Quads go separate ways ... all to top universities

Born just a few minutes apart, quadruplets Tayo, Tobi, Tosin and Tolu Oke were today celebrating their A-levels in the way they studied for them - as a quartet.

Now, for the first time in their lives, they are about to go their separate ways to university.

The 18-year-old siblings from Woolwich said they owed their success to encouragement from their inspirational single mother, Julie.

Between them they achieved five As and seven B or C grades.

Tayo explained: "Our mum really encouraged us and prepared us from a young age to take control of our own learning." Tobi added: "We've realised that aiming for the highest is really going to help us. At first we were probably pushed on but now we see it as the best way to help ourselves."

Some of their classes at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College in Clapham overlapped and they helped each other with revision. They said it would be strange to leave each other's company as they embarked on separate university careers next month.

Tosin said: "We've always shared the same friends, especially me and my brother, so when he's not there I'll miss him in a way." Tolu added: "Our mum, being a single mum, has always taught us to be independent and lay our own foundations so even though going to uni is a massive step and a strange city, it's a welcome experience."

They also said they would not miss being referred to as "quad one or quad two" by people who could not remember their names, or being asked if they had ESP with their siblings.

Tolu is going to Cambridge to read history after she scored good marks in history, sociology and English. Tobi will study English at Goldsmiths College, London, after success in his English, sociology and history A-levels. Tayo, who has a place at Manchester to study business, scored well in business, sociology and biology. Tosin will also study business, at Queen Mary, University of London after he achieved good grades in sociology, business and IT.

Bernie Borland, principal of their sixth form college, said: "They're typical of the kind of students we have... London should be proud of them."

Across the city a student from Afghanistan who spoke little English three years ago. today discovered he scored four As in his A-levels, securing himself a place at Oxford.

Waheed Safi, 18, who now lives in Southall, arrived in England three years ago after his family was forced to flee their homeland.

At the time he rejected offers to take a catch-up course in English and began studying GCSEs. At Uxbridge College he focused at A-level on his passion for maths and science and has been offered a place at Somerville College to study engineering science.