What do you remember about your time at Sacred Heart?

With the school being one-form entry, I really enjoyed that Sacred Heart always had a family-feel to it. It felt like all the teachers knew us and cared about us and our development as young people. Within our year groups, although there would always be people with whom you were closer and those with whom you were less close, I think we all recognised that being 30 children in the whole year group, it was important to all get along as best as possible, meaning the year group felt like one big group of friends.

What do you do now?

I am entering my final year as a medical student at the University of Leeds’ School of Medicine, having started in 2019 and completing an intercalated degree in Psychology BSc in the 2022-23 academic year. My psychology dissertation was part of a wider project with Health Education England (now known as NHS England Workforce, Training and Education), which is in the process of being published and has received news coverage on the BBC’s Yorkshire branch of ‘Look North’.

Having played for Hearts of Teddlothian FC from the age of 5 until 18, I am now the Club Secretary of Leeds Medics and Dentists FC. I was the Student Captain for 2020-22 and Third Team Manager for 2022-23 as well as being the Fitness Coach from 2020 until a knee injury in 2023 which will keep me sidelined until the summer of 2025.

Beyond medical school and foundation years, I hope to build the skills necessary to apply to Orthopaedic Surgery specialty training but I also have an interest in Palliative Care and in Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy.

What advice would they give to current students?

I would highlight to current students that a key outcome from primary school is social and emotional development. While children, and even adults, may think this sounds silly and perhaps less important than learning to read, write and count, we learn these academic skills through the listening and respect we show to our teachers. If we are struggling academically or emotionally, it is through self-awareness and confidence that we communicate our need for some extra support, whether that be from teachers, friends or at home with our family. With the tightly-knit network of supportive faces of both teachers and peers at Sacred Heart, it is a second family with whom you can develop into a kind, polite, caring young person with the academic skills to continue your education confidently at secondary school.