MY BURSARY STORY CHLOE WARD

MY BURSARY STORY

BY CHLOE WARD (17-19)

My name is Chloe, I am currently reading English at the University of Cambridge, and I was a bursary student at the RGS for Sixth Form between 2017-2019. Before Sixth Form, I attended my local state school and applied to RGS without much confidence in my academic abilities. While education is about so much more than finances, I’m keenly aware of the fact that I would not be where I am today without the opportunities provided to me in receiving a bursary to the RGS.

The greatest shock I experienced in coming to the RGS was the sheer number of resources available to me. In Spanish, I was used to learning set phrases in a crowded class to prepare for my exam, while at A Level, I had weekly one-to-one speaking sessions. The English Department completely broadened my horizons and gave me access to any and all reading materials I needed for both my A Level, and eventually my Cambridge application. In both of these subjects I had been used to sitting in classes of up to 33 students, whereas the small group teaching in Sixth Form allowed for teachers to give each student detailed feedback. Outside of my English Literature classes, I was a member of the Reading Group, in which I engaged in critical discussions about literature, fostering a passion for English that led me to apply to read it at undergraduate level.

In Art, it was astounding to have an entire department’s worth of resources and space at my disposal. I quickly developed enthusiasm for performance art, creating unique sculptural costumes with which to perform dances, and learning to edit videos for my final coursework piece. At first, having no oil painting experience, I tentatively took life classes in the hope of developing a new skill. I loved taking these classes, and through experimenting and painting anatomy I even used oil paint for my final exam piece. I never imagined I would be able to paint, let alone for my A Level exam.

Some of the highlights have to include the times I performed in the theatre. I was part of four productions over the two years – Fiddler on the Roof, Arcadia, and Coram Boy as dancer and actress, Addams Family as co-choreographer. The latter was performed in the same week as my Cambridge interview – it was certainly a stressful one!

I also received tailored advice on my university application, something which simply was not available at my old school. In applying to Oxbridge, a student needs to be completely prepared for entrance exams and interviews as well as submitting a personal statement. The English Department gave me the courage not only to apply in the first place, but also to have confidence in myself through the application process. I am part of the first generation in my family to attend university, and am the first person to attend Oxbridge, something which I still cannot quite get my head around even now.

When I first arrived at the RGS, I was so grateful for these opportunities that I knew I had to dedicate every moment I had to making use of absolutely everything on offer. But I think it became so much more than that. Each time I walked through the RGS reception in Year 12, I would always look at the display showing all of the bursary donors, just to remind myself of how lucky I was to be there, but one day I realised that I had forgotten. This was not because I appreciated the bursary any less, but because I knew that the RGS had become somewhere that I genuinely belonged. I was part of an academic community filled with like-minded students who each had their own ambitions and were driven to achieve whatever goals they set. It is in this environment that I felt myself truly thrive.

I walked away from the RGS with a place at Cambridge and 2A*s and an A in my exams (one mark off a perfect set unfortunately). More importantly, I was equipped with the skills I needed to succeed: confidence in myself, critical thinking, creativity, and a desire to learn.