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Westbourne School Student from Ukraine Heads to Oxford

Illia’s inspirational story was featured by BBC News.

Posted: 5th February 2025

Ukrainian student Illia’s education at Westbourne began with his relocation from his home country to Wales.

Recognising his academic potential, his host family recommended him to attend Westbourne School in Penarth, which is ranked #1 in the UK for Innovation (ISA), and #1 in the Vale for Results (Sunday Times Schools Guide). Illia was accepted as one of six students from Ukraine under Westbourne’s refugee scholarship scheme, which is part of the school’s commitment to supporting Ukrainian students and their families.

Thriving through Westbourne’s smaller class sizes and a more tailored approach to learning, Illia successfully excelled in his GCSEs with 10 A*/A grades. He made the natural progression to undertake the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in place of A Levels. The IB, globally recognised for the rich depth and breadth of education it provides, requires students to choose more subjects, so that their later university and career choices are not restricted by the traditional 3 A Level subjects.

90% of Westbourne School’s graduates progress to the world’s top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, the elite Russell Group and international equivalents, consistently ranking in the top 1-2% globally. Illia is set to join their ranks when he enrols in the University of Oxford’s prestigious PPE (Philosophy, Politics & Economics) course in October 2025.

Read BBC News’ article on Illia’s inspirational journey from Ukraine to Oxford here.

To study at Oxford has been my dream. I arrived in the UK as a refugee and my host family suggested I apply to Westbourne, which was a life-changing moment for me. With the support of the school, I was able to finish 11 GCSEs in one year. I have always really enjoyed Economics and at Westbourne, this interest deepened. I discovered the PPE course at Oxford and decided to apply. PPE goes hand-in-hand with Oxford, like Engineering at MIT or Law at Harvard.

Illia, Westbourne School IBDP Student 2024 (2025)

The IB Diploma: a stepping stone to Oxford

Awarded IB Diploma School of the Year, the IB Diploma Programme at Westbourne School is an immersive experience in academic excellence. The two-year course attracts the best young minds from a broad local and international community.

A report by the Higher Education Statistics Agency has found that in the UK, not only are IB students more likely to go to a top 20 ranked university, they are also more likely to achieve a first-class degree and be at the top of their university class.

Alongside six main subject choices, IB Diploma pupils study three core elements: Theory of Knowledge (ToK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS). All three elements are highly prized by university admissions teams for the advanced research and study skills they teach students.

“The IB offers you a broader range of subjects, so you gain wider knowledge”, reflected Illia. “I didn’t expect my knowledge of Computer Science to help me answer questions in my Oxford Philosophy interview, for example! The IB also improves your time management, study skills and teaches you to think deeply and more critically.”

During his time at Westbourne School, Illia was selected as one of four Head Pupils to lead and mentor the student community. He also organised and led the school’s Debating Club, took part in the prestigious Model United Nations scheme, and won two scholarships to summer schools in London, including a banking and finance study experience at UCL.

We are extremely proud of Illia for his remarkable achievement in overcoming adversity and achieving excellence.

Experience A Global Education at Westbourne College (Singapore)

Established in 2023, Westbourne College (Singapore) offers the IGCSE and IB Diploma Programme courses for students aged 14-18.

Across our three schools in Singapore, Australia, and the UK, Westbourne’s smaller size — and the resulting small group teaching and personalised attention — has long been a hallmark of our academic success. The launch of Westbourne’s pioneering “global classroom” – including real-time virtual link-ups connecting students and teachers across the globe, as well as lessons led by holographic-like teachers who appear in the room – is unique, transforming day-to-day learning and further enhancing our exceptional teaching. This innovation contributed to Westbourne School clinching the ISA Award for Innovation in Independent Education in 2024.

This latest technology now supports Westbourne International‘s students to access first-class teaching on-site across our campuses. Westbourne College (Singapore) is proud to deliver a truly global education to a network of students across three continents.