'Nowhere would take me': Leeds' Italian A-level ace who couldn't speak any English

The hard work and dedication students have to put in during the run up to sitting their A-level exams can be tough.
Alessadro Abdel Miseih celebrates his A level results at Leeds City College's Park Lane Campus this morning. Picture: Tony Johnson.Alessadro Abdel Miseih celebrates his A level results at Leeds City College's Park Lane Campus this morning. Picture: Tony Johnson.
Alessadro Abdel Miseih celebrates his A level results at Leeds City College's Park Lane Campus this morning. Picture: Tony Johnson.

But for Alessandro Abdel Miseih, just finding a college in Leeds that would take him on as a student was a challenge.

The 18-year-old, who achieved an A* and two As as students across the city opened their results today, arrived in Leeds in May 2015 after his family decided to move from Italy.Originally from Rome, the Leeds City College student could not speak any English when he began applying for colleges in Leeds to study his A-levels.

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“My English was really bad I couldn’t speak it at all when I first came here - nothing whatsoever,” says Alessandro, now speaking the language fluently.

“I was rejected by many schools so I was really pleased to get accepted by Leeds City College. They were actually the only one who did.”

With support from understanding teachers, the science whizz achieved an A* in biology and As in both chemistry and mathematics.

“I’m really pleased with my results because the A-levels are really hard,” he says.

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“When I first opened them, I was so nervous. I have been revising and done a lot of work for them.

Alessandro, who hopes to study medicine, has gone through UCAS' clearing system and is now waiting to hear back about offers from universities including York, Newcastle and Liverpool.

Next week, he will also receive his results for an English GCSE, which he studied alongside his A-levels at the college.

He urged other foreign students not to be put off by a language barrier, especially with scientific subjects.

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“Don’t look at not knowing English as a problem here,” he says.

“It doesn’t hinder you.

“It doesn’t really matter for those science at first as that is similar to other countries because the subjects are practical.”

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