Applying to a top uni with BAD GCSEs?

To me, your GCSE results seem very high overall and these are never given as much consideration as A-levels when applying to Uni. In addition to this your personal statement can be just as significant as your actual grades, especially when there is a lot of competition for places. What you really need to focus on for Oxford or Cambridge is the interview. And for this you need to compile and rehearse a selection of potential questions you think they might ask you about "studying law at Cambridge/Oxford" and make sure you include some of what you've said here, about how hard you studied, in the face of great upheaval-no English teacher for a year and also for part of the year for Sciences, this demonstrates your ability to do "self-directed study/learning", which is vital at Uni, and illustrates your commitment to furthering your own education. To find the possible questions you need to make contact with someone who's already there doing law or has been there doing law and quiz them! Good luck!