I was at Barrow Hills between 2004 and 2012, during which time the Headmaster was Mr. Unsworth. After Barrow Hills I went on to study at Churcher’s College.
I joined the school in Pre-Prep, and I remember I had the most amazing teacher called Mrs Connelly. One time when I was crying and refusing to get out the car in the morning, she came out and persuaded me to go in (much to my mum’s surprise).
I loved my time at Barrow Hills! The friends I made, the teachers, the grounds, the school trips …! If I had to choose one thing, it would probably be the sports. I played football, hockey, rugby and cricket and remember looking forward to every Wednesday afternoon for matches.
I have lots of great memories. The Ardèche residential in Year 8 was a very special way to end my time there, sleeping under the stars on the canoeing expedition down the river was a highlight. Sports week every summer which was run by Mr Crisell was also incredible fun – doesn’t get much better than sports, games, forestry, swimming, and even a tuck shop in the sun.
Barrow Hills was the perfect environment for a kid – it felt very safe, supportive and offered amazing opportunities. The teachers made learning enjoyable and shaped the subjects I went on to study. Special mentions to Mrs Campbell-John (English and form tutor), Mrs Goddings (Maths) and Mr Hodgson-King (History).
After Churcher’s, I went to the University of Exeter to study ‘International Relations’ then a Masters in ‘Conflict, Security and Development’. From there, I worked at an NGO (Tech Against Terrorism) for three years focused on tackling terrorist content online, and doing research into how terrorists and extremists use the internet. Last summer (2024), I joined the Home Office as an analyst focusing on terrorism and extremism in the UK trying to understand and tackle causes of radicalisation.