London’s ethnic minority students celebrate top results after pandemic disruption
By SARWAR ALAMAug 27, 2022
BRITISH ASIAN students across the country celebrated top A-level grades last Thursday (18), with one school in Newham – where 71 per cent of residents are from BAME communities – sending a remarkable 92 students to Oxford and Cambridge.
Nearly 90 per cent of students from Brampton Manor Academy in London’s East Ham achieved straight A* or A grades, with 470 students going to one of the prestigious Russell Group universities.
Many of the top students are from under-represented ethnic groups, qualify for free school lunches, or will be the first in their families to enrol in college.
Mehnaz Mushafa will be the first person from her family to attend university when she heads off to Oxford to study philosophy, politics and economics.
Discussing the difficulties of lockdown learning, she said: “It was hard not being with my friends, but the fact that we kept up with our entire schedule of live courses online while still in school uniform and with our cameras on really helped.”
Mehnaz Mushafa
Brampton Manor Academy opened in 2012 with the aim of sending more underprivileged students to the best universities. Its success in recent years has seen it dubbed as the East End’s rival to Eton.
In a short span of 10 years, the academy has sent 300 students to Oxbridge. They had 55 offers last year from Oxford and Cambridge compared to 48 for Eton, whose numbers have dropped significantly from 2014 when they had 99 offers.
The families of three students – Daisy Agidi, Saamiya Moallim and Azeez Shekoni – will see all three following in the footsteps of their older siblings, who are studying at Oxbridge having completed their A-levels at Brampton Manor.
Shekoni, who plans to study medicine at Oxford, will join his brother Harun, who is studying philosophy, politics and economics there.
He said: “Going to Oxford is something me and my brother had both dreamed about for a long time, so when I got my offer, it was a special moment for me and my family. Coming to Brampton taught me that everyone has the potential to achieve their goals, regardless of their background, with hard work and determination.”
The executive principal, Dr Dayo Olukoshi OBE, said: “We are exceptionally proud of what our students have achieved. They have shown incredible resilience and determination to ensure the disruption experienced over the past couple of years has not halted their path to success.
“We passionately believe that there is no limit to what our students can achieve with sufficient effort and determination, and I am not at all surprised that two of the world’s best universities have recognised their talent by offering them places.”
There was an overall drop of the number of students achieving top grades, with 36.4 per cent of A-levels awarded an A or A*. That is a fall of 8.4 percentage points compared to last year, when grades were decided by teacher assessment due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In London, 39 per cent of students were given an A or A*, making it the second-best performing region in the country, just behind the south-east, which scored 39.5 per cent.
London also saw the biggest improvement in exam grades compared to 2019.
Queen Elizabeth School in Barnet celebrated its best-ever results, with seven out of every 10 A-levels awarded the highest-possible A* grade, with 35 students going to Oxford and Cambridge.
Students at Queen Elizabeth’s School (Photo: Eleanor Bentall)
It capped-off a brilliant year for the school after it was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and awarded the Sunday Times’ coveted State Secondary School of the Year title.
An incredible 71 of the 167- strong cohort (42.5 per cent) achieved straight A* grades.
Among them was Siddhant Kansal, who will read medicine at Imperial College. The 18-year-old from Enfield, who volunteered at London’s Whipps Cross Hospital, was awarded A* in German, biology, chemistry and mathematics.
Kansal praised the school’s “shared vision and enthusiasm”, with everyone wanting to do well.
“It’s quite infectious,” he said. “The teachers want you to get better – (they consider) how can they help you get to the next stage? I do have to say that I really enjoyed all seven years here. It was very difficult at first, with a huge learning curve, because of the higher workload and higher standards.”
Identical twins Beuran and Prajish Kannan both gained four A*s – a remarkable eight top grades between them.
Beuran will read chemical engineering at Girton College, Cambridge, while Prajish will study medicine at Churchill College, also at Cambridge.
“I am delighted that we have been able to crown the year with such a magnificent set of results, notable especially for a substantial increase at the very top,” said the headmaster, Neil Enright.
“These brilliant outcomes are well deserved and are testament to both the talent and dedication of pupils and staff, and to the quality of education maintained throughout the last two-and-a-half years.
“The fact that nationally pupils are being warned of lower grades and unusually strong competition for university places makes our own boys’ results all the more impressive. The vast majority here will secure their first choice of university.”
The John Lyon school in Harrow-on-the-Hill supports a number of students with bursary schemes and their efforts were rewarded with excellent grades.
Vinay Kapoor achieved three A*s and will read politics at the University of Warwick, a top-10 UK institution. As head boy, Kapoor championed student welfare and the school’s student mentor scheme.
“I’m delighted with my results. I have had the privilege of serving as head boy this year and I am so proud of my cohort for their excellent results. I would like to thank the school for all their support – the teachers have been nothing short of brilliant. I am now looking forward to university life at Warwick,” he said.
Vinay Kapoor
Another student, Ayaan Haneef is headed to the London School of Economics to study philosophy and economics after gaining three A*s.
Haneef, who has played tennis at international level and reached the top 100 in the UK, volunteered at a primary school, assisting young children with mathematics through a John Lyon partnership.
“I am thrilled that my two years of hard work has paid off,” he said.
“The school has guided me very well and the staff have been very supportive, especially during Covid and the lockdowns. I’m really excited to start university and I would like to thank my mum and dad for pushing me and helping me throughout my school life."
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship was hosted near Cardiff, marking the first time in Wales.
Winners included Roop Kaur (girls), Navjot Singh (boys), and Gurdeep Singh (men’s).
Gatka Federation UK awarded £1,000 to each participating Akhara to support martial arts promotion.
Chief guests included MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation.
Gatka Championship marks Welsh debut
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, Wales, showcasing the traditional Sikh martial art with flair. Seven leading Gatka Akharas participated, thrilling spectators with their lightning-fast strikes, precision moves and elegant techniques.
Inauguration by global leaders
The tournament was inaugurated by Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the World Gatka Federation (WGF) and the National Gatka Association of India (NGAI). He was joined by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, President of Gatka Federation UK, alongside other dignitaries including Jagbir Singh Jagga Chakar, President of Wales Kabaddi Club, and community leaders from the Haveli Hotel Pontyclun.
The 11th UK National Gatka Championship concluded on a high note near Cardiff, WalesUK Parliament
Competition results
All events were held in the Farrie-Soti (individual) format:
Girls’ Category: Roop Kaur (Akali Phoola Singh Gatka Akhara Coventry) won first place, defeating teammate Manroop Kaur. Rihanna Kaur (Baba Banda Singh Gatka Akhara Gravesend) took third.
Boys’ Category: Navjot Singh (Baba Fateh Singh Gatka Akhara Woolwich) secured first place against teammate Jashan Singh. Dharam Singh and Tejveer Singh (both from Akali Phoola Singh Gatka Akhara Coventry) shared third.
Men’s Category: Gurdeep Singh (Jangi Horses Club Wolverhampton) claimed the title, defeating Kuldeep Singh (Baba Banda Singh Gatka Akhara Gravesend). Third place was shared by Anmoldeep Singh and Nihal Singh (both Baba Mitt Singh Gatka Akhara Wolverhampton).
Awards and recognition
All winners received medals and trophies. In a significant gesture, Gatka Federation UK presented £1,000 to each participating Akhara to strengthen training facilities and promote wider engagement in the sport.
Leaders praise UK’s Gatka growth
Harjeet Singh Grewal commended MP Tan Dhesi for his sustained efforts in promoting Gatka since 2013, pledging WGF and NGAI’s continued support in advancing the martial art across Britain.
In his address, MP Dhesi — also Chairman of the House of Commons Defence Committee — highlighted the growing enthusiasm among young people in the UK and thanked the Gurdwara committees of Swansea and Cardiff for their support in making the event a success.
Dignitaries in attendance
The championship was attended by prominent figures including Herman Singh Johal (General Secretary, Gatka Federation UK), representatives from Swansea and Cardiff Gurdwara committees, media partners from Akaal Channel, Sikh Channel, Jan Shakti News, and several community leaders.
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The site, located in Gujarat, houses hundreds of elephants, as well as 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards, and 900 crocodiles. (Photo: Instagram/Vantara)
AN INDIAN Supreme Court-ordered investigation has cleared a large private animal facility run by the son of Asia’s richest man, rejecting allegations of wildlife violations.
Vantara, described as the “world’s biggest wild animal rescue centre,” is operated by Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.
The site, located in Gujarat, houses hundreds of elephants, as well as 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards, and 900 crocodiles, according to India’s Central Zoo Authority.
Last month, the Supreme Court asked a panel led by retired judges to examine allegations of unlawful acquisition of animals, including elephants, and possible violations of wildlife laws and money laundering. The court acted after receiving petitions based on media reports and complaints by wildlife groups.
Wildlife activists had raised concerns about the facility, saying it was keeping endangered species next to a large oil refinery without plans to reintroduce them into the wild.
The panel’s report, presented in court on Monday, said the “allegations rest wholly on conjecture and surmises on secondary reporting, and activist commentary.” It added, “The complaints are, therefore, devoid of merit.”
In March, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that Vantara imported about 39,000 animals in 2024, including from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. According to the centre, dozens of elephants were also transported from across India in specially adapted trucks.
The probe report said “each of the imports has undergone multi-layered and multi-jurisdictional verification.”
The Supreme Court accepted the findings, saying it had “no hesitation in accepting the conclusion so drawn in the report.” It added, “We are more than satisfied that the facilities at Vantara in certain respects exceeds the prescribed standards.”
Vantara welcomed the outcome. “With utmost humility and gratitude, we welcome the findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. The SIT's report and the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order have made it clear that the doubts and allegations raised against Vantara’s animal welfare mission were without any basis. The validation of the truth by the distinguished and widely respected members of the SIT is neot just a relief for everyone at Vantara but also a blessing, because it allows our work to speak for itself."
"We take this occasion to pledge our solidarity with the Government of India, State Governments, and all other stakeholders involved in the huge and challenging task of animal care, and affirm that Vantara will always be ready to work in close collaboration with them. Let’s together make Mother Earth a better place for all living beings,” the facility said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Starmer, who has faced negative coverage since taking office in July 2024, defended the appointment process.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer said on Monday he would not have appointed Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington had he known the extent of his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This was Starmer’s first public statement since dismissing Mandelson last week. The prime minister is facing questions over his judgement, including from Labour MPs, after initially standing by Mandelson before removing him from the post.
Starmer, who has faced negative coverage since taking office in July 2024, defended the appointment process. He said Mandelson had been properly vetted at the time.
"Had I known then what I know now, I'd have never appointed him," Starmer told broadcasters.
Mandelson was dismissed after emails showed he had urged Epstein to "fight for early release" shortly before Epstein was sentenced in 2008 to 18 months in prison for procuring a child for prostitution.
Some Labour MPs have questioned why Mandelson was chosen despite his long-standing friendship with Epstein, which continued after the conviction.
The government also faced scrutiny over why Starmer expressed "confidence" in Mandelson last week, when Mandelson had already admitted that "very embarrassing" messages were about to become public.
The dismissal followed the resignation of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister less than a week earlier, after she admitted underpaying property tax.
Both departures came soon after Starmer relaunched his government in an attempt to recover ground from Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage that has been leading national opinion polls for months. The next general election is not expected until 2029.
Labour MP Helen Hayes told BBC radio that questions about "the nature of the leadership" would arise if Labour performs badly in the May 2026 local elections.
Another Labour MP, Graham Stringer, told Times Radio that Starmer is "supping in the last-chance saloon," and that many in the party think he is "making mistakes and doing poorly at the job."
Asked on Channel 4 News whether he would resign if the party believed it was necessary, Starmer replied: "No, because I'm absolutely clear what the task is in front of me."
"We have a crossroads, really, in terms of the future of this country. We go forward with Labour for national renewal, a patriotic call about this country and taking this country forward, true patriotism, or we have division and decline under Reform," he said.
On Monday, the government faced another setback when senior aide Paul Ovenden resigned after comments he made in 2017 about Diane Abbott, Britain’s first black woman MP, resurfaced.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Trump said the suspect had been arrested earlier for 'terrible crimes,' including child sex abuse, grand theft auto and false imprisonment, but was released under the Biden administration because Cuba refused to take him back.
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has described Chandra Mouli “Bob” Nagamallaiah, the Indian-origin motel manager killed in Dallas, as a “well-respected person” and said the accused will face a first-degree murder charge.
Nagamallaiah, 50, was killed last week at the Downtown Suites motel by co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, a 37-year-old undocumented Cuban immigrant with a criminal history.
In his first remarks on the killing, Trump blamed the immigration policies of former president Joe Biden, calling the attacker an “illegal alien” who should have been deported.
“I am aware of the terrible reports regarding the murder of Chandra Nagamallaiah, a well-respected person in Dallas, Texas, who was brutally beheaded, in front of his wife and son, by an illegal alien from Cuba who should have never been in our country,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.
He added that the accused, who is in custody, “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law. He will be charged with murder in the first degree.”
Trump said the suspect had been arrested earlier for “terrible crimes,” including child sex abuse, grand theft auto and false imprisonment, but was released under the Biden administration because Cuba refused to take him back.
“Rest assured, the time for being soft on these illegal immigrant criminals is over under my watch! Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Border Czar Tom Homan, and many others in my Administration, are doing an incredible job in making America safe again,” Trump said.
Nagamallaiah, originally from Karnataka, was attacked with a machete in the motel where he lived and worked.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said he was horrified by Nagamallaiah’s murder, calling him a hardworking Indian-American immigrant who was killed in front of his wife and 18-year-old son. “My deepest condolences go to his family. The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he said.
Cobos-Martinez had been released from ICE custody earlier this year after Cuba refused his deportation because of his criminal record. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said the case highlights broader immigration challenges. “This is exactly why the Trump Administration was removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries such as Uganda and South Sudan,” she said.
The Consulate General of India in Houston is monitoring the case and providing consular support. Consul General DC Manjunath said the consulate “is in contact with the family and local authorities, offering all necessary assistance.”
The Indian-American community expressed shock. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America condemned the killing, calling it part of a disturbing national trend. “These tragedies highlight an alarming societal breakdown where political discord erodes cohesion, violence spreads unchecked, and government responses are mere lip service. We demand full investigations and a national inquiry into America’s collapsing civil dialogue,” it said.
Indiaspora, a global network of Indian-origin leaders, said it was “deeply saddened and horrified by the brutality of this crime” and condemned the act “in the strongest possible terms.” It added, “Every person deserves safety and dignity regardless of identity.”
Suhag Shukla, Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation, said the community was “shaken again” by the beheading. “In times like this, we must remember our shared humanity and choose patience and acceptance over violence,” she said.
Dallas Police said the killing was recorded on motel CCTV cameras. Cobos-Martinez remains jailed without bond pending trial.
Nagamallaiah’s funeral was held on September 13 in Flower Mound, Texas, attended by close family and friends. A fundraiser for his family has collected over USD 321,326. The case has renewed debate over immigration enforcement and the difficulties faced by US authorities when countries refuse to accept deportees.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Starmer talks with Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassador's residence on February 26, 2025 in Washington, DC.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer is facing questions within the Labour party after the sacking of US ambassador Peter Mandelson.
Mandelson was removed last week after Bloomberg published emails showing messages of support he sent following Jeffrey Epstein’s conviction for sex offences. The dismissal comes just ahead of US president Donald Trump’s state visit.
Labour MPs have expressed frustration with the prime minister’s leadership. Labour backbencher Richard Burgon told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Starmer would be “gone” if May’s elections in Scotland, Wales and England go badly. “If May’s elections go as people predict and the opinion polls predict, then I think Starmer will be gone at that time,” he said.
Helen Hayes told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that if the dismissal affected Labour’s performance in the May 2026 local elections, questions about Starmer’s leadership would follow. She said she felt “devastated” about Mandelson but argued he should not have been appointed.
Baroness Smith defended Starmer, telling BBC Breakfast that Burgon had never supported him. She admitted Mandelson’s sacking was “not what we would have wanted” before Trump’s visit but said the prime minister was doing a good job.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Alex Burghart demanded the release of documents related to Mandelson’s appointment, calling Starmer’s judgement “appalling.” He said the PM ignored warnings about Mandelson’s links to Epstein. Downing Street has said Starmer only learned of the emails on Wednesday and acted immediately.