VICTORIES come in many forms, and few more bittersweet than for Banbury Academy’s Maryam Masood.

The 18-year-old was devastated after her father, Muhammad Masood, died suddenly on February 27 this year.

In the aftermath, Miss Masood saw her grades fall.

But she bounced back and with the help of staff was able to secure a place at her first-choice university.

Miss Masood, from Grimsbury, said: “When my dad passed away I just stopped everything.

“I went away to Pakistan for two weeks with my mum, and when I came back it was really difficult. My grades dropped.

“But staff gave me all the support I needed and more. I was studying quite hard near exams, staying back quite late and coming in really early.”

Yesterday Miss Masood arrived at the academy’s Ruskin Road campus for her results along with 102 other students.

With a C in art and design, an E in English language and a D in health and social care, Miss Masood will be off to Northampton University in September to study fashion design.