Parklands Alumni

JOIN OUR PARKLANDS HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ALL WE NEED FROM YOU: Email phsalumni@parklandsacademy.co.uk -

WHAT YEAR YOU ATTENDED PARKLANDS - WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? - WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? - A PHOTO FROM YOUR DAYS AT PARKLANDS OR A PHOTO OF YOU NOW You will then join our list of Alumni pupils. We will share your stories with current pupils and offer you opportunities to engage with our school community.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Miss Nicola Greaves Past pupil 2000-2005 - current PE Teacher

Dear Parklands High School Alumni, It is our aim that after five happy, challenging and productive years with us, Parklands students should leave our school as well-qualified young adults who have a broad outlook and a concern and respect for others. We also aim for them to have a self-confidence which will enable them to be successful in achieving their goals and fulfilling their ambitions, and to play a valuable part in the future of their world.

As a school we are excited to hear about what goals and ambitions you have achieved since leaving us. We hope to inspire our present pupils and really celebrate the former pupils who walked down the Parklands corridors once upon a time.

If you would like to be part of our Alumni, all we need to begin with is an email from you, letting us know the year you left, what you are doing now and how have you got there. We know that there have been a wide range of routes taken by our former students before reaching their final destination and we really look forward to hearing yours.

If you are interested please email phsalumni@parklandsacademy.co.uk and we will put your details on file. Don’t worry, you will not be inundated with emails. We will just keep you up-to-date with events and invitations should you wish to come back and visit.

Wherever you are now, and whatever you are doing at this stage in your life, we hope you will take some time to reflect on what Parklands High School has meant to you.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Parklands High School Alumni

BRAINNE EDGE After finishing my last GCSE in the main hall, I got on a plane and moved to America for two years where I attended the James Madison Memorial High School in Madison, Wisconsin for a further two years.

Upon returning back in the UK I embarked on a BTEC in Art and Design.

My main interest was photography, sparked off by Mr Pennington back when I was at Parklands. This interest moved into Videography, which then moved into performance for screen. Over time I accumulated a 1st class Degree and a Masters in Film and Video. In 2001 I started the UK's only ComedySportz Improv Comedy troupe (the rest are in the USA and Germany), this began at the Chorley Little Theatre and since went on to be in residence at the Comedy Store in Manchester, The Royal Exchange and Sale Waterside Arts Theatre... to name a few.

Our 15th birthday show is back at Chorley Little Theatre on 20th November this year. We tour the country and the USA regularly, still with members of our original Chorley cast as part of the company.

When I'm not running my business I'm a lecturer in Media, Performance and Comedy at Salford University and the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

SHARON MARSHALL Years ago your teachers taught me to love English and public speaking - both of which have been at the heart of my writing and broadcasting career.

My career post Parklands went: Blackburn College – A Levels and journalism training.

Journalist – reporting for national titles including The Guardian, the Express, the Daily Star, the Mail on Sunday. Columnist: The Sunday People/The Sun. Published Author: Tabloid Girl. (dramatised autobiography). The book has now been released in several languages.

The Naughty Girl’s Guide to Life (a comedy spoof self help book co-written with Tara Palmer-Tomkinson) Screenwriter: EastEnders, Emmerdale. (multiple episodes, core writing team for both) Presenting work includes: This Morning, ITV1 (2002 to date)

Tom Barker I am a junior doctor based in Liverpool but I'm currently on my second 'gap year' travelling around the World and experiencing medicine in other countries. After finishing 'Parkies' in 2005 I went to Runshaw College for 2 years to study 4 A-levels; Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Business Studies.

I then took my first gap year where I travelled across Europe and Australia and volunteered in a hospital in Seattle, USA. I then spent 5 years studying Medicine at Liverpool University and also had the opportunity to travel to South East Asia and Africa, including carrying out my medical elective in Tanzania. I graduated from Liverpool University Medical School with an honours degree in 2013. I then spent 3 years working as a junior doctor in Aintree Hospital, Liverpool.

I am currently on my second 'gap year' and have just returned from volunteering in a hospital in Nepal, trekking to Everest Base Camp and travelling through India. My next stop is Australia and New Zealand and then on to exploring South America before resuming my junior doctor training as an A&E doctor in Liverpool.

Rachel Humphrey I left Parklands in 1999. Time has gone so fast! I remember looking at the walls of past students photographs and wondering what they are doing now.

I loved English Literature and wish more than anything that I could take a class like that now every week - going to see the Royal Shakespeare Company in Manchester was one of my best memories. It was also on a brilliant school trip to London, to visit the art galleries, that I promised myself I'd live there one day.

I am now the PR Director at Birchbox UK. Birchbox launched in New York in 2010 and is the first Beauty Subscription box service. I lead the UK PR team and our offices are in Oxford Circus. I live in Brixton, London, with my husband and baby daughter Penelope. One of my best friends who I still message or speak to everyday is a friend I met at Parklands.

DAVID BURGESS

I left Parklands in 1995 and completed my A-Levels at Runshaw College. I went on to study Law at Sheffield Hallam University. After university I spent 3 months working as a paralegal at a law firm in Vienna and returned to the UK to complete my Legal Practice Certificate (LPC) at The College of Law. After getting my LPC I started my training contract at Schillings, a firm based in London that specialises in areas of law such as defamation and privacy. After qualifying as a solicitor I went on to work as an in-house solicitor for MTV, The Hearst Corporation (who publish magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Men's Health and Reveal), The Independent and Evening Standard Newspapers. I then established my own law firm called Reviewed & Cleared which provides pre-publication and pre-broadcast legal advice to national newspaper publishers, magazine publishers, book publishers, website owners, broadcasters and independent production companies. We now have 4 lawyers working full time.

I really enjoyed my time at Parklands and the teachers were always on hand to help us achieve our goals. Mr Edwards, my form tutor in year 11, was always there to give advice and I will always appreciate the start Parklands gave me. One thing to remember is that success doesn’t just come from ambition. It comes from absolute investment in what you do. You need to work hard. Study hard.

The first job you land might not be your dream job, but if you work incredibly hard in that job you might eventually get to the job you want. Always make the most of the job that you’re doing and take away and learn as much as you can.

Angela Burgess I left Parklands in 1999 and completed my A-Levels at Runshaw College. I went on to study Media at Salford University and after graduation I started working in television production as a Runner, working my way up the ranks on shows like Big Brother and Fame Academy. After working in London for 5 Years I set off to backpack around Asia and eventually settled in Sydney. I am now the Network Executive Production Manager for Channel Ten, one of Australia’s free to air commercial channels. I oversee budgets, legal agreements and logistics for shows such as Gogglebox, Australian Survivor and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. I love my job, working in television is rewarding, fun and challenging and although the hours can be long and the days exhausting. I’m always proud of what we put to air and what I’ve achieved at the end of the day. Parklands laid some excellent foundations for my education and working life. It was at Parklands that I realised that I could achieve great results if I put in the effort - something that was as true then in my studies as it is today in my career.

Linzi Kellett

Since leaving Parklands High School in 2005 I have achieved a great career in the hairdressing industry. I left school and started an apprenticeship with Preston college and did my NVQ L2 whilst working in a small village salon.

During my apprenticeship I learned all the hairdressing techniques through theory work in college and practical work in salon. Each week I got myself models to practise on and be assessed on to complete my NVQ L2. After 2 years in the small salon I decided to progress and move to a town centre salon; this was called Regis.

There I went on to complete my NVQ level 3 through Runshaw College. This was completed over about 18 months. I then moved on to a new salon which is where I am today. 7 years I have been working at Foran and Blake and I have progressed from a stylist, to senior stylist and now I am in the Design Team. In my 7 years there I have built up a huge clientele which allows me to earn lots of commission each month. I am part of a team of 18 stylists and thoroughly enjoy my job, I work with the best of friends and have 2 great bosses that support me. I have also completed an NVQ in Customer Service through Runshaw College. Other courses I have completed are hair extensions, barbering and shaving. It's a great industry to be in and it opens up many opportunities.

I have also attended many hairdressing awards with the team, we have been finalists in the British hairdressing awards a few times now. It's a skill that I will always have and never lose. I wasn't the most academic at school however I did my best and with the right attitude and determination I believe you can achieve a great career whatever that may be. I loved my time at Parklands and made some lifelong friends.

My favorite memory was when I took part in the Romanian exchange, this was a huge eye-opener and something I will never forget!

I still see some of my old teachers when they come in for their regular colours and cuts.

TIM BOOTH Parklands is much more than just a school, it doesn’t just teach you how to pass your exams, it's a place that gives everyone the chance to succeed. It’s a place where everyone can work closely together as one community.

Academically you definitely get pushed, there’s so much support to stretch yourself. You make friendships here that you will never lose. Parklands allowed me to be myself and I found towards the end of my time there wanting to explore my artistic side. I was nothing but encouraged and a couple of years later was awarded a scholarship to train at The Northern Ballet School (Manchester) and since graduating have sung and danced my way around the world on cruise ships, appeared in UK tours of musicals and voiced TV adverts and much more!

Parklands provided me with the foundation I needed to enter the world a confident, hardworking and respectful person and I consider myself lucky I got to attend such a great school.

MARTIN WHEWELL Since leaving Parklands I went on to study A-Levels at Runshaw College. Then on to study Sport and Exercise Science at UCLan where I graduated with a first class honours degree during which I undertook a voluntary then paid position at Wigan Warriors RLFC as a youth and first team strength and conditioning coach for 3 years. I also worked as a strength and conditioning coach at Rochdale FC, Jamaica International and also at North West Tennis High Performance Centre. I then completed a PGCE and taught sport science BTEC, A-Level PE and also Foundation Degree Sport Science for a year.

During the summer holidays every year since 2011 I have travelled to Africa and Uganda in particular where I independently volunteered in rural villages. I have travelled to over 40 countries during breaks from work and also worked for 3 different charities in Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Zambia) and also for Christian Aid in the UK. Following my positions with larger charities over the last few years and gaining more international development experience, in 2015 I became the co-founder of a UK registered charity that supports locally-led development projects in the rural village of Kanyashande, south west Uganda, where I first lived and volunteered when I was 18 and where I have co-designed projects in my spare time for the last 6 years. The charity that I am the co-founder of is called The Zuri Project Uganda and we empower, engage and enrich the lives of a rural community on the border of Uganda and Congo.www.zuriprojectuganda.org Following the initiation of the charity I have also been awarded the Paul Harris Award for 'bringing peace around the world' from the Rotary Club International.

Holly Smith, Jack Catterall and Tom Smith I started Runshaw College but left after 3 months as I managed to get myself a trainee architectural technician position at Redrow Homes.

From here I went 1 day a week to Preston College for 2 years, getting a Btech in Construction then a further 2 years at Bolton uni getting a HNC in Built Environment. I was then fully qualified and promoted as an Architectural Technician which is basically doing the technical and working drawings for all house types in Lancashire. I stayed at Redrow until 2012 when I managed to get a position as a Designer for Barratt Homes in Manchester. My job is to design the developments and obtain planning consent for all the North West developments.

Along with my full time job I co-own a restaurant (Little Hong Kong) with my brother Jack Catterall (left Parklands in 2003) which we have been running since 2012. Jack has also just taken over the pub next door, The Dressers Arms, which I've been able to help more with as I'm currently on maternity leave.

I've been lucky enough to travel with Tom Smith (another former pupil) and his cricket team which has taken us to South Africa, Australia, Dubai and Sri Lanka. We got married in 2014 and are parents to Dougie who is now 6 months old.

Nicola Wignall (Maddock) My name is Nicola Wignall (nee Maddock). I started Parklands in 1998 and quickly realised that I loved school and joined all the teams. I played WD in the Netball team and 2nd base in rounders, throughout my five years. Beating St Michael's in the final of the district rounders tournament is still one of my favourite memories. I am married to Mike who is a Chartered Surveyor and we have three children.

My favourite subject was Maths so yes, I was a bit of a swot. In Year 11, I was made Senior Prefect which is still something that is on my CV. I left Parklands in 2003 with 2 A*s, 5 As, 5 Bs along with the German Award and then went on to Runshaw College where I studied English Lit, Business Studies, Law, Accounting, Psychology and History. I honestly didn't have a clue what I wanted to do.

Solicitor, Teacher and Criminal Psychologist were all things that I had thought about but I discovered that not only was I good at Maths, but I also enjoyed it. I left Runshaw with 4 A Levels and 2 AS Levels. I went on to UCLAN University where I studied Accounting and Business and graduated in 2008 with a 2:1 with Honours.

I then started to work for Moore and Smalley LLP. My role within the company has changed from when I started on their graduate program and I am now a Personal Tax Consultant for the firm after passing my professional exams. I advise clients how they can save tax by looking at their investments and income and planning what they can do instead. My client portfolio ranges from footballers and rugby players to barristers and solicitors. I complete the calculations needed to see where they can save money and advise them what they can do to reduce the amount that they need to pay to HM Revenue and Customs.

Your choice in career has to be something that interests you. I love my job. I love how I can be on a call to New York or Dubai one day, to being stood in a field on a farm, the next. All of the skills and attributes that I have, started with Parklands. The teaching was fantastic but the confidence that I needed to succeed, all started when I walked onto the concourse in 1998.

RICK WOSKA I'm currently a working actor on the West End and London Fringe and have recently completed a run as the lead role of Francis Henshall in 'One Man, Two Guvnors' at The Bridewell Theatre. Previous to this I was Assistant Director and a member of the Original Cast of 'Cool Rider Live' (Grease 2) first at The Lyric Theatre, West End and then the Duchess Theatre, West End. I have also worked as Assistant Director on 'Farragut North' at The Southwark Playhouse where I worked with Max Irons, Rachel Tucker, Shaun Williamson and Aisha Kala; and as a Casting Assistant at Hubbard Casting for '24: Live Another Day'.

How did I get there?? Well, I left Parklands having performed as Joseph in 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' (for which I won the Drama Award!) and having been a member of Chorley Youth Theatre for 7 years, as well as 7 years of private singing lessons, and went to study Performing Arts and Theatre Studies at Winstanley College. After this I auditioned for Drama school but didn't get in so went and did a Drama degree at Roehampton University, London, and joined the National Youth Music Theatre from 2008-2010, which continued my practical training.

I then did some more Am Dram work before being accepted on to the MA Music Theatre Course at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2011 where I played the lead role of George in 'Sunday in the Park with George' and graduated as a professional Actor in 2012.

Being a professional actor means being unemployed for long periods so I've also done jobs such as Stage Crew on Spamalot, Front of House and Stage Door work at a West End Theatre and Recruitment for an engineering consultancy...so it's been a very varied ride!

Rick now works for BBC Audio drama and books

KATE BIBBY My name is Kate Bibby (nee Moss). I studied at Parklands between 1994-1999, leaving with an A*, 4 As and 4 Bs. My favourite subjects were History and English. I went on to study A Levels at Runshaw College in Law, Psychology and History achieving ABC. I decided to pursue Law, completing my degree at UCLAN in Preston graduating with a 2:1 with Honours in 2004. I elected to defer my Legal Practice Course (LPC) for a year following my degree; both to enable me to save for the fees and also to try and separate myself from other candidates seeking a Training Contract by having some experience in industry. Luckily, shortly after graduating I secured a junior role with a local law firm which, after a year, offered me the opportunity to remain with them in my role whilst completing the LPC on a part time basis via a day release/ night school programme over two years (instead of the full time one year course). Following completion of the LPC I was offered a Training Contract with them. I completed seats in Residential Property, Personal Injury Litigation and Wills, Probate and Estate Planning over a two year period - quite early on I'd identified myself as a private client lawyer vs a commercial/corporate lawyer and therefore opted to tailor my training to these areas before deciding on my area of specialism. I qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and work in our Preston office.

I am a Wills and Estate Planning Lawyer with a special interest in elderly and vulnerable client affairs.

Many wannabe lawyers have a misconception that this area of law is boring - it's far from it! I meet and advise a diverse range of clients from all different backgrounds, at all different stages in their lives with very different problems and queries to solve. Being a lawyer is very demanding - both the route to qualifying and the job itself. But I very much enjoy what I do; no two days are the same - the workload is varied and interesting and busy! There's always plenty to do!

Charlie Mountain Year attended 2007-2012 Full time mum to two beautiful boys.

Worked at Asda since I was 18 at the front of shop. I am forever grateful to Parklands teachers and staff for helping me be the person I am today. They helped me through a really difficult time when I lost my mum at the beginning of year 9 and I probably wouldn’t be where I am now without that school.

Some of the best memories of my life!

Gemma White I attended Parklands from 2006-2011.

I wanted to be a primary school teacher since I was around 6 years old and am now qualified! I decided it was truly the job for me during my placement experience week at Parklands. I also decided due to being bullied that I wanted to learn ways to prevent bullying in schools and I have advocated for that at every school I’ve worked in.

I went to university for 4 years in Liverpool and qualified as a primary school teacher with modern foreign languages specialism after studying both French and German at GCSE; but unfortunately a few spinal accidents have meant I’ve had to rethink my career due to now living life in chronic pain (fibromyalgia, scoliosis, hypermobility and tachycardia). I did get a primary school teacher job in 2018 and I adored it but I was told due to my pain that if I wanted to continue working there I couldn’t be off sick. So, I set up my own small business in January 2022 and it’s going really well. I’ve been able to travel as my work allows and can take it with me if I need to. It’s not been my dream career but I’m enjoying what I do and I’m here to show no matter what curve balls life can throw, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Here I’ve attached two photos, one of a photo of a wedding I was at for a friend I met in my second year at Parklands along with two other high school friends. The other was our year 11 group photo.

Chloe Dixon I’ve just completed my second year out of five at Keele University, studying medicine with aims to become a general practitioner! The road to where I am today was long and definitely not straightforward. I completed 3 A-Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths, where I earned the grades required for entry. I’ve taken part in volunteering roles at local hospitals and hospices to gain experience for my future endeavours.

In between studying at University, I have undertaken training to become a shift manager at Burger King, as a part time job at weekends and throughout the summer months.

Parklands has been 5 years which I look back on with a smile, knowing I came out of the school making amazing friends who I remain in contact with today, and learning so many amazing things that have carried me forwards into the present. I am grateful for all the endless opportunities that came before me and I would recommend Parklands to anyone and everyone!