Colchester County High School for Girls

Message to current CCHSG Students: Don't give up on your interests beyond academia - you can balance something creative that you love along with what you might like to pursue as a career and get so much joy from doing so. Arts are one of the most important parts of your education - don't neglect them!

After CCHSG:
University of York Integrated Masters in Chemistry (With a year in abroad)
I completed my Masters research project at Tohoku University in Japan. After graduating, I began a job as a Regulatory Specialist at Reckitt, before applying for the 4-year PhD project I am currently working on at the University of Warwick. I have maintained music as part of my life all throughout my degree, joining the ensembles at university and even pursuing conducting. I occasionally take part in paid gigs in amateur musical theatre productions as a reed player alongside my regular work.

Proudest Achievement:
Completing my year abroad and achieving a first-class grade in my project, balancing language study, cultural integration, and the academic challenges of a Masters research project.

Message to current CCHSG Students: Never lose the confidence you have, especially if you go into male-dominated environment post 18! I really wish someone had told me that. It took me three years of my degree to get that confidence back!

After CCHSG:
MSci Physics at Imperial College London
During my degree I worked on the first data analysis from a satellite instrument built at Imperial and launched/managed by the European Space Agency (ESA). I created outreach resources for school children about careers in the UK space industry which the UK Space Agency then took on a tour around the country!

Proudest Achievement:
Travelling to Washington DC to give a talk at a conference, and publishing my first paper.

Message to current CCHSG Students: Don't worry about making your mind up about what you want to do right now. You can always change paths and it is amazing what opens up to you if you have a strong set of skills and a variety of interests.

After CCHSG:
University of Durham Psychology & Sociology
After completing my degree I went on to do a Masters in Physiotherapy at the University of Essex, and worked as a physio including with the All Blacks, the Welsh national team and at London 2012. I then moved into teaching and started teaching Psychology at Felsted School. I moved to Haileybury College to continue to teach Psychology and became a boarding housemistress. I spent 6 years doing this before starting my new role as an Assistant Head.

Proudest Achievements:
Our son! And completing a degree and a Masters.