Abdul Bazina, Head Boy at Outwood Academy Riverside, will attend Eton College on a full scholarship as a recipient of the Orwell Award.
Named after George Orwell, who was himself a recipient of a scholarship at Eton, the award is aimed at state school boys and offers a life-changing opportunity for those with academic potential.
Applicants are means-tested, alongside considerations of other criteria such as being in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, being the first in the family with the potential to go to university, being a Looked After Child or having refugee status.
The school has many notable alumni including, Princes William and Harry, former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson, and Hollywood actors Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.
The scholarship will provide full boarding for Abdul, while he studies for his A-Levels in maths, further maths, biology, chemistry and physics.
Abdul said: “Everyone at school has been rooting for me; it is a brilliant school and I’m very grateful for the support they’ve given me.
“Eton College is an amazing place and the Orwell Award will allow me to become part of it. I hope that I can show other people that their background shouldn’t be a barrier to success. I would encourage anyone ready to make the most of Eton’s opportunities to apply - go for it!”
Fellow Year 11 student, Hisain Marzug performed exceptionally well on the entrance exams for Harrow School and after further assessment, he was granted admission with a 95% bursary. He plans on studying A-Levels in maths, physics, chemistry and biology. Old Harrovians to note are Sir Winston Churchill, Benedict Cumberbatch CBE and Lord Byron.
Hisain said: “Success is no accident. It is a combination of hard work, resilience, sacrifice and most of all love for what you are doing. After a rigorous application process, I am delighted to receive a scholarship at Harrow.”
Aside from post-16 study, Year 11 students Oluwaferanmi Ojo-Moses and Anjolaoluwa Ojo, from the academy, will attend the ‘Calculating Women’ summer school at King's College Cambridge this summer, making them two of only 30 students selected from across the country.
Temitope and Babatunde Ojo, parents of Anjolaoluwa, commented on the opportunity: “As parents, there's no greater joy than seeing our children thrive. Anjola's school has provided the perfect environment for growth, exploration and discovery. We are confident that this opportunity will pave a very bright future for our daughter.”
Outwood Academy Riverside opened in September 2020 and was rated ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted in June 2023. It is the first free school within the Outwood family of schools, which allows for flexibility in the curriculum. Students at the school benefit from prestigious speech and drama qualifications delivered by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), participate in the Andrew Lloyd Webber-backed Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST) programme which gives all students classical instrument tuition and this summer, students will join others from across the Outwood family of schools to embark on an unforgettable, four-week trip to Cambodia with Camps International. The school also has a Combined Cadet Force programme, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, which engages students in activities which develop valuable life skills like first aid and navigation, and create a sense of responsibility and service to their community.
Melissa Brant-Smith, Principal at the academy, said: “It fills me with immense pride to see our students gain admission to such esteemed institutions. Their dedication and hard work during their time with us have earned them every opportunity to excel in their chosen paths.
“As we approach summer and the departure of our Year 11 cohort; our founding students, I hope that securing places at prestigious establishments like Eton College, Harrow School, and the University of Cambridge will become a lasting legacy for Riverside.”