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If you want to know why we're so passionate about supporting bursaries then please read these inspiring stories from our former students; each story is different, but each highlights the profound impact of a fee-assisted place at St Helen’s.
Louisa (2010 leaver)
When I received a bursary the overriding feeling was one of hope; I was so excited to come to a school where the girls were so eager to learn and the only thing stopping you from doing well is you.
When I left St Helen's one of my teachers recounted that when I first came here a lot of the staff used to call me Zebedee because I was just so excited to be here and I was kind of in awe of the fact that I was finally somewhere like this. I definitely do have the mentality – and I think St Helen's instilled this in me – that if something crops up in life I very much have the self-confidence that I will figure it out like I always do.
And I would not have the career that I have in immunology without St Helen’s. The simplest way to describe what I now do is, we receive cells from cancer patients, we genetically modify them, and then they're infused back in to attack their cancer. It's a very humbling experience, but I love it. I think ‘this is their chance and I was involved in that and it's amazing.’
Sarah (1992)
I'll never forget the day that the letter arrived and I opened it in the bathroom while my mum looked on expectantly. It was a relief to everyone that I had got in. My ability had been recognised and I was not being excluded on the basis of a lack of family finances; I was wanted by the school.
My time at St Helen's was amazing. It was a puzzle to my teachers that I wanted to study Chemistry, Biology and English A level; but I knew where I was heading and I knew I needed that English A Level to keep the artist inside me happy. I qualified as an Osteopath four years later and last year celebrated 25 years in practice. I play clarinet, saxophone and trombone in the local Big Band and have two stunning children. And it all started with that letter in the bathroom....
Fiona (2017)
The bursary that enabled me to study at St Helen's has shaped my life in many ways. I enjoyed my time at school, both being pushed academically and taking advantage of all the extra-curricular opportunities.
The support from the school, encouraging us to participate in various Olympiads and academic competitions, and especially throughout sixth form and the university admissions process, gave me the opportunity to study Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. I think this has been the single biggest influence on my career so far, opening many doors.
I am currently studying for a PhD in Biotechnology. I think my choice to continue as a woman in STEM is certainly impacted by my school life. Throughout my education, I never considered there to be barriers to any field and just followed what interested me the most.
I hope many more girls will grow up believing this too.
Claire (1982)
I grew up in a family of very intellectually bright people who had little grasp of emotional intelligence – and even less of how to manage money! So there was never any assumption that a paid-for education was an option. Luckily, I had the kind of brain that allowed me to get a scholarship and I felt proud and pleased that I had got into this good school.
I fitted in like a hand into a glove. I loved the intellectual stimulation of all those different subjects, and the chance to talk about work and fun with equally interesting and curious young people. I simply would not have had the chance to get this sort of education anywhere else, and the preparation I received, as well as the opportunity to go to Cambridge where my father and grandfather had been before me, was much appreciated. I suspect that I would have been confident wherever I went, but St Helen’s gave me an outrageously enormous extra boost, that’s for sure.
As a result of this solid and inspiring foundation, I left Cambridge speaking 5 languages fluently, and an international career on the horizon. I now speak 8 languages, have lived and worked in 17 countries on 4 continents, and benefit from a rich and expansive world view, as well as friends and clients from the world over.
Emily (2005)
I think one of the main benefits of attending St Helen's was the fact that we had access to such great facilities: the library, the science labs, the art rooms, the language centre. I know that I wouldn't have received such a fantastic education in the sciences, for example, in another school.
St Helen's definitely instilled in me a passion for languages. I was offered a teaching job in Spain in 2015 and I jumped at the opportunity and have never looked back. St Helen's set me up for this and my life would have been completely different if I had gone somewhere else. I will forever be grateful for the education I received and I hope many more young women can benefit from the wide range of opportunities offered.
Lucy (1996)
Thank you for my Bursary and Assisted Place, which kept me boarding at St Helen's when my (grand)father was forced to take early retirement. Whilst he tried to warn me I might have to leave, both in my third year and when 6th Form approached, I knew St Helen's was where I was meant to be.
I would never have been able to have taken Latin, Greek and Music A Levels at my local school, and would not have gone on to a Choral Scholarship at Oxford.
Thank you for making me me!
Catherine (1983)
The St Helen’s exam was the first I had ever taken and I was looking forward to it as it was rumoured we could have crisps at the break! Afterwards I was disappointed as I had forgotten the word thermometer which was the answer to one of the questions. I had no idea of the life changing nature of the day.
I was naughty, never deliberately, and the school patiently guided me for eight years. The education I received enabled me to go on to the University of Edinburgh, where I graduated with honours in Italian and French.
My working career has been huge fun. After graduating I received an offer from an upmarket tour operator which included France and Italy in its destinations. I arranged many holidays for clients, including one where the two mothers booked into the same hotel as the honeymoon couple, ‘to give them a nice surprise at breakfast’!
During lockdown I did a teaching degree and, with nice circularity, now teach pupils in receipt of bursaries. As you will guess, I have a real heart for the naughty ones! So thank you, St Helen’s, for opening doors for me to higher education and beyond. I assure you it’s not just a school for perfect pupils: naughty ones thrive there too!
Raine (1971)
I won a scholarship to attend St Helens in 1964. I was so lucky and grateful as my parents would never have been able to afford the fees. I really enjoyed my schooling and made many friends and still keep in touch.
I was so fortunate to learn to play the piano there and started in my first term and reached grade 6 when I left school. We were also encouraged to try other instruments which I did. Violin for a term (our dog used to howl when I tried to practice at home), clarinet (very hard on the lips) and the cello.
I had always wanted to nurse and was extremely lucky to find a placement at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Headington. Then we moved to France where we had a holiday cottage, so I never actually finished the training, but I did attend college in France, learnt the language, and worked for 6 years in a hotel.
I owe my working life experiences to my education received at St Helen’s.
