Shaun Bakunda, 18, came to Oldham College with no GCSEs at the age of 17.
This summer, he received an incredible three 9 grades in Maths, Biology and Chemistry, and an 8 in English.
Shaun, who is a UK citizen, was living in Uganda before the pandemic.
Following the Ugandan government’s decision to shut down schools after COVID hit, he and his family returned to the UK.
Shaun didn’t have any qualifications when he enrolled at Oldham College – but he committed himself to his studies and hasn’t looked back since.
“I want to thank Oldham College for giving me such a good education, and my family for putting me in a position to study,” he says. “It felt so great to open the envelope and see my grades, as I had worked so hard to achieve them.”
Shaun found GCSEs challenging as it took him time to get to grips with the content and adjust to studying in the UK.
“Some people understand things ‘just like that’, and others have to work to reach higher levels – I am definitely the latter,” he says.
“However, the support I received made me enjoy my time here. The classroom atmosphere was great and my tutors were so helpful. They were always there to offer guidance, they marked extra work that I brought in, and offered top-notch advice.”
Shaun is now studying A Levels at another Greater Manchester College and that’s the next step in his ambitions to study Medicine at university and to become a Neurosurgeon.
“My advice to anyone considering doing their GCSEs at Oldham College, for any reason, is to make the most of all the resources and support that they offer you.
“You get the best quality of education at Oldham College, but you have to put in work to make yourself proud in the long run.
“You should never give up – I found my faith in God helped with this – but you should always keep finding ways to get the best out of your education, out of every experience, and just enjoy it.”
Congratulations to Shaun from everyone at Oldham College – we are proud to have been a part of your career journey!
If you’ve been inspired by Shaun’s story, whatever your age or ability level, then you can download our latest prospectus or browse the Oldham College website – and find out how we can help to get you ready for the world of work.
Our next Open Day is on Saturday, November 12 (10am-1pm) for learners of all ages and levels. You can tour our facilities, meet expert tutors and see for yourself what Oldham College has to offer. Click here to pre-register.
