Tormeadian 2024 The
Welcome to The Tormeadian
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the first edition of The Tormeadian. With biannual updates, we hope to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our whole community.
Thank you to our very first guest editor, Liza Thirlby, a current Year 12 student, and to Mrs. Thie, our Director of Careers & Higher Education, for bringing the first edition to life. I hope that you enjoy reading it and look forward to receiving the next edition.
Michelle O’Brien Deputy Head External Relations
Welcome from our Guest Editor
I’m Liza Thirlby, currently a Year 12 student at Tormead, studying English Literature, History and Classics with the aspiration to do English and History at University. I am absolutely delighted to be guest editing this year’s alumnae magazine. Having been at Tormead since Year 7, I have had the pleasure to see the school flourish and spending every day in the new Sixth Form common room has been a delight. The tremendous work that went into the new Sixth Form certainly does not go unnoticed!
Being part of the Tormead community, I’ve learnt the key values of responsibility, hard work and kindness. Alongside this however is also the importance of connections. Through attending various University Speed Networking events over the past years, I can confidently say they have been vital in broadening my horizons about my future and different career paths that I may aspire to go into. Moreover, these events have built valuable connections for future opportunities, such as work experience, vital for any students from Year 11 and upwards.
Tormead awarded Gold Quality Mark for History
We are delighted to announce that Tormead has been awarded a Gold Quality Mark from the Historical Association in recognition of the excellence of our teaching and learning in the subject. The Historical Association is the major charity in the UK that promotes the learning, teaching and enjoyment of history, and the award is very prestigious: it is held for three years, with only thirteen schools in the UK receiving such an award since 2020. Tormead is one of only five schools to receive the award this year.
To prepare, we worked with specialist academics from the Historical Association for 15 months, and in the final assessment we were thrilled to be awarded the top ‘Gold’ level in all five areas of the assessment: teaching and learning, curriculum, enrichment, assessment and student achievement. The final assessor’s report commented particularly on the extensive range of extension and enrichment opportunities, the enthusiasm and interest of the students, and the high levels of pedagogy demonstrated in lessons.
“Tormead’s vibrant committed history department demonstrates a strong desire to become a centre of excellence for the transformation of history education”
Dr. Robin Whitburn Fellow of the Historical Association
The Tormeadian
The current Upper Sixth students celebrated the end of their time at Tormead with a special Strawberry Tea before heading off on study leave. Of those who have applied to university, 96% have received offers from Russell Group universities. We also have students holding offers for the highly competitive Kingston Art Foundation course, acting at New York University’s Thirsk School of Arts and medicine at Cambridge University. Gap year plans include travel, volunteering with overseas charitable projects and work experience.
Beacon Lecture
We were delighted to welcome back Tormead alumna, Jemima Tranter (Class of 2017), to deliver a Beacon lecture to our scholars about her PhD work trying to detect dark matter. Dark matter makes up a significant proportion of the mass of galaxies but does not reflect or give off light as normal matter does. Jemima masterfully explained, in a way accessible to scientists and non-scientists alike, how we know dark matter is out there, the current theories about what it might be, and her role in a team building a detector for one of the candidate theories - WIMPS (weakly interacting massive particles)down a deep salt mine in North Yorkshire. The thickness of rock above the mine will screen out most of the other particles bombarding the Earth from outer space. Jemima is specifically researching the levels of radioactive emissions from the surrounding minerals. Once these are understood and accounted for, what is left in the detector may be traces of the elusive dark matter.
As well as giving such a fascinating lecture, Jemima was generous with her time talking to the students about her career path and working as a woman in this field. Her enthusiasm was palpable and her message was to pursue your passion and opportunities will follow!
Peter Wilkinson Head of Physics
Careers Evening - Airline Piloting
In January, we welcomed Chris Rusk and Helen Carvosso-White to share their career journeys as Senior First Officers for British Airways. Although both airline pilots, their paths to flying were very different. One went the selffunded route, becoming a commercial pilot, training in the UK and US then relocating to Australia and Hong Kong, whilst the other took the university route and then trained to become a pilot in Europe.
Chris and Helen spoke about the importance of
building on life experiences, developing soft skills, adaptability and resilience. They explained the variety in training to be a pilot for a major airline and the vast array of skills it takes, from navigation to customer service, being able to react quickly to changes in flight plans and emergencies, as well as managing the aircraft systems while being in constant communication with air traffic control.
Helen also spoke about how proud she was to work for a company that is investing time in recruiting more
female pilots and how much the industry has changed for women.
The evening proved to be a great success with our students and the visiting students from Guildford County, George Abbot and St John’s. They had lots of questions for the speakers, ranging from which A Levels might be beneficial to opportunities for career progression and pathways into the industry.
Fiona Thie Head of Careers
Careers EveningCreative Arts, Performing Arts & Sport
We welcomed alumnae back to Tormead for our inaugural Careers in Creative Arts, Performing Arts and Sports evening in March. The event proved very popular, with over 60 attendees choosing to attend one of the themed panels and staying for extended networking afterwards. We were treated to a fascinating array of experience and expertise from our guest panel which included an actor, writer, sports marketer, sports psychologist, TV producer, set designer, professional athlete, showbiz journalist, dancer and model agency director. We were delighted to welcome students from Guildford County to join us for this event. The feedback was very positive, and attendees came away more knowledgeable about these exciting potential career paths.
Fiona Thie Head of Careers
Volunteer as a speaker to inspire others and show them the opportunities in your sector.
Get involved
University Speed Networking Event
In April, we welcomed 19 wonderful alumnae back to Tormead for our popular University Speed Networking event. The format of the evening allowed students to choose which alumna they particularly wanted to speak to during a 4-minute meeting, before moving on to another table. There was a buzz (quite literally when the timer went off!) in the room as students from Year 9 through to Year 12 came prepared with their questions and laptops, determined to make the most of this fantastic opportunity. We were so impressed by our students’ initiative and enthusiasm during their conversations, which was echoed by our alumnae. The evening ended with general networking where students could follow up with their favourite alumnae.
University courses represented included geography, medicine, engineering, business management, fashion design, psychology, biomedical
sciences, philosophy, primary education and history. Universities represented included:
• University of Bath
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• University of Cardiff
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Nottingham
• University of Oxford
• University of Southampton
• University of Warwick
• Loughborough University
• Lancaster University
• Brighton & Sussex Medical School
• Barts & The London Medical School
• Radbound University, the Netherlands
Thanks again to our wonderful alumnae community for giving up their time to connect with our students and share their experiences of life beyond Tormead.
Fiona Thie Head of Careers
Teacher Interview
How long did you work at Tormead?
I worked at Tormead from January 2000 to July 2023 - so nearly 23 years. I worked for four different heads (Mrs Alleyne, Mrs Marks, Mrs Foord and Mr Boyd) but I actually met six heads in person - including Mrs Crouch-Smith and Miss Shackleton.
What are your first memories of working at Tormead?
My first and strongest memory was meeting the then headmistress, Honor Alleyne. She was an extraordinary lady and very much a head of the ‘old type’ in terms of manners and protocol. I remember being interviewed by her in her office and there were papers and files stacked absolutely everywhere - even on (and in) a Tricity ‘hostess trolley’ in one corner - which I remarked on in the interview, thinking that I had either just lost the job or just got it. She had a very strong personality and determination, coupled with a great sense of humour. I owe a lot to her. As it was January 2000 when I started, the world was full of celebrations for the millennium and I suddenly found myself thrust into playing the organ for a huge service of Tormead celebration at Guildford Cathedral. Mrs Alleyne thought ‘big’ and decided that the whole school (and I mean every single human being – staff and all the pupils from Reception up to the Sixth Form) should go to the Millenium Dome for a day. Cranley Road has never seen so many coaches lined up.
What are your best memories of working at Tormead?
My best memories were of the lessons where things were relaxed, and you could see pupils taking risks with their learning - such risks may have seemed small at the time but were often huge steps for the individuals concerned. Part of my job was to create a safe environment where that could happen. Tormead pupils were likely to have to stand up in front of others at some point in their adult life to talk, sell or present something. Encouraging pupils to perform music in front of others would undoubtedly give them confidence to do that. I also loved going on tours abroad with the jazz band and taking choirs to sing at cathedrals - I remember visiting Portsmouth, Winchester, Southwark, Chichester and Blackburn cathedrals with the choirs.
What’s the strangest thing that happened to you whilst working here?
There were two things. Firstly, going to Manchester to sing live on BBC Radio but managing to fit in a visit to the set of ITV’s Coronation Street when it became clear that none of the girls either watched the programme or even knew what it was. But much stronger than that was the day when I woke up feeling a bit funny. By 2.00pm I embarked on a Year 9 music lesson and had to stop it and call for help as I was in acute
Martin Holford Director of Music
Left Tormead in 2023 to move to Norfolk
pain. I was rushed to A&E there and then where I was diagnosed with appendicitis and was operated on that night. It made me give thanks for the advances in medicine and for our emergency services. There was the time of the whole school photograph when I ended up sat next to Tony Breslin, but that’s a story for him to tell one day...
Did you always do the same job?
How did it change?
For nearly all the time I did what I was appointed to do - to teach music. But I ended up also teaching quite a bit of physics (guided by the superb Peter Wilkinson), organ, General Studies and even some RE. How we taught changed gradually, especially with the advent of iPads, but the relationship and rapport you have as a teacher with pupils is paramount.
What changed about Tormead in the time you worked here?
That’s best illustrated by an anecdote when I was appointed. A teacher friend of mine from the RGS wrote me a reference and tried to email it to the school. As one did 24 years ago, he phoned up Tormead to check that the email had arrived. On getting through he was told this: “Well, we do have an email address here, but we are not encouraging people to use it.” We’ve clearly come a very long way since then (!) with email addresses for every pupil and iPads. During COVID we all found
out that Tormead was well ahead of the game with all things IT and, thus, we were well placed to cope with remote live teaching over Zoom - unthinkable in 2000.
It now seems a small point, but in 2000, no one would have envisaged that Tormead could, should or would have a male Head and male Deputy Heads.
What do you miss about Tormead?
I miss all the friendly expertise in the staff room. There was such a pool of knowledge and talent and you could always find someone who could answer almost any question - e.g. how the universe worked, who would win the next election and how to make choux pastry.
Teacher Interview
How long did you work at Tormead?
I started at Tormead in September 2002 on a maternity cover contract but became a permanent member of staff in January 2003, so I will have been here for 21 years.
What are your first memories of working at Tormead?
Sue Marks, the Head, was welcoming, accommodating and exceptionally kind to me. All the staff were required to attend a Governors’ Dinner on the first night of the term, and it was there that I met Rosie Harris (previous Chair of Governors). The cliche that the world is a small place was certainly relevant then as Rosie’s PA was someone I had taught in Zimbabwe! Over the years, I built a great working relationship with Rosie as I taught her daughter, Laura, for several years.
Another early memory is Year 6 coming across the road for their English lessons. They were considered part of the main school and initially I taught two Year 6 classes, who had to squeeze themselves between the older girls in some of the narrow corridors in the old building.
What are your best memories of Tormead?
One of the best memories was the first Year 10 class I taught. They were fun, enthusiastic, bright, and mischievous. Another memory is that Upper Sixth lessons used to be held in
the old Admissions office (now the Cranley Room) which was commonly known as Room 2, the Board Room, as such. The Head’s PA’s office was next door, where it is presently. She used to be able to hear everything, including one of the U6 commenting as we started a study of The Wife of Bath’s Tale, that she was looking forward to hearing Middle English being spoken in a Zimbabwean accent!
I remember U6 making a video of Wuthering Heights on the lawn outside the Hall, complete with classic Kate Bush moves and a blasting soundtrack.
The staff pantomime was organised by the librarian at the time, who was rather strict, and we did not dare miss a rehearsal. Somehow by an amazing miracle, it was kept a secret from the girls. The English Department performed a skit from Pride and Prejudice. Heather Southwell gave me nine lines to learn and made me practise every lunchtime because I could never remember them! When it came to the actual performance, my section had been limited to one line...and I still fluffed that, so my thespian aspirations were destroyed forever, but the pantomime was a great success.
I would like to mention the sustained support and care which I received from the then Head, Christina Ford, when I was very ill for several years. Nobody could have been more thoughtful, understanding or accommodating than she was during a particularly trying time.
Dene Mackay English Teacher
Left Tormead July 2024
What’s the strangest thing that happened to you whilst working here?
It’s strange being in the present English Department office because it used to be a classroom. The Humanities office was also a classroom; the windows do not open fully now because the girls used to climb out of them onto the tiny wooden balcony outside!
A Year 11 class were studying a novel in the magic realism genre in which the central character follows monkeys into the forest and becomes a guava. None of us warmed to the novel, unsurprisingly. In the final lesson before the GCSE exams, one of the girls made the excuse that she had left the text at home, so I was forced to get another copy from the book room. Upon returning, the girls had vanished and on each desk was an enormous guava! The imaginative trickster and provider of the most enormous guavas was none other than Helena Fox, who is a loyal alumna and a frequent visitor to Tormead.
Did you always do the same job? How did it change?
I have always taught English at Tormead and, before emigrating, I taught English in Zimbabwe.
What changed about Tormead in the time you worked here?
The digitalisation of everything and use of iPads is the biggest change. The addition of the JCS and new school buildings with wider corridors has been a welcome change from the old building. The corridors used to be such a squeeze and there were narrow, steep steps between the floors.
What
will you miss about Tormead?
I shall certainly miss the unstinting support of many very special colleagues, old and new, who are now valued friends. I shall also miss the wonderful girls, who have given me more pleasure and fun than I could have gained in any other occupation. It is always the most rewarding experience to teach the Sixth Form and there has not been a single Sixth Form in the years I have been here who has not been an exciting group to teach.
I leave Tormead with very many precious memories and I know I shall miss the girls and my friends.
New Developments at Tormead
Urnfield Sports Ground
This exciting project will secure Tormead’s sporting future by giving the school a ‘home ground’ close to the main school site. The new Urnfield Sports Ground will provide facilities for hockey, cricket, football and athletics, as well as open the door for rugby to develop as a new sport option.
Developed in close collaboration with Guildford County School, the site will provide first class sports facilities for Tormead, including a full-size hockey pitch, a professional six lane athletics track and new field event facilities for throwing and jumping. To promote developing sports for women, there will be two full-size football pitches, cricket facilities including all-weather nets, and a rugby pitch.
“The new Urnfield facilities will enable Tormead to maximise opportunities across the school, from Prep to Sixth Form, to cater for all abilities and encourage participation, as well as supporting the development of our elite athletes”, said George Pettitt, Director of Sport at Tormead.
Mr Pettitt added: “With improved parking and an extended pavilion, hosting visiting teams will help to promote competitive sport for our students, allowing them to enjoy local facilities and reduce travelling time significantly. The opening
of the new site is hugely anticipated and a real game changer for Tormead.”
Tormead Head, David Boyd, commented: “This is an excellent project, not only for Tormead, but for our partners, Guildford County School and the other community sports clubs, who will be able to use the site’s facilities when they are not engaged for school sport.”
Phase 1 of the development is almost complete, and we are expecting delivery of the new astroturf pitch and running track for November 2024.
New Sixth Form Centre
Our new Sixth Form Centre, opened in September 2022, includes a common room and café, dedicated lecture and teaching spaces, and study, collaboration and social spaces, designed to bridge the gap between secondary education and university.
Main Hall
We are about to undertake phase one of our main hall renovation to include acoustic panelling with sound and lighting modernisation, foyer and public toilet renovations and to make way for future plans including tiered seating for an improved audience and performer experience.
Library Refurbishment The Tormeadian
We spoke to our Senior School librarians, Susan Clarke and Amanda Fern, about their memories of events gone by, including Harry Potter Day in 2017 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Do you remember taking part?
The library has moved a lot in the past 15 years. The Lower School library used to be downstairs, with the bigger Senior library upstairs. When
it was rebuilt, we moved to temporary accommodation for a year, with such narrow gangways that we had to squeeze past each other.
We remember in lockdown, no one was allowed in the library. We used to make daily deliveries to and from form rooms where books would be disinfected and distributed or returned. Towards the end of lockdown, students were allowed back in, but they had to wear masks, so it was hard to recognise anyone!
The Senior School library is currently undergoing refurbishment and will be ready for September 2025. The upgraded library will be a modern and spacious facility, with a range of resources and dedicated spaces to support our pupils’ learning, revision and, of course, foster their love of reading.
Prep School Developments
Over the last three years, Hillier House has undergone a complete renovation which saw all rooms updated, and furnishings and resources upgraded. Last summer, our focus moved to Pre-Prep as the interior space on the ground floor of Alleyne House was redesigned. Reception and Year 1 pupils now benefit from modernised facilities which reflect the more spacious, calm and cosy atmosphere for their learning. The Prep Science Lab was upgraded, and the Pre-Prep playground improved with new equipment.
As pupil numbers in the Prep School have grown, the need for more teaching space and specialist learning areas has prompted the development of 15 Hillier Road, the residential property adjacent to Hillier House, to be converted into a new teaching block. The new building, known as Harris Court, will not only give our Prep pupils additional interior accommodation over the coming years, but its substantial garden will also add to the space our pupils have to play and explore.
Tormead Enrichment Award
2024 Winner
Congratulations to Izzie Edwards (Class of 2017) who has been chosen as this year’s winner of the Tormead Enrichment Award. This award is given to an alumna who has a talent in a particular field, and is looking for support with a new project or to further their professional or educational career. Izzie hopes to use the prize money to help fund her MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation (EPR) at the London School of Economics.
“Since leaving Tormead in 2017, I have had a highly rewarding academic and professional career. I had a brilliant time studying at the University of Oxford and worked hard to achieve firstclass honours in BA History. During my undergraduate degree, I used my dissertation to explore the themes of property rights
and the interdependencies between society and nature through a political discourse analysis of the countryside preservation movement in 20th century Britain. My initial interest in the historical dynamics within land-use grew into a broader interest in the science-policyenterprise nexus, leading me to my first internship as a Regional Development Research Analyst for an ESG consultancy, working on mining projects in subSaharan Africa. Based on this experience, I was offered a place on Tesco’s Business Graduate Programme, working in their sustainability team. I was able to work on some fascinating projects, including undertaking my own research into sustainable practices in the wild-caught fisheries supplying into Tesco, and proposing clear recommendations that will influence future retailer commitments.
I am currently working as a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, gaining insight into the global food system crisis. 800 million people go to bed hungry; yet a third of all food is wasted. In 2050, food production will need to expand by 50% to feed ten billion people; yet agricultural expansion todate is the primary driver of biodiversity loss. This is a critical time to address the world’s demand for food, whilst protecting nature and reducing agricultural emissions. The MSc in EPR will equip me with the skills to pursue this topic at a higher level and progress in my career – as a thoughtleader, decision-maker, policy driver – to make a meaningful contribution to tackling the climate crisis. I have undertaken this MSc to bridge the gap between my undergraduate degree subject and my aspirational career path with a nuanced understanding of the theory and social science frameworks at play.”
Lucy Ashpitel
(Class of 2016) graduated from the University of Birmingham having received the Mavis Butterworth award for the highest achievement in a research project across the departments of geology, geography and environmental geoscience. She is now studying a PhD at the University of Aberdeen in the Cryosphere and Climate Change research group. Lucy is investigating the effects of climate change on glacially derived water resources in central Peru; analysing samples with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). She plans to use her Enrichment Award to visit and present her research at international conferences in front of established researchers in order to develop her science communications skills and to secure a post-doctoral position.
2023 Winners
Ellie Argent
(Class of 2016) graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a degree in Decorative Arts, specialising in porcelain ceramics and surface patterning. She was awarded the Chartered Society of Design Student of the Year Award and delivered the vote of thanks speech at her graduation. Since then, Ellie founded the company, Liquid Void, to showcase and sell her pieces which have already been exhibited in shows such as New Designers 2022, London and can be found on posters all over Nottingham City Centre. She has also been invited to showcase further collection pieces at the prestigious Bevere Gallery. Ellie plans to use her Enrichment Award to expand her collections and develop her business into its next stage, creating a unique oneoff collection of homewares, exploring nostalgic feelings towards 1960’s design. Ellie
will be using the award money to invest in a kiln and studio space, as well as helping with travel costs to exhibit her pieces at future events.
Get in touch to share your career story or tell us how the Tormead network has supported you, so we can encourage others.
Get involved
This is an exciting opportunity to apply or nominate someone for our annual Enrichment Award.
We would like to encourage alumnae to nominate themselves, or each other, if they would benefit from the support of the Tormead community.
The award is worth £1,000 and is available to an alumna who has a talent in any field, who is looking for support with a new project, to further their own professional or educational career, or is perhaps a businesswoman or novice entrepreneur requiring our support. We are looking to recognise the
most deserving, outstanding women, who are driven to succeed in their chosen area.
If you know someone you would like to nominate, or if you want to nominate yourself, applications for the 2024 Enrichment Award are now open. The deadline for submissions is 31 October 2024 Email:
Alumnae Afternoon Tea & Fizz
We were delighted to welcome back our alumnae guests to enjoy some afternoon tea and fizz in our new Sixth Form centre. They were joined by several staff members, past and present, who came along to catch up with old pupils and colleagues. There was a real sense of excitement from our guests who toured the school and reminisced about their time at Tormead:
“We appreciated the thoughtful catering and the informative guided tour of the school. It was so nice to chat to former colleagues and students and to share memories.”
“A very interesting and enjoyable afternoon. We had an excellent guide who showed us around the school, most of which was unrecognisable because it has changed so much. Besides former colleagues, I was also very pleasantly surprised to meet four old girls, who used to be in my form, two of whom are now teachers themselves!”
Scott Patterson Development & Alumnae Officer
Alumnae Netball
In April, we welcomed an alumnae netball team back to Tormead to take part in a tournament against the 1st VII and a staff team. It was wonderful to catch up and hear about their university lives, gap years and netball careers beyond Tormead.
The first match was the alumnae team v 1st VII where the 1st VII came away with a convincing win. The next match, staff v 1st VII, was very competitive and despite the staff team’s best efforts, the 1st VII came away with a well-deserved 8-7
victory. The final alumnae v staff match rounded off a fun morning of netball. Well done to the 1st VII who were overall winners, and we look forward to next year’s event!
Amelia Edwards Head of Netball
Class of 2004 Reunion
It was wonderful to welcome back the Class of 2004 in June for a sunny afternoon of music, croquet, afternoon tea and fizz. They were surprised with a visit from retired history teacher, Mrs Atkinson, who returned with some photos she had from their time at school.
Our alumnae guests toured the school and they were amazed at how many improvements had been made in the last 20 years. From the Wellbeing Centre replacing the old long jump pits, the JSC Drama and Music building replacing the old squash courts, the atrium and the science building being linked to
the school rather than being outside, the site has changed a lot.
They were impressed by the new Sixth Form Centre, which made them very envious of the facilities now available to current pupils. One guest even remarked that they were better than the facilities they had at university!
The afternoon culminated in the guests looking for themselves in the whole school photographs that are on display in the foyer and saying fond farewells to friends they hadn’t seen in many years. A great day was had by all, and we look forward to welcoming them back soon.
Alumnae at School Events
We were delighted to welcome former student, Izzy Fish, back to Tormead for our annual prizegiving ceremony on Thursday, 4 July where she distributed prizes and gave an inspirational speech to the girls encouraging them to seize every opportunity which comes their way. Izzy left Tormead in 2016 having been an engaged member of the school community. During her time here, she embraced the wide range of activities Tormead has to offer, participating in hockey, LAMDA, choir, the debating society and indoor rowing club, as well as attaining her Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award.
Currently a paralegal at a London law firm, Izzy will soon be embarking on the next stage of her career sitting for the Bar Qualification to enable her to realise her dream of becoming a criminal barrister. We will watch her promising career with interest and wish her every success for the future!
Ceramic Artist and Tormead Enrichment Award winner, Ellie Argent, returned to Tormead on 3 July to judge the wonderful Tormead Art Exhibition.
Alumnae Career Conversations
What appealed to you about your career?
My decision to pursue a career in law stemmed from my interest in politics and international relations. I really enjoyed my Government and Politics A Level at Tormead. I was interested in politics because I wanted to help make a difference to people, and I felt I could achieve this on a more personal and individual level through working in law. I also thought I would enjoy utilising the skills necessary for legal work, such as drafting, detailed analysis and negotiation.
Tell us a little bit about what you do?
I’m an Associate Solicitor in the Corporate and Commercial Department at Wallace LLP. On the corporate side, I focus on private company acquisitions and investments. On the commercial side, my work runs close to the day-to-day running of our clients’ businesses and so is very varied. I work on a lot of partnership and sponsorship deals, as well as MSAs and SaaS agreements. You’ll most likely find me working on due diligence, drafting a contract, negotiating an agreement or on a client call.
What was your pathway/ what qualifications did you need?
I chose the non-law route, and studied first for a BA Politics with Study Abroad degree at the University of Exeter. As I did a non-law degree, I then had to complete the law conversion course, the Graduate Diploma in Law, at BPP University. After that, I worked as a paralegal and completed my Legal Practice Course part-time over two years before starting my training contract and then qualifying as a solicitor. A training contract is a two year contract in which you rotate around different practice areas to learn key skills and explore what area of law you like best.
What are the best bits and challenges about your career?
The best bit is working closely with so many unique businesses and as a result gaining real insight into how different businesses operate, as well as working with talented clients. I enjoy giving advice, problem-solving and knowing that I have helped put clients in a better position. The more challenging side of any legal career are the difficult decisions that require your judgement.
Alice Curtis
Associate Solicitor, Wallace LLP
Left Tormead in 2014 to study Politics at University of Exeter
Any highlights or exciting projects that you would like to tell us about?
Last year I was seconded to the in-house legal team at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, which was absolutely brilliant. It was completely different to anything I had done before and I learnt so much from working with departments across the business. Now back at Wallace LLP, I’m doing a lot of work for a top global podcast and podcast production company. It’s a delight to work with a client at the forefront of a growing industry, and for a podcast that I enjoy listening to on the way to work!
What are your future plans?
I hope to build a specialism in the TMT (technology, media and telecommunications) sector and to make it to partner one day.
What would be your top piece of advice to those just starting out in their career or considering working in your sector?
The legal sector job market is very competitive, and so remember to be resilient and not discouraged by rejections. To anyone starting out in their career, I really believe in the power of making your own luck. By putting yourself out there, forming connections, helping others, and being a good person to people that know you, you can proactively make yourself more lucky.
If you’d be willing to come to Tormead and talk about your industry, let us know by emailing alumnae@ tormeadschool.org.uk
Maria Riddell (née Stone)
Captain, easyJet Left Tormead 2007 to study BSc Biomedical Science
What appealed to you about your career?
I knew I never wanted to do an office job. Every day is different in my job, which I love. The responsibility is huge but the rewards are well worth it.
Tell us a little bit about what you do?
I’m a pilot, but specifically an airline Captain so I am in charge of all my crew and passengers every day. As well as actually flying, I problem-solve and make decisions for the safety of all on board.
What was your pathway/ what qualifications did you need?
I never knew what I wanted to do, so I went to university to do Biomedical Science because I enjoyed it. It was only after I met another female pilot by chance that I decided to pursue flying as a career. You don’t need to have gone to university, just 5 GCSEs grade C or above, including maths, English and science, and the ability to hold a class 1 medical certificate.
What are the best bits and challenges about your career?
The best bits are the people I meet and work with, the variety day to day, and of course the views! Also the fact that when the flight is over and you go home, your free time is yours to enjoy. No pesky emails or calls to answer out of normal office hours!
The challenges include dealing with delays beyond your control, and managing disrupted passengers.
Any highlights or exciting projects that you would like to tell us about? There is a huge drive to recruit more female pilots. easyJet has increased their percentage of female pilots from 5% in 2015, to 20% currently, and it is still on the rise. The industry as a whole only has about 6%!
What are your future plans?
In the future, I’d like to go into training the new generation of easyJet pilots.
What would be your top piece of advice to those just starting out in their career or considering working in your sector?
Sign up for team-building activities like Duke of Edinburgh, Cadets, Scouts, Guides or other youth organisations. Speak to current pilots and get to know what’s really involved! Take a look at easyJet Careers for further details.
Christina Binyon
Left Tormead in 2019 to study Industrial Design & Technology at Loughborough University
What appealed to you about your career?
Although my time at Tormead was short, having only joined in Sixth Form, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was able to engage with different activities including sport, music and the student mentorship programme. Having chosen to take Physics, Mathematics and Design & Technology at A Level, I began to realise and develop my interest in product design. This led to me becoming the Mentor for Design & Technology and for the Engineering and 3D Printing Clubs.
This year, the Loughborough Design Degree Show 2024 marked the end of my 4-year journey studying Industrial Design & Technology with a year in industry. At the show, I had the pleasure of showcasing my final year project, Puffer.
Puffer is an asthma screening service which is integrated into the NHS school health checks. 1 in 11 children suffer from asthma in the UK, and the low level of awareness in schools contributes to the poor detection rate and consequently many cases remain undiagnosed.
Puffer aims to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases of asthma in children by providing the correct medication and treatment earlier in their life, thereby preventing severe attacks or possibly death.
Puffer is designed to make the asthma diagnosis process more fun and exciting for young children to ensure that they remain engaged with the test. A breath sample is collected from the child whilst keeping them entertained and engaged. The breath sample is then sent off to a laboratory to be tested and analysed for early signs of asthma. If registered, parents are notified of their child’s result through the NHS App or they receive a letter through the post which advises them if their child needs to be referred to a doctor for a diagnosis.
Alumnae Events 2024-2025
Dates for your Diary:
10 October 2024 Careers Networking
21 January 2025 An Evening With...
5 March 2025 Creative Careers Networking
22 March 2025 Alumnae Netball and Hockey
25 April 2025 University Speed Networking
26 April 2025 Afternoon Tea and Fizz
120 Year Celebrations Details to be confirmed
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