I opted to move on to Steyning Grammar (SG) after my final year at Sompting Abbotts (SA) in Year 8. My parents and I were impressed by the vision the then headmaster, Mr Wergan, had for the school.

We also considered Lancing College. But the fact that SG was so local to me tipped my decision. Being able to walk to school makes life much easier. There were no entry requirements because it’s a state school and I live in catchment.

Most of the pupils in my year group at SA went on to Lancing College and other independent schools. But one of them did choose to come here too. That was great and I made other friends quite easily.

Here, almost everyone has come from the state sector and the class sizes are bigger than at SA. Also, the school day is shorter – it ends at 3.15pm compared to 4.30pm at SA.

Another difference is that the timetabled lessons are longer, with less direct teacher input. There are five x 6o-minute lessons a day at SG, as opposed to 10 x 35-minute lessons at SA. I was used to working in concentrated bursts at SA so the lessons at SG felt quite protracted to start with – I had to keep reminding myself not to zone out and trail off.

I’m based at the Shooting Field site. It’s a large setting so you have to walk to a lot of different classrooms along crowded corridors for subject changes. The school isn’t built for as many people as are in it if you ask me.

I’ve been very happy with the teaching I’ve received. The lockdowns were hard but the teachers made a good effort with their online lessons and I secured strong grades for my nine GCSEs: Computer Science (9), French (9), English (8), Maths (8), Physics (8), Biology (8), Economics (8), Chemistry (7), RS (5).*

I’d say I’m a self-starter and I’ve got a good work ethic. I don’t need ‘spoon-feeding’. Really, anyone’s success is down to how willing they are to listen and to work hard.

I’m in Year 12 now. I’m studying for my A-levels. I’m doing Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and History.

I picked those subjects because I want to have a wide set of skills. I couldn’t leave a writing subject out of my choices – I like creativity too. I’ll miss studying English literature – I love discussing and learning about the context to books.

Careerwise, I’ll most likely go on to do something in computing because the application of maths is so wide in that field. I’m undecided as to whether I’ll do a degree at university or take a vocational path and get a degree that way.

Other things I really enjoyed at Sompting Abbotts were the early morning round-the-table table tennis sessions in the Assembly Room before registration; the big open grounds and playing manhunt (a type of tag game) and tumbling down the grass bank! I loved cross country with the Head of PE, Mr Mac, too.

* (The GCSE grading system in England runs on a scale from 9 to 1. The highest grade you can get is a 9, with 1 being the lowest.)

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