No-one has ever claimed that the first term of Year 13 is light work, and with university applications in motion, and trying to balance the responsibility of being Head Student with my personal well-being has been challenging. The daunting prospect of considering an abundance of career paths and options for higher education has become far less stressful with the help of various resources. The Head of Futures, Miss Day, has been instrumental in helping me to consider all my options, from the bi-weekly Wollstonecraft lectures for sixth form to the regular support sessions and catch-ups with members of the sixth form team. This support has undoubtedly made this transitional time as smooth as it possibly could be. Even with my early application, I have never felt rushed and feel as though the school has prepared me well to start my journey in the medical field. Earlier in my school career, trips days used to involve a break from the classroom environment, but now I am endlessly grateful for the focus on UCAS and the extra time and support from teachers including 1:1 meetings to work on our individual personal statements. That said, writing my personal statement has been significantly helped by the encouragement from the school to run our own societies and attend lectures, seminars, and masterclasses.  

At school I am always driven to be more curious and independent. The upcoming Model United Nations conference and a conference on leadership are just two events that the school has arranged to help build confidence, character, and independence. This, alongside hearing successful career stories from various professions, has put me in good stead to both apply to university and also to feel confident attending university and taking further steps to achieve my career aspirations. Since the Junior School, Blackheath High has always encouraged pursuing STEM-related passions and as a result, I feel well set up to study Physics at university. The satisfaction of getting down to the root of a challenging problem in Physics or understanding a complex problem mirrors the rewarding nature of being Head Student, both of which I am incredibly grateful to the school for facilitating. In line with this precept, the Team of Student Leaders have proposed a new system of school councillors and representatives that we intend to put in place this half term. The proposed plan involves teams of representatives for wellbeing, environment, charity, diversity and inclusion, and the usual form captains. By setting up the student body in this way, we intend to give a voice to anyone with something to say and offer the opportunity to be involved in hustings from a younger age to develop confidence in every pupil. As always, it is a pleasure to be able to communicate the ideas of other students and to enact change where it is wanted.