"I was hit by a car": Portsmouth Grammar student bags uni spot despite being knocked off bike months before exams

Diarmuid Bailey, 18, was expecting a much worse outcome this morning when he arrived at The Portsmouth Grammar School to collect his results this morning (August 15). To his surprise he has managed to secure three B’s in his chosen subjects which has confirmed his place at his first choice university. The reasoning behind his uncertainty at the outcome of his results stem from his involvement in a road traffic accident where he was hit by a car and knocked off of his bike at a roundabout. The incident, which happened a month before his exams, resulted in a broken wrist and his arm being plastered up.

He said: “My exams were worse than I was expecting but I still got into my first choice university which I was really happy about so I am just looking forward to that in September.

“I was expecting three A’s but I got three B’s instead.

“I was hit by a car - I was just going round a roundabout on my road bike and was knocked off by a car just before my 18th birthday and then I was put in plaster becuse I had broken my wrist just a month before A-levels so I was revising and rebuilding my wrist. I was exhausted everyday. So I was just really worried it was going to impact my A-levels because I thought I would be in less of a stable position to go in and do them but it turned out to be okay.”

Diarmuid studied maths, history and physics at the school and his determination pushed him through depsite being injured.

Mr Wickes, head of Portsmouth Grammar School, said: “It is a delight to see the success of pupils who joined our community in the Sixth Form.

“Our aim is to help them transition quickly into their new surroundings and then provide ongoing guidance, support and inspiration as they continue their journey with us. Seeing what they have achieved not only today but throughout their time with us as well as the universities to which they are headed is simply fantastic.”

For more information about The Portsmouth Grammar School, click here.

For more updates regarding A-level results, click here.