It has been a week of celebration, as we received the news that our Heads of School have received offers from the University of Oxford. Head Girl and boarder Romilly holds an offer to read History (Ancient and Modern) at Balliol College, Oxford; while Head Boy Theo holds an offer to read Geography at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Romilly looked back on her time at New Hall School, “For six years, I have been involved in a club almost every day, including music, street dance, debating, cookery, hockey, and helping on the School Farm. The biggest part of my school life is boarding – the support both academically and emotionally from the boarding staff has really made New Hall feel like a home away from home. I cannot stress enough the value of the incredible opportunities I have had here.”

Romilly’s History teachers were excited to hear of her choice to apply to the University of Oxford, seeing that, with ten grade 9s, she was the top achiever of her GCSE cohort. A founding member of the Classics Society, Romilly has a reputation for delivering well-researched and witty presentations in the society meetings, having honed her public speaking skills at many School events in her year as Head Girl. Studying History, French and Latin at A Level, Romilly recently enjoyed educational school trips to France, Greece and India as part of her academic enrichment. However, her involvement in her School community does not stop at the academic level. Having joined New Hall School from St Cedd’s School in Year 7, Romilly has since become a keen oboist in the Senior Orchestra, hockey player, and a member of the Senior Choir.

Chelmsford local Theo studies Mathematics, Geography and Biology at A Level. Theo’s love of Geography started in his early days at New Hall Preparatory Divisions, with school trips cementing his course choice at university. “From camping round fires and watching the Northern Lights in remote Icelandic villages, to learning to play the drums with local children in a South African township, school trips have not only created memories and stories that will stay with me forever but also provided me with a completely different outlook on life. Understanding the interactions between people and their environment is at the centre of my passion for geography and economics,” Theo said.

Theo has taken his interest in geopolitics beyond his A Levels, having completed work experience at a foreign exchange broker and having conducted independent research in the impacts of tourism and investments on coastal towns. An enthusiastic player in the 1^st XV Rugby team, Theo has joined his teammates for tours in Italy and across the UK, and now plays for the Essex U17 county team. His Geography teachers are confident that his natural inquisitiveness about the world around him will bring him success and inspiration as he prepares for his A Level examinations later in the year.

Mrs Jeffrey, Principal, is herself an alumna of the University of Oxford, where she read Politics, Philosophy & Economics. “We are so proud of our Heads of School for receiving these university offers after a challenging and competitive application process. New Hall School remains a leading independent school for academic results, both at GCSE and at A Level. It is with great pleasure that we see our investments in the Sixth Form, including our new International Business and Languages Centre, result in fantastic A Level results and success stories such as these. We continue to support Romilly and Theo as they embark on the next steps of their academic journey.”