Newsletter
Winter 2018
Being successful and feeling successful
Sukai’s ready to make her mark at Cranleigh AMBITIOUS Eastlea student Sukai Secka has won a £76,000 scholarship to a top fee-paying sixth form in Surrey. The Year 11 will swap Canning Town for a sleepy village in Surrey when she takes up her place at Cranleigh School to study A-Levels in English literature, politics and history next September. Notable alumni at the independent school include film director Patrick Marber, former Guardian newspaper editor Alan Rusbridger and Conservative MP Adam Holloway. The Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy (EYLA) supported Sukai through the application process, which included writing personal statements and preparing for entrance exams and a selection interview. Sukai, who wants be a politician, was offered a place after coming through a gruelling assessment day that included an entrance exams and interviews with tutors. She said: “I can’t wait to get to my new school and start shaking things up a little bit. It is a very white and middle to upper-class environment. “I got on very well with the students on my assessment day because they are all very motivated to do well. I am like that too. “I am also different to them because I grew up in East London, which is quite a tough place and has lots of diversity. “The reason I think they accepted me was because I offer a very different perspective on
life to their current students. It will be good for me but I think it will also be very positive for the other students at the school. Everyone should know how to mix with a diverse range of people.” Sukai follows in the footsteps of former pupils Iyanuoluwa Agbedejobi and Teniola Akinola, who have won places at fee-paying schools. Iyanuoluwa took up a £33,000-a-year place at Wellington College in 2017, while Teniola joined City of London Freemen’s School last September on a £30,000 scholarship. Sukai also thanked the EYLA and Eastlea Community School for giving her the support and motivation to apply. She said “EYL A and my school have been amazing – not just in helping me to apply but also giving me the confidence and belief. “When you see students from your own school go on to do these amazing things, you start to believe it is possible for you.” Headteacher Stephen Gillatt said: “Like Iyanuoluwa and Teniola before her, Sukai has set the bar for other students to follow. “As headteacher at this school I can tell you there is no shortage of intelligence or ambition. What we are instilling in our students is the confidence and belief that they can achieve. “This is now the third year in a row the school has sent students to top fee-paying schools. We want our students to see the success of their peers and be inspired.”
Next step: Sukai will study A-Levels
Students come to terms with the rule of law GCSE Citizenship students learned about the rule of law during a workshop run by top academics. Pupils were taught about the application of the law, and the consequence if it is not followed, by representatives from the independent research institute, the Bingham Centre. They also learned about democracy via role play activities where they were put in the place of politicians asked to represent someone who does not have the
power to vote. Humanities teacher Ms Bhanu said: “Students enjoyed the sessions and appreciated the opportunity to have their voices heard. It was also a unique opportunity to gain insight into a crucial element of society from experts at the Bingham Centre. “Some students did have a brief idea of what the rule of law is. The session deepened their knowledge and understanding, which will help them to confidently apply it in exams.”
Eastlea Community School newsletter n Winter 2018