Alumni Revisit

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

My fondest memories from Adcote School are deeply tied to the people and experiences that shaped my journey. Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. Barnett, and Mrs. Lewis stand out, as they recognised and nurtured my burgeoning interest in biology, chemistry, and psychology, sparking my passion for neuroscience.

I loved all the Borders trips, especially the adventures to Alton Towers, Shrewsbury, and Birmingham. But equally memorable were the cosy evenings spent staying in, enjoying movie nights, or competing in Just Dance contests.

Looking back, it’s the small moments that have left a lasting impact—the peaceful walks around Adcote’s beautiful grounds, the Friday afternoon Christian Union meetings with different sweet treats brought by the reverend, and the shared lunch breaks with friends. Another cherished memory is the Rotary International Day sale, a mix of panic and satisfaction, and celebrating Chinese New Year, which offered a beautiful glimpse into the cultures of fellow boarders. These experiences collectively fostered a sense of belonging and joy that continues to inspire me.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

Adcote played a significant role in shaping my personal and professional journey. As a prefect, I honed my leadership skills, learning how to guide and inspire others. The school helped me discover my academic interests and strengths, providing a solid foundation for my future pursuits. Additionally, I was introduced to meditation and mindfulness, which have become essential practices in managing stress and staying focused. The emphasis on connections and key values like confidence, leadership, and resilience taught me that achieving my goals is not just about hard work, but also about the relationships I build and the character I develop.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

Went to the University of Edinburgh and completed my bachelor’s in neuroscience, but during that time, I was a very active member of a few societies:

• Modern Dance and Cheerleading Societies: I competed with them and attended competitions in Newcastle, Dundee, and Manchester (we won each time!).
• Meditation Society: I became treasurer in my final year and organised talks with inspiring speakers.
• Reeling Society (traditional Scottish dance)
• Surfing Society (yes, you can surf in Scotland!)
• Photography Society: I was a member and attended their events.

I lived in Mallorca and Fuerteventura over two summers for four months in each location, working as a fitness entertainer during the day—organising Pilates, yoga, and Zumba—and creating shows and performances during the night, including “The Greatest Showman.” This overall experience was super fun and developed my public speaking skills and helped improve my German and Spanish.

During my second year, I started my personal training business on the side and a small social media account about fitness, wellness, and figuring out your 20s. Now, I am collaborating with two main brands: MyProtein and Prozis.

In my final year, I started running and decided to complete the Edinburgh Marathon, raising a little money for Alzheimer’s Research (£100). I finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes (which I’m still proud of because I had only been running for a year).

During marathon prep, I finished my dissertation on the potential of stem cells to model sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. In May, I officially graduated with First Class Honours.

Currently, I am spending my first summer in Scotland working as a tour guide and completing an internship at the Centre for Brain Science in Edinburgh Neuroscience—working on the optogenetic control of tagging engram cells in mice hippocampal slices. In my free time, I am committed to visiting all places within the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. I am really passionate about Scotland, its history, and hidden gems, so I am making the most of my ASVA card (a tour guide card that lets you attend all these places for free!). I have (almost) checked off all attractions in Edinburgh and Lothians and now I am moving to the Highlands and trying further destinations (but I don’t have a car, so I need to plan these in advance).

From September, I am hoping to start my Masters in Integrative Neuroscience, also at the University of Edinburgh (because I have truly fallen in love with it, and they won’t get rid of me that easily).

Looking forward, after my master’s, depending on which project feels more like me, I will be exploring memory in health or disease—either staying in Alzheimer’s research and improving the translation of scientific discoveries to a lay audience or moving to the biotechnology industry to work with tools improving cognitive health. As much public speaking as possible—I love it. We will see, but either way, I am excited for the next steps and extremely grateful for my education.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I stay connected with the Adcote community primarily through my friendship with Katie. We’re both at the same university, which makes it easy for us to catch up regularly. We often meet up to explore attractions in Edinburgh, and we’ve made it a point to visit museums, local cafes, and historical sites together.

In addition to our in-person meetups, we stay connected online with girls from the grades below and above us. We have an active group chat where we share advice, celebrate achievements, and keep each other updated about our lives. This network has been a wonderful source of support and camaraderie.

Katie and I are also planning a visit to Adcote in September. We’re hoping to speak with the new sixth-formers, sharing our experiences and insights to help guide them. We’d love to give talks on university life and the transition from school to higher education.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

My fondest memories are the memories I made with friends. Especially during the scary time of exams and preparing to go out into the world at uni, I was grateful for the laughter, camaraderie and support I had from my friends at the time.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

Being an international boarding student at Adcote taught me to be independent, introduced me to a variety of different cultures, and helped me broaden my view of the world. It gave me the courage to believe that if I could learn these things so young at school, I would have the confidence to take up whatever was in my future.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

Currently, I work for the government in healthcare, managing and supporting the data security of thousands of patients across the country.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

Get to know people who are different to you. It can be nerve-wracking stepping out of your shell at first, but it is so worth it!

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I occasionally have meetups with former classmates. We’re living completely different lives now, but when we meet up, it always feels like we never left! I love catching up with them and hearing how their lives have blossomed.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

There were many fond memories from my time at Adcote School.

Experiences as a boarder:

• Weekly games and activities with Mrs Said and Ms/ Mrs Wendy and other boarders in the common room. For instance, game nights, going to the polytunnels for gardening and doing arts and crafts. It was so fun and helped me relieve academic stress. I was very grateful for how much the matron cared for us students. I rarely suffer from homesick during my time at Adcote and I think it’s due to the warm the caring environment provided by the matrons and teachers.
• Being able to live with friends and make connections and form bonds, such as weekend activities for boarders. Gave me real insights of sharing spaces with others, prepare me for university. Learning the importance of having a rota and routine, as well as being accountable for our responsibilities.
• Walk in the gardens/ fields with friends. I struggled with my mental health in my first year of uni. Little do I knew back then how important those walks were to my mental health! I now see it as a privilege to have open spaces so accessible to relax in. It was my version of mindfulness activity and really helped me “bounce back”, improving my resilience (as part of CLEAR!).

Experiences as a student:

• I loved how attentive and understanding the teachers were at Adcote. It was clear that  they understood how to treat international students equally and have a high cultural competence, which I appreciate very much and never took for granted. This created an inclusive and welcoming studying environment for me to grow and thrive in.
• First and foremost I’d like to thank Mrs S Warner for being my teacher in English Literature and tutor whom was sadly passed away. She believed in me when I didn’t believed in myself. Her energy and passion was like a ray of sunshine to me. The way she re-enact Lady Macbeth’s quote in class was so vivid that I can still remember to this day. She was always so loving, kind-hearted, attentive, caring, and genuine. Before graduating from Adcote, she gave everyone in class a note of words that she’s typed herself. I cherish this note dearly, I look at it every time I feel like giving up and it gave me courage to persevere. I will embrace all the qualities she shown me in my future practice as I have now graduated as a social worker.
• I would like to thank Mrs Pragg for pushing me to do better. I have equipped knowledge of the history of England through English literature such as Oliver Twist. The learning of the context enriched my understanding in social in/justice and in/equality which were important elements in social work.
• I would like to thank Ms Pugh for teaching me Psychology. I enjoyed every single class of learning. The lessons helped me built foundation understanding of the Attachment theory,  social learning model, and research methods, which have helped me in my academic journey, as well as my placements where I worked with different group of service users. Being able to understand reason behind certain behaviours allowed me to embrace a more empathetic approach in practice.
• Thank you Mrs Besterman, Mr Farmer, Mrs Gardner, who used to be my class teacher. And all the teachers who have taught me.
• Whilst living in such a turbulent world with so many things happening everyday, Adcote School was a place where I feel safe and can truly be myself. Having said I’m an international student, school life back home was a struggle to me. That is why I really appreciate the small class approach at Adcote. The teachers were able to provide support individually both inside and outside of class. The patience they have was impeccable. This was very valuable for me as a “slow learner”.

Overall, the diverse experience at Adcote allowed me to become more independent, gave me time and space to discover my interests, and reflect on my own strengths. It is a place encompassed by knowledge and skills, personal growth, and flourishing friendships with people all around the world.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

I have completed two placements within my three years and recently graduated from the university of Portsmouth, planning to apply for social work roles in adult safeguarding.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

Please reach out for help and support whenever you’re struggling. You are no lesser than anyone by showing your vulnerability. Make good use of resources around you, speak to your tutor, your friends, or your family. If things get difficult at university, there would be well-being teams and counsellors for you to communicate.

For students who have high standards for themselves, if you do “badly” in exams, I can assure you it is not the end of the world. It is about having consistency, resilience, and perseverance. It takes courage to restart something which you knew you had failed before. But it’s ok because you’ll get better at it each time you bounces back. I myself had to repeat in year 10 due to personal circumstances. It was daunting at first, however that was also the year I managed to catch up with most of my studies and received great support and feedback from teachers.

Are there any insights or advice you wish you had known?

I am sure this doesn’t happen to everyone and so this is a personal experience I’d like to share. The only “down side” Id say for my experience at Adcote was how everything was so well planned for me/ students. As a boarder and student, prep time, study period, meal time, laundry time, sheets changing time, were all planned and organised for us. I took it all for granted and relied on those routines so much so that I felt very lost in my first year at uni acknowledging that there would be none of those at all! 

Things which I underestimated included how much effort it takes to plan for each meal, budgeting, and time needed for cooking and washing. I took quite a long time to adapt to the transition from being in a very structured environment to a completely “free” environment.

Therefore my advice for those who may experience this in the future include the following:

• Regular communication with your lecturers/ tutors. This will allow you to monitor your own progress, also it’s a time to letting them know if you need any support or advice.
• Learn to cook during weekends or in spare time, doesn’t have to be complicated meals. There are loads of easy tutorials online.
• Body doubling ( find a friend or flatmate to to the tasks together with such as laundry or cooking) this would increase your motivation and efficiency in doing the tasks.
• Join societies, if not then try volunteering or part time jobs. These would actually be activities that fill out your time table, which makes you automatically plan tasks and chores around them as they’re “fixed” events and happen regularly. They will be great additions to your CVs after you graduate as well!

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I stay connected with fellow alumni via social media and WhatsApp. I would text and catch up with them to see how they’re doing.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

My fondest memory of Adcote was the Tea Club every Thursday. It felt like a home away from home with all the chatter, lavender scones, and cheerful atmosphere.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

I graduated from Adcote in 2017 and went on to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Oxford.

I firmly believe that education and health are two driving forces that can profoundly change a person’s life. My journey as an entrepreneur reflects this belief, as I work to make an impact in both fields. I lead Lafiya Nigeria, a global health non-profit organisation with the mission of providing access to contraception to end maternal mortality. Additionally, I founded Oxford Academica, an educational consultancy that helps students gain admission to the world’s best universities and unlock their future potential.

In 2024 I received the Diana Award. This incredible recognition is a testament to the impactful work we’ve been doing at Lafiya Nigeria, championing access to family planning and reproductive health in underserved communities.

The Diana Award, established in memory of Princess Diana, is the most prestigious accolade given to young people creating positive chance through social action or humanitarian efforts. To be recognised as part of this global community of change makers is both inspiring and humbling.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

My time at Adcote helped me become more independent and confident. I became more comfortable with taking risks, which led me to explore opportunities I initially did not even think about, such as studying at Oxford or becoming an entrepreneur.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

My advice would be not to rush. Graduating Adcote, I thought I needed to know the direction of my career path but, truthfully, I had no idea. It took me many more years of trying out different paths to finally find something that makes me happy and fulfilled. I wish I knew that there is plenty of time ahead.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

Despite the fact that we are all in different countries, I am still in touch with my school classmates and always welcome the opportunity to meet and catch up when our paths cross once in a while.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

Every Biology class and Biology field trip with Mrs Barnett were a blast. Dissecting fish, the heart, going crab fishing… I don’t think that I would be so enchanted by the field if not for her encouragement, enthusiasm and passion.

I also loved the bonfire nights and pumpkin carving competitions. Whenever the season comes, the memories swiftly come to my mind and make me smile.

I additionally will never forget the gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition on canoes. That adventure really shaped my personality by making me realise how resilient I can be if I want to. It also carried a lot of smiles, laughs and deep conversations that still live with me as vividly as if they happened yesterday.

Lastly, I cannot explain how valuable the Christian Union and Rev were for me to build my character. Without those evenings with hot chocolate and debating life, I don’t think I would be who I am now, in terms of having so much more compassion, patience and understanding for myself and others.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

I am currently doing a PhD in Clinical Medicine at Imperial College London under the Imperial President’s scholarship. My research is focused on investigating signalling pathways linked to aneuploidy in a 3D model of early human embryo, generated using human embryonic stem cells. I am additionally active in the synthetic biology scene as an iGEM ambassador for Europe. As part of that role I am giving talks at international conferences, judge scientific projects, help in the organisation of synthetic biology events and communities.

In my private life, I live in London together with my Adcote roommate of 2 years – Kili Leung. I frequently travel to different countries, love taking pictures and am addicted to collecting postcards.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

Adcote made me more comfortable making friends and navigating university life as it allowed me to gain independence quicker than majority of other peers. It also made me more open-minded, allowing me to easily connect with individuals from different countries and form international friendship groups. It additionally made me become a strong, independent young woman, who is not scared to speak her mind no matter the surrounding she is in.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

Stay open-minded. Don’t over-stress. Enjoy everyday. It’s not the end of the day if you don’t get what you were aiming for initially. Just keep all the doors open and stay curious. There’s many different ways to achieve your goal. Sometimes you need to take a longer route, other-times you might realise that your initial goal was not something that you would’ve enjoyed as much. Everything happens for a reason. Be kind, surround yourself with good people and stay true to yourself. Everything else will fall into place. You are your own limit.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I moved in with my Adcote roommate! 🙂 we also call other Adcote friends from time to time and try to visit each other once a year.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

I graduated from Adcote in 2023 and I am studying Biomedical science at Kings College London. I remember how much I enjoyed spending time with my friends on the front field, which has now become my favourite pastime at uni.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

After my degree, I plan to further my studies with a masters degree in Biomedical science.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

My experience at Adcote significantly built up my confidence, enabling me to speak publicly due to my Deputy Head girl role, and meet new people with ease.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

It is ok to not be perfect. It is perfectly ok to have some subjects where you are not as strong.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I stay connected with my school friends regularly and visit the school and staff every year. 

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

It would be impossible for me to pick just one! Of course, the annual events like Sports Day and the Christmas and summer productions are very fond memories, but I think my sixth-form experience in general was a really forming time for me in terms of discovering who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. I connected with the subjects like I never had before with the small classes and individual conversations with teachers. Every time I think back to my days at Adcote it makes me feel happy!

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

I’m currently studying Italian and Management at UCL, a degree which draws from a broad spectrum of topics and allows me to explore my varied interests. I’m absolutely loving London life and am so grateful for the opportunity to be here, given I originally applied to study architecture! It was only through the support of the sixth-form team – particularly Miss Barker, my art teacher, and Mrs Tribe, my UCAS tutor – that I was able to realise the best way to unite my passions when choosing a degree and get a clearer idea of where I wanted to go in the future.

I’m currently working on the UCL Consultancy Challenge, where I’ve been assigned to a team developing fundraising solutions for the British Red Cross in London. This summer I’ve secured a placement at the Berlin Opera Academy as an apprentice Assistant Director, where I’ll work alongside creatives from some of Europe’s largest opera houses on two productions from July to September. It won’t come as any surprise to the Adcote staff that I’m really excited to start my journey into this industry which I hope to continue during my third year abroad in Italy and later a graduate job.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

I think the biggest thing was the personalisation and flexibility to explore areas that interested you, which comes as a result of the classes being so small and the teachers really getting to know you. The EPQ was an opportunity for me to put my interests in an academic context – same for A-Level Art – and let me see how I could incorporate these into my professional life. I think the fact I was able to explore my own ideas for careers with the continuous support of the staff, who were always available for advice or just to chat, was one of the biggest helps in understanding where I wanted to go after school.

I have a really specific memory of an Adcote alumna at UCL who made a video about her experience and it was shown in assembly about 5 years ago. When she was describing her time here I remember thinking “That sounds amazing, maybe I should go there”. And here I am!

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

Do as much as you can! Apply for jobs, extracurriculars and online courses, read books, watch documentaries or even scroll online – leave no stone unturned for potential interests or niches that resonate with you. Even if you try something once and never again, this is a time where the more you know about yourself and what you want to get out of life, the better you’ll feel going into the real world and the more you’ll stand out against the competition.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I still chat with my friends from GCSEs and A-Levels all the time by WhatsApp or meeting up – one of my best friends from GCSE, Aimee, is in the same university hall as me right now! I’ve met so many new people at uni but the ones I made at Adcote will be with me for life. And I still chat to Adcote staff as well, in the Autumn term I even came in to talk to the Year 12s which I loved!

What is your fondest memory from your time at Adcote School?

As a boarder , my favourite moment is after supper, walking in a peaceful, nice sunset along the long path from the castle to front entrance. We found flowers, mushrooms and all kinds of lovely animals along our way. The sky mixes colour of orange, purple and pink, I felt so calm and settle. That the moment I’m away from daily life and truly enjoy myself.

What are you currently doing in your career or personal life?

I’m a PhD student in University College London doing things about coastal hydrology and ecology.

How did your time at Adcote shape your personal and professional journey?

I had developed language and professional skills in Adcote. To date, I still benefit from the things I learnt in Adcote. Because of the nice experience I had in Adcote, I continued my study in the UK and still stay here.

What advice would you give to Adcote Students?

Enjoy your teenage time and explore all your possibilities. Keep yourself safe but open to new things and challenges. There are soooo many ways of life and there’s never too late if you want to try something bit different.

How do you stay connected with the Adcote community and fellow alumni?

I am always happy to chat to my fellow peers.