Our 2021 Head Girl Reflects on Leaving Redhill

Esther left Redhill on the 2nd July 2021 after a very successful results day. She was the Head Girl of 2020-2021 and we are thrilled that she left Redhill on a high and is now enrolled in Sixth Form. She is currently studying history, chemistry, and biology as well as a criminology AS level.

‘I chose these subjects because as well as being highly interesting, they also open many viable paths that I could potentially take after sixth form. I also thoroughly enjoy them which encourages to always put in 100% effort, especially through the tricky topics.’

‘GCSE science was a lesson I always enjoyed due to the engaging content and the brilliant teachers. This shaped how I felt choosing my A levels, as I knew GCSE level only just scraped the surfaces of Biology and Chemistry, so I was eager to delve deeper into studying them. Enjoying history since the start of Redhill meant that I was keen to learn and write about more stories from the past.’

 When reflecting on her time at Redhill, Esther said ‘I was always so comfortable in my surroundings. Starting sixth form was definitely a shock to my system as I was thrown into making new friends and familiarising myself with new teachers. However after a few weeks of adjusting, I started to settle into the new routine.'

‘All of my Redhill teachers were absolutely exceptional and I am very grateful to them all, but I would like to say a special thank you to all of the staff that had to put up with me for a whopping 5 years like all of the PE staff, my Spanish teacher, Mrs Drew and my form/maths teacher, Mr Shea.’

Esther also reflected on her role as Head Girl and what she and the Senior Team were able to do for their year group.

‘Despite the huge barrier of COVID blocking a good chunk of the year, I feel as though I successfully organised – with lots of help – an amazing finish of our secondary school life by having prom and a leavers day. These events were significant in my time at Redhill as they gave me a proper goodbye to the school I had spent the last 5 years learning at. ‘

What would your message of advice and encouragement be to the Year 7s of 2021-22?

‘My advice would be to make the most of your time at Redhill, because before you know it, you’ll be applying for college, sixth form or apprenticeships. You might find school boring and a chore, but it’s really a place to learn and grow and make amazing friendships and memories.’

Alongside her Sixth Form studies, Esther is committed to lots of extra curricular hobbies.

‘I am currently on the OSH netball team, playing other schools competitively and – sometimes – winning. I am a senior staff member at a local riding stables, teaching people of all ages the basics of riding a horse. To add to my busy schedule, I have a part time waitressing job at a restaurant/bar where I really enjoy working on the weekends.’

When asked about her plans for the future, Esther is very open to opportunities!

‘Honestly, my plans for the future are extremely clouded as I am very indecisive as to what I want my next steps to be. University was always the way to go for me, but I am recently having doubts and wondering if an apprenticeship would be more beneficial for myself. Animals have always been my passion, and I desperately want to fulfil this love, so I am currently weighing my options and deciding the best route for me to take.

Redhill helped me blossom into the person I am today, a determined hard worker always aiming to reach the top and be as best as I can possibly be. The school has also encouraged me to never give up, even when faced with major setbacks, such as missing nearly a whole year due to the pandemic. I will always be grateful to Redhill for the lessons it has taught me throughout an amazing 5 years, and I can only hope it does the same for countless other pupils.’