York College adult learner Mao Chen has secured a job with West Yorkshire Police at the age of 52 after gaining exceptional GCSE grades today.
Mao secured a 9 in Maths and a 7 in English Language and will now become a Uniformed Police Officer, before pursuing a detective pathway in two years’ time.
His academic and vocational success comes just nine years after moving to the UK from China, so that his son could experience the education system in this country and he too has now graduated from York College this summer and is preparing to study Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham.
Mao has also insisted his own education journey won’t end here and he is even considering A Levels next!
Mao said:
I was happy with my results but not surprised. They were close to my estimation.
I always welcome challenges, as they make me strong and self-content, and I will keep doing more courses in the future. All of my previous education was in China, so language was a big barrier, but I’ve been lucky to be fully supported by York College – a place that I love.
It’s inclusive, friendly and welcoming and I always feel comfortable and at home here. It’s a high-standard educational establishment, but it’s been more like a loving family member who always cares for and supports you, so I’d like to say a big thank you from me, my son and my family.
I’ve enjoyed every lesson along the way and I also want to say a special thanks to my tutors Judy (Gresty), Bob (Stevens) and Martin (Waller) for all their help.
On his new career, Mao added: “I am joining the police force in West Yorkshire and I have done many jobs in the past, but it is always education that lifted me upwards.”
Mao was unable to collect his results this morning, as he was in China, but many other students celebrated success in their English, Maths and Biology exams on Campus with family members and tutors.
College staff were also on hand to offer support in terms of next steps for anybody who did not quite achieve the grades they expected or wanted.
Among the students celebrating was Sian Duffield, who will finally be able to progress into Higher Education after gaining a 4 in English at the sixth attempt.
Sian explained:
I got my Maths GCSE at the first attempt, but this was the sixth time I’d done my English GCSE.
Throughout all that time, I’ve just been aiming to get a 4 and have been just short of it the last three years, so I’m very glad to have finally got it.
I can now do a Higher Education course in Education Professions and I’m interested in becoming a Teaching Assistant or getting a job in stage management. Having my English GCSE means my options are now open for the future.
Milo Bove, meanwhile, admitted feeling a “bit light-headed” after securing a 6 in English.
Milo:
I’ve been trying for the past three years and have always been two or three marks off a pass, so I was expecting a 4 at most.
This was my fourth attempt and I’ve just stuck at it.
I’m now going to do an Apprenticeship in Bar Work and Waitering at Pear Tree Farm.
For Hamad Sajjad Ahmed, his Grade 4 in Maths means he can now pursue his aspiration to become an electrician or plumber.
Hamad said:
I can’t even speak,” Hamad said after learning his results. “It feels brilliant to get a 4.
I want to become an electrician or a plumber, but couldn’t get on a course until I got a 4, so I’ve kept trying and have got it at my fourth attempt. I can do the course now and stay at College, where I’ve made lots of friends.
Winnie Parry’s 5 grades in English and Maths will allow her to take the next steps towards an eventual university education and she declared: “I feel a lot of relief and am happy that the work I have put in was rewarded. I needed my GCSEs to progress onto Level 3 study at College and, whilst I was confident with my English, I thought I was going to fail Maths.
Winnie said:
But I worked so hard at it and did a lot of revision in my lunch hours and I’m really pleased I’m staying on at College now. I’ve ended up with a big social circle of friends here, made lots of good memories and the tutors have been supportive.
I’m going to study Level 3 Music, which will allow me to go to university, because I’d like to do a Music Production & Performance degree in Manchester.
A Grade 4 in Maths also saw Sophie Chaplin full of smiles:
I’m very happy.
This was my third attempt at Maths and I was also only three marks off a 3 in English, so College are going to pay for that exam to be looked at again and it might get changed to a 4.
I’m starting a Beauty Aesthetics Apprenticeship at Grantley Hall next month and I want to get as high as I can in my Beauty career, so getting my GCSEs will definitely help with that.
York College Principal & Chief Executive Ken Merry expressed his pride at those students whose “resilience and determination” enabled them to achieve their desired grades and also stressed that full support will be provided for those who did not meet their targets.
Ken Merry said:
Today is an important moment for our GCSE students, many of whom have shown real resilience and determination by taking these exams again. We are incredibly proud of everyone who has achieved the Grade 4 or above that they have been working towards – it is a significant achievement and opens the door to their next steps.
For those who haven’t quite reached that milestone this time, today does not define what they are capable of.
Progress matters and we will continue to support and encourage them to keep going. I’d like to thank our students for their hard work and our staff for the commitment, encouragement and support they have given them throughout the year.
