WHEN Iqra Mazhar arrived in Scotland from Italy four years ago she barely spoke any English.

But thanks to the support she's had at Shawlands Academy the teenager is now celebrating securing seven Highers with five As and two Bs.

And she's now fluent in English - her third language.

The 17-year-old said: "When my new classmates spoke they spoke so quickly that I couldn't understand what they were saying.

"It was quite tough, quite hard for me because it was a completely fresh start.

"The class system in Italy is completely different as well but my teachers and friends were so supportive."

Her hard work has paid off and the fifth year pupil gained Highers in Maths, English, Computing, Physics and Geography.

Iqra speaks Urdu at home with her mum and dad but the rest of the family speak Italian to one another.

So she thought she would add on two more certificates to her brace of Highers, sitting Higher Urdu and Italian.

For Italian, Iqra didn't need much additional study but she took an extra class a week to improve her written Urdu.

Iqra, from Pollokshaws, now has high hopes to study medicine at Glasgow University.

But first she has to get through sixth year with two more Highers and two more Advanced Highers.

Iqra was one of more than 11,000 young people in Glasgow receiving her exam results yesterday

Rachel Sweeney was also over the moon yesterday as she becomes the first pupil from her school to go up to Oxford.

The Knightswood Secondary School pupils has big ambitions to work in a career that will benefit the environment.

Rachel received her results watched by her proud mum Karen - who is a cleaner at the same school.

The 17-year-old said: "I originally wanted to go to Cambridge but I went to summers schools and preferred Oxford.

"My school linked me up with a mentor, who helped with the application process and going through the entry interview.

"Going through the entry interview wasn't as intimidating as I expected, not as scary."

Rachel plans to study Chemistry and is excited to get started in the next chapter of her studies.

She said: "All of Oxford is built around the university so there is so much to do for students. I can't wait.

"I'm the only one of my friends going away to university but that's what I want - to have some independence and learn to rely on myself.

"For other pupils thinking about Oxford or Cambridge, I would tell them just to go for it.

"You get five choices on your UCAS form so there's no harm in putting one down and you never know where it will lead."

Headteacher Kay Dingwall said: "Everyone in the school is already so very proud of her.

"Rachel epitomises ‘growth mindset’ and is a really lovely, unassuming but confident young lady with a very bright future in a STEM career."

Aya Al Haj Ali only arrived in Scotland two years ago from Syria but she is already showing her potential as an asset to her school.

The 18-year-old gained five Highers yesterday, scoring an impressive four As and one B.

She plans to stay on for sixth year in order to get the Advanced Highers she needs to gain a place studying dentistry.

Rosshall Academy pupil Aya said: "I have always had a passion to study anything related to health so I had been looking at studying medicine or dentistry but I was attracted to dentistry the most.

"In Syria there were a lot of people who needed help and who were not able to get that help so I want to do something where I can assist people."

Aya, who arrived in Scotland in 2016, sat her National 5s at Lourdes Secondary School but moved to Rosshall for her Highers.

She has had to do a lot of self study at home and so her results are a real success for Aya.

The teenager said: "Mrs Mitchell, my headteacher, has been really supportive with a lot of things, not just classes.

"I have friends here now and everyone has really helped me a lot."