I attended Rainhill High from years 7-11 and a lot of my friends stayed on to the 6th form which influenced my decision to stay on. I also liked the teachers in the subjects I was going to take at A level. I enjoyed the social aspect, Sixth Form enabled me to really start to socialise with others, as I was quite quiet and studious in high school. The teachers we had were first class and always encouraging to the students. In particular, given I went on to study sports science at university, I learnt a lot from the PE department and it helped ignite my interest in physiology (alongside my biology classes)

I liked the smaller class sizes and the comfort that having pre-existing relationships with teachers gave to me. I’d really enjoyed my time at Rainhill High and the Sixth Form seemed like the natural next step. The thing I really enjoyed about Rainhill Sixth Form, apart from the bacon butties that were available in the Bistro, was the support that the teachers gave you to go beyond your comfort zone and try new things. I also really liked the way that teachers really valued you as a person. Sixth Form gave me the confidence to express myself and show leadership. I really became interested in law and politics through the School Council and while I was at Sixth Form, I set up an Inter School Council that would bring students from every school across St Helens together to solve issues that mattered to all of us.

I chose Rainhill Sixth as I had already established a good relationship with the teachers and because of the smaller class sizes. I most enjoyed my trip to India with 12 other Sixth Form students with the expedition company True Adventure. I went on the month-long trip at the end of Y12, back in 2013 and whilst there we renovated a local school and completed a trek through the Himalayas. It was one of the best experiences of my life and one which I still hold close to my heart 7 years later. Rainhill Sixth Form gave me the opportunity to attend an Engineering Career Fair in Liverpool – it was at this event that I was most intrigued by Civil Engineering as a career, and ultimately what inspired me to study it in University. The advice from staff regarding further study was also spot on. All teachers are so approachable.