Twelve exceptionally gifted and community-minded West Midlands A Level students who are about to start at Cambridge University have won OCR bursaries to support their studies.

Jill Duffy, OCR’s Chief Executive, sent a special message to each of the students, congratulating them on their achievements. She commented: “Awarding the bursaries is a special pleasure for us at OCR. These students have all made the most of every opportunity and we hope the bursary will help them to carry on doing that at university. Their academic achievements are outstanding but they impressed us and their teachers in so many other ways.”

She added: “This year has been tougher than most for young people, and it makes their achievements even greater. One of the students even found time during lockdown to design an extension clip for facemasks for health-care professionals that has gone into production.”

Congratulations to OCR’s 2020 bursary winners:

Aron Alagaraj who attended Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School in Coventry

Ria Bacharach who attended King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls in Birmingham

Tyler Berks who attended City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College

Britney Caka who attended Caludon Castle School in Coventry

Jack Heath who attended Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group

Rayyaan Hector who attended King Edward VI Aston School in Birmingham

Zak Ismail who attended King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham

Abubakar Mohamud who attended Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham

Georgina Nicholls who attended Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School in Coventry

Fortina Oshasha who attended Caludon Castle School in Coventry

Riya Parshad who attended Sidney Stringer Academy in Coventry

Kogulan Vipulan who attended Bablake School in Coventry

Commenting on winning the bursary, Georgina Nichols said: “I was over the moon to be offered a place at Cambridge and didn’t think I could possibly be any happier - until I found out that I achieved the OCR bursary on top of that!”

Ria Bacharach said: “With the financial support, I am confident I can make the most of the amazing opportunities that will be available to me whilst studying at the University of Cambridge.”

Each bursary student will receive £3000 for every year of their undergraduate degree. They can use the money towards tuition or living costs, or a combination of both. Now in its 17th year, the OCR bursary helps students in the West Midlands to make the most of their studies at the University of Cambridge. The bursary fund arises out of OCR’s historical association with the West Midlands Examinations Board. OCR, which is part of Cambridge Assessment – Cambridge University’s international examinations group – incorporated the West Midlands Board at one time. OCR has had a base in Coventry for more than 25 years.