A-level success for Derby student who fled Syria with brother and beat cancer

Two brothers who settled in Derby after fleeing from Syria are looking forward to a bright future after achieving top A-level grades.

Zaher and Nasr Ali came to the UK in 2007 because they faced being arrested, along with their mother and father, by the Syrian Government over their father Mahmoud’s political beliefs.

Now they are both off to university after achieving a string of As in their A-levels at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby, despite coming to the UK with no English.

Zaher was also diagnosed with blood cancer last August and has managed only 60 per cent attendance at school after being extremely ill while undergoing chemotherapy.

He said:

Nasr, 18, said he was thrilled with his results and was now excited about his future – which could have been very different if he had stayed in Syria.

He said:

Mr Ali was a member of the Palestenian Democracy Union, which was in opposition to the Syrian Government.

Nasr, of Normaton, said that one day armed soldiers sent by the Syrian Government knocked on their door looking for their father.

He said:

Zaher, 20, said that when the brothers arrived in the UK they struggled with the language barrier.

He said:

Zaher achieved an A in Maths, an A in Arabic and a B in Further Maths and has a place to study Actuarial Science at Kingston University in London.

Nasr achieved an A an Maths, an A in Further Maths and an A in Arabic and will go onto study Mathematical Science at City University London.

KevinGritton, Deputy Head teacher at Saint Benedict, said: