Bea shares her exciting plans after receiving a brilliant set of A Level results

How challenging has it been for your final year at Tudor? 

My final year at Tudor was challenging, as the amount of pressure faced in Lower Sixth increased quite significantly. For our year, it was particularly overwhelming facing the A-level exam period, as for many of us, our last public exam sat was Common Entrance, due to the cancellation of our GCSEs. Finding out from exam boards the advanced information for our A-level exams was also a stressful moment as when it first came out there was a lot of confusion for our year group. However, after teachers carefully read it through and explained it to us, it soon became clear what the information was telling us and how we could use it to our advantage.  

Despite the work pressure, Upper Sixth was one of my best years at Tudor as we all really began to appreciate life at Tudor so much more, given that we only had little time left. We also managed to balance out work with a manageable amount of co-curricular, which for me, sports was a big part of.   

Tell us about the support you received both from staff and your fellow students. 

Throughout my time at Tudor, there has been an endless amount of support from staff and for that, I am so grateful. Being a small school, the teachers know all the pupils so well and would do anything to help us, whether that be finding time for a 1-on-1 meeting, clinics, marking extra work with a quick turn around and so much more. On the pastoral side of things, house-mistresses, tutors and Mrs Simlett have always been there from the beginning, checking in on us regularly and welcoming themselves to chat to any of us, if needed.  

Of course, a whole lot of support came from the amazing friendships we have all formed. Collaborative work during exam periods was undoubtedly a particularly useful revision strategy and we relied on each other to have a catch up and fun, when having our breaks. Everyone in our year all played a huge role throughout the years, creating close-knit friendships, that will last a lifetime.  

What's next for you? 

I am about to start my gap year in which includes working for a few months in England, working in a bar in Sydney for 2 months and travelling around South-East Asia, with Tudor friends of course! I will start Edinburgh University in September 2023, where I am studying Business and Economics, which I am very excited about. I am yet to discover future career plans after uni, but would love to start up my own business one day! 

What will you miss most about being at school? 

It is very difficult to pinpoint what I will miss the most about Tudor, as there are so many things that will be undoubtedly missed very much. I think the key ones for me would be the huge support and encouragement that the staff have given me over the past 5 years, always being there for you and going above and beyond to help pupils when it is needed. I will of course miss living with my whole year group, chatting in dorms and just being around them all everyday. Lunches in the dining room were a big highlight for all of us during study leave, as it was nice to have a long break, with delicious food – Thursday lunches were definitely the favourite!  

In one sentence, describe what you got most out of a Tudor Hall education. 

A huge sense of community and ongoing support from the school that enabled us to thrive in our chosen subjects and co-curricular activities.  

Do you have any advice for girls who are about to enter Sixth Form in September? 

Make sure you are choosing subjects you genuinely have a passion for, as this will make the next 2 years of work, a lot easier. Don’t leave your work until last minute, giving it your best from the start and keeping on top of notes throughout Lower and Upper Sixth, will save you so much time when it comes to your A-level exams. It is so important to keep up with co-curricular, so that you maintain a healthy work balance, especially in Lower Sixth, when you have more time. And finally, make the most of your next two years, as they will fly by very quickly!