3 minute read
Sixth Form Funded Places
from Impact Report 2022
Next Article
A SENSE OF BELONGING
Back in September 2021, Hamza started at Radley in the 6.1 year on a fully funded place.
He joined us from Broadway Academy in Perry Barr, Birmingham. Broadway is a close partner school of Radley, and we work together for mutual benefit in academic study, co-curricular activities, and social events. Hamza and his family live locally to Broadway, and he enjoys going back to speak to students about his Radley experience.
At the end of his first year, Hamza flourished in all senses. This culminated in him being awarded the prestigious Malcolm Robinson Memorial Fund Scholarship, which allowed him to travel to William and Mary College in the USA for a three-week summer course in Early American History.
Being awarded a place at Radley was the dream I never had. My two–year Radley career will undoubtedly be one of the most surreal, transformative and accomplishing journeys I ever live to experience. But it certainly doesn’t end there. New challenges, thrilling opportunities and lifelong bonds I have discovered right from the onset will yield limitless successes and exciting new pathways in later life. Every step along the way I am pushing myself to find, reach and exceed my true potential. And this is owed to the remarkable support from the students, staff and wider community around me ever since I stepped onto the Radley grounds.
I am a firm believer of “everything happens for a reason”. This philosophy could not have been more true than on a day last summer that will forever live in my memory. I was on a Broadway school trip beside a lake engaging in tent–building and problem–solving activities with a few boys (who I later found to be from H Social!) from “Radley College” – a school that I never had any previous interaction with or indeed had heard of. It was only a matter of minutes before our commonalities became apparent, and myself and a Don immersed ourselves in a deep conversation as if we’d known each other for years! Little did I know this moment would be the start of a journey which led me to being awarded a place at Radley.
On that day at the lake, I didn’t fully appreciate the value of networking with people from different backgrounds or the intrinsic power of partnerships in igniting the connection between our worlds. This particular interaction kindled the life–changing experience that awaited me round the corner and all of the amazing opportunities I have enjoyed ever since. Radley is a uniquely shaped microcosm for establishing oneself and making an impact in the wider world.
"A year on, I cannot begin to express how much of a blessing it is to have been able to bring my background and ethos to Radley. It has furthered my understanding and appreciation for not only other cultures, but also my very own."
I look back on the flurry of emotions I underwent in the weeks before starting at Radley. Where many would count down the days with sheer excitement to start a chapter at such a beautiful environment, I found myself with a completely opposite mindset – often burying my mind in dread, fear and anxiety. This, however, changed dramatically when I, much to my surprise, settled in beautifully. I felt championed and an instant sense of belonging upon walking into the infectious love, camaraderie and energy in H Social and it certainly carried me through the transitioning phase to such an extraordinarily different environment. Living with a house of bold, talented and eccentric characters fuelled my willingness to throw myself into the array of facilities and endless opportunities Radley has to offer – from swimming and rowing to CCF and Scottish reeling.
I am forever honoured for the privileges of being a part of both the Radley community and the H Social family because without them, I would never have found the framework to develop into the well–rounded young man I am today. Both will always proudly represent a part of my identity no matter what avenue I decide to venture down.
For countless reasons, I am indebted to Radley and very much hope other boys continue to be given the opportunity to thrive at and enjoy Radley as I have.
