You will often hear me saying that we want our girls to confidently forge their own path, and that we see our role as helping them reach their own next step on their educational journey. It is this personalised approach which makes our Sixth Form so unique, and means that we are able to support and guide each of our Year 13 pupils towards the higher education pathway that they want. This will be unique for each pupil and helping them to develop their individual ambitions is a genuine joy. This week, I was reminded again about what a truly individual approach leads to at Sutton High, with three girls speaking with me about celebrating their own next steps, each so different and each so worth celebrating.
Josie has received offers to all five Conservatoires that she applied to. As a truly gifted flautist (many of you will have been fortunate in hearing her play at our Music Concerts), this was not a surprise to me, because I have always imagined Josie at the Royal Albert Hall, in front of an orchestra. However, statistically, to gain all five offers is astounding, and I am delighted that Josie has now accepted her offer to read Music at the Royal Academy.
Gabby, our Deputy Head Girl, bounded in to my office with Mrs Harvey to tell me that she has a place at Oxford to read English and History. Again, having heard Gabby’s public speaking, having seen her leading in many areas of school life and having understood her passion for both English and History, I was unsurprised that Oxford have recognised the enormous potential she has.
Another of our Student Leadership Team, Hawra, is already holding offers from two Russell Group universities, Cardiff and Liverpool, to read Communications and Media. Hawra has always been a pupil others look up to, her own communication skills are excellent and she is an approachable leader, who will doubtless excel in in the field she has chosen.
And these are just three of the journeys celebrated this week. Other offers currently held by our Year 13 include Law at Warwick, History at Durham, Chemistry, Green Principles and Sustainable Processes at York, Geography at KCL, Physical Education and Coaching Science at Birmingham, Computer Science at Queen Mary’s, London, Architecture at Liverpool, Politics and International Relations at Nottingham, Medicine at Brunel, Chemical Engineering at UCL, Psychology at Sheffield and Multimedia Sports Journalism at Bournemouth. These offers, of the hundreds received by our girls, give some sense of the sheer range of specialisms our pupils pursue, and reflect the individualised support they receive from Mrs Lenaghan (Head of Careers), Mrs Harvey (Assistant Head: Sixth Form) and our whole teaching team.
It will always be our aim to ensure that all of our Sixth Form, like each of our pupils across the school, are known and celebrated as individuals, and that their successes are not judged against national trends and data, but against their own ambitions, plans and dreams.