Luisa Callegari
Hi there! My name is Luisa and I’m currently a medical student at the University of Edinburgh. I lived in Hong Kong since I was twelve, and then moved to boarding school in the UK for Sixth Form. Moving around can be a lot hassle, but it’s lots of fun too, so I hope I can put you a bit more at ease by sharing small aspects of my journey.
Applying to boarding school can be an extremely stressful experience, but choosing which boarding schools to apply for and which you end up attending can be even more daunting. When I was in Year 11, I applied to over 7 schools, thinking I would go to whichever place accepted me. Once I was faced with more than one offer, my family and I were very lost on how to decide where I should ultimately go.
We chose Brighton College as it seemed to have the most balance between extracurriculars and academics. Now, having finished Sixth Form, I can give a more detailed account of my experience which will hopefully help any confused and stressed students who are in the position I was in two years ago.
Academics
This might understandably be the factor that families and students place the most weighting on when putting down their boarding school choices. It is easy to find the college’s A-Level results and destinations, so I will focus on the personal teaching and opportunities available.
Having started university, I can now better appreciate the value of the small group teaching that Brighton provides. I would go as far as to say its unique selling point as a school is how knowledgeable, interested, and approachable the teaching staff are. No emails would go unanswered, even if my question was random and not on the syllabus. I felt confident in all of my teachers’ grasp on their subjects beyond the curriculum, and the classroom was a really exciting learning environment.
On top of this, there is significant support for university admissions. It is very easy to schedule 1-1 meetings with the Director of Futures and the lead for Oxbridge applications to discuss any questions or ideas. Subject-specific support varies, but from experience the medical school application support is fantastic. Besides having student-led academic societies, we started having preparation sessions from the end of Year 12 with the head of medical admissions, with the sessions ranging from communication skills to intellectually challenging journeys that simulate an Oxbridge interview.
Boarding Life
This is perhaps what surprised me the most by the end of my time at Brighton. I had never been away from home before I moved, and in the first few weeks I desperately wanted to go back. I never thought I would end up loving the place and the people so much. I made some of my strongest friendships at school (and in my life) at my boarding house, and the feeling of community was like no other. This feels even more true being a full boarder: on the weekend, the small group of us would sing karaoke, cook, watch films, play sports and a lot more. The inter-year friendships that the boarding environment provides is also great.
The boarding staff also make the experience very fun. They can be slightly strict with things like bedtimes and meals, but seeing them everyday creates a really strong relationship, and most of them actively get involved to play games and do activities with us. I was lucky enough to have a fantastic Housemaster with three lovely children and the cutest dog, who always brightened up our days.
I honestly could not recommend the boarding experience enough; there is no one from the college that I know who did not enjoy boarding. Despite there being different houses, the community is very integrated and people have friends all around the school, day students and boarders alike.
Sports & Activities
Like I mentioned before, one of the reasons I chose Brighton College over other schools was its focus on not just the academic side of things. That was completely right. It was enriching to be able to see and be part of things I wouldn’t usually dive into or think I am good at. The musical talent all around the school is jaw-dropping, and seeing the choir perform always gave me shivers. I tried a bunch of new things, like poker club and baking, met great people and had fun when I wasn’t studying. The different non-academic house competitions like relay runs and reading challenges also add to the lively sense of community.
If you are into sports, you will definitely find something at your level at the college. They offer all types of sports you can imagine (except horse-riding!), and if you are joining in Sixth Form, you get full choice every term of what you would like to do. I dabbled in dance fitness, but most of the time I played volleyball which was really rewarding. Most of us weren’t very good but slowly improved over the two years, and at the end of our last term we even got to go to a beach tournament! Many of my friends who were actual sportspeople got to compete regularly in regional and even national tournaments for sports like hockey, athletics and rugby.
Conclusion
Finally, one thing that doesn’t fit into a specific category is the sense of social responsibility that the college tries to instil in us. There were weekly talks from our Headmaster on current social issues and how we can (and should) do our part in changing our communities and societies for the better. There is a strong sense of giving back and many of the activities are centred around fundraising and charity work. I felt like I was part of a community of great, intelligent and caring people.
I can only speak of my experience of going to boarding school and so can’t make any objective or direct comparisons, but if you are a curious person willing to try and learn new things, Brighton College might be the place for you!
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