,' said Grieshop. Mckinney Vento doesn't just classify living on the street unsheltered as homeless–it can also be people living in shelters, a hotel or motel, or families doubling up with multiple people living in an apartment. Out of the more than 1,060 students experiencing homelessness in Round Rock ISD, some of them are considered unaccompanied. 'About 120 of those are kids who are unaccompanied, which means not only are they experiencing homelessness, they also don't have a parent or guardian looking over them.' Isaac Castro is one of the success stories coming out of the program. He was considered unaccompanied since he moved from Honduras. 'It is a hard process, especially if you don't know the language, especially if you don't have a car, especially if you don't have someone to support you,' said Castro. He said he was working 40 hours a week, going to school, and trying to learn English, and there were a few times he almost gave up on school. With support and encouragement from Grieshop, though, he graduated and goes to Austin Community College. Homelessness spending likely to be focal point of Austin budget conversations 'My plan for my life is to be a lawyer, to be doing something good for other people,' said Castro. What can be done to help? While there is support for these families and students, Grieshop said more can be done to help the students succeed. 'Keep funding our programs,' said Grieshop. She hopes to see more support in the future from state lawmakers. 'These students are undeserved and desperately need our help and support, and we have the ability to do it,' said Rep. James Talarico, who is a former teacher. The struggles these families and students face are ones he is familiar with. 'I was born to a single mom who fled domestic abuse to protect me,' said Talarico. 'When she made the decision to leave, we didn't have a place to stay. She was working at a hotel here in Austin, and she begged the manager to let us stay in one of the hotel rooms.' Talarico said some of the state's surplus could go to these students and the programs that support them. 'These students have strengths that if we can tap into those strengths and give them the support they need, they are going to be more successful than we can imagine,' said Talarico. Moving forward, he said, awareness about the issues can help in a big way. 'Without journalists doing this work, most of the community won't know this is an issu,e and then elected officials don't respond to it,' said Talarico. 'So, I appreciate all the work you are doing to shine a light on this.' Families in Transition is always looking for volunteers and donations. To donate, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
How many students are homeless in Austin ISD?
AUSTIN (KXAN) – With more than 70,000 students, Austin Independent School District is the largest school district in Central Texas. About 1,000 of those students are experiencing homelessness, according to AISD data. KXAN requested data about students in AISD experiencing homelessness from 2019 to 2025 back in December. At that time there were 1,368 students who were experiencing homelessness in the district. The number of students can rise and fall through the year, as this population does move from time-to-time, and it can happen unexpectedly. Since 2019, the numbers of students experiencing homelessness has increased and decreased from year-to-year, but overall the numbers have remained above 1,200 students. The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that ensures homeless children and youth have access to public education just like their housed peers. 1,000+ students in Round Rock ISD considered homeless, numbers keep rising Districts around the state keep track of these at-risk kids and also keep tabs on where they are staying. According to the McKinney-Vento Act, students are considered homeless if they are unsheltered, living in a motel or hotel, living in a shelter or transitional housing, or if they are doubled up with other families in an apartment or home. In 2025, AISD had about 35 students who were unsheltered, about 280 students were living in shelters or transitional housing, about 70 students were living in motels or hotels and more than 970 students were doubling up — which is where multiple families are living under one room. There are many students across the state that go unidentified, though, some have no idea that there is help available. 'All this comes down to strong relationships between educators and students, and making sure we know where, one, where all our kids are coming from; and, two, they have to feel comfortable opening up when there is some kind of difficulty in their home life.' A closer look at the data shows the majority of the schools with high numbers of students experiencing homelessness are in north, east and south Austin. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
