Ukrainian refugees celebrate A level results

Ukrainian refugees today celebrate receiving their A level results at a top independent school after fleeing the war two years ago. 

18-year-olds Ana Sandalova, Vitalii Klymenko, Stanislav Romaniuk and Ivanna Murashkovska were given free places at Millfield School, in Somerset, after the start of the conflict in 2022, to enable war affected children to safely continue with their education.   

They studied English as an Additional Language (EAL) alongside their A levels, music, art and sport interests and continued with parts of their Ukrainian education online. All four students achieved at least an advanced level in international English language exams, which combine reading, writing, listening and speaking, giving them access to any course at any UK university.

Ana and her family left their home in Kyiv immediately at the start of the conflict for safety, moving to Montenegro. She travelled to the UK on her own, while her parents and younger sister Eva stayed in Montenegro. An accomplished pianist, guitarist, singer and songwriter, Ana found solace in Millfield’s music department, performing in multiple concerts throughout her two years at the school. Ana said “I came to England because of the war but I never thought that I could study in a school like Millfield. All I wanted was to be in a safe place and continue my education. When I first came here it was really scary because of how massive the school is, but Millfield has so many students with different interests, backgrounds, people from different countries and cultures, so I found friends really easily. My life changed so much since I joined Millfield; I changed from being shy and scared of everything to being the most confident person on stage, able to perform to large audiences. All my dreams became reality because of this place. I cannot wait to be a successful musician and come back to Millfield one day to tell my story in one of the assemblies or even perform in a school concert.” Ana studied BTEC Music, Mathematics, and Business Studies at A level and is hoping to attend BIMM University, Brighton, to study popular music performance and music production. 

Water Polo fanatic Vitalii quickly settled into Millfield after fleeing Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. Missing his sporting passion, he persuaded Millfield’s Director of Swimming Euan Dale to let him set up a water polo team.  Vitalii has trained with the team three times a week in the school’s 50m pool and led them to victory in the English Schools Swimming Association Water Polo Bowl competition in their first year. Vitalii’s influence led to the forming of a girls’ water polo team. Vitalii said “I really appreciate Millfield for giving me the opportunity to play water polo. In Ukraine I couldn't do this during the war. I’ve been playing water polo for seven years, but I have never been a coach before, so it has been a great experience for me to be in a coach role here. I am really proud of the progress the programme has made and I hope that it can continue to grow even more in the coming years after I’ve left Millfield.” Vitalii achieved an exceptional A* in Mathematics alongside studying Physics and Computing and is attending the University of Manchester to study maths with finance.  

Ivanna joined Millfield in September 2023. She said “Studying at Millfield as a Ukrainian refugee has been a life-changing experience for me. Over the past two years, I’ve felt welcomed and supported by both teachers and fellow students. The kindness and dedication of everyone here has made me feel at home, even though I'm far from my homeland. Being able to study in such a supportive environment has allowed me to grow so much, both in my studies and as a person. My communication skills have significantly improved and I’m no longer afraid of speaking English with others. Millfield’s support has inspired me to do my best and most importantly, to help others.” Ivanna achieved AAB in Mathematics, Psychology and Art and is attending the University of Bath to study architecture.

Stanislav said, “Millfield is an ‘experience’, I can’t describe it any other way. Although I spent only a short time here, it’s definitely a place to remember, and it has changed me a lot. I have experienced many things, ups and downs, moments of victory and frustration, the challenges of revision and exams to the excitement of upcoming events and successes. Cultural shocks such as school uniform, attending Group Tutor every morning and trying new foods have all been part of my experience. There are many highlights from the last two years, but what I would want to highlight the most is the people I have met. Because of them I felt comfortable during my time in Millfield, even though it was a tough time for me; they helped me grow as a person and make progress in academics and sports. That’s what I will miss about Millfield the most.” Stanislav studied Government and Politics and Drama and is attending Queen Mary University, London, to study international relations.  

Headmaster Gavin Horgan said: “These young adults have shown huge courage, bravery and determination to throw themselves into learning in a completely different education system and to make the most of all the opportunities available to them, often in circumstances where their families were still back home experiencing the horrors of war. I have learnt a lot from them, as has the whole Millfield community. They are remarkable individuals and we will be following their future journeys with interest.”