Starring role for Nepalese student

Bhuwan Gurung, a pupil at Risedale Sports and Community College, North Yorkshire, achieved eight A * and A grades in his results yesterday

Bhuwan, of Catterick, who only learned to speak English after joining Risedale in 2010, is the first non-native speaker in the college’s history to achieve such outstanding results.

Based at Hipswell, Catterick Garrison, 40 per cent of Risedale’s students are from Armed Forces families and 25 per cent arrive or leave at some time during their schooldays.

Bhuwan, 16, who gained six A*s in biology, chemistry, geography, maths, physics and religious education and two A grades in information technology and PE, will be continuing his education at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington.

He was one of four Risedale pupils to gain eight A* and A grades – the others were Ashia Blackmore, Kier Mackie and Jake Sims, all 16 – with the college achieving an overall pass rate of 62 per cent for all pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C.

“I believe that anyone can achieve their ambitions if they work hard,” said Bhuwan, who is to study maths, further maths, economics and physics at A-level.

“With dedication, hard work and help from my teachers I not only succeeded but exceeded all my expectations.”

Risedale Sports and Community College’s associate head teacher John Kelly added: “It is so good to see individual students overcome their challenges to exceed in their exams.”

He is the second Nepalese student to make history at a Yorkshire school in the space of a week.

Muyuma Rai, who is originally from Kathmandu, became the first person from Barnsley Academy, which opened in 2006, to take on four A-levels.

The 18-year-old received A grades in biology, chemistry, maths and psychology in his results last week.