Chantelle Nyarko | Streatham & Clapham High School

At SCHS, I studied English Literature, Mathematics and Physical Education for A Levels, as well as Latin for my AS Level. Even whilst I was completing my education, I was never quite sure what field of study I wanted to go into at university level or what profession I wanted to undertake. It was talks with my teachers and the excellent personal support that the school provides that enabled me to make my decision

My time at SCHS was an interesting one, to say the least. When I first joined the school in 2001, I was not the most attentive of students, but my passion was sport! This is one of the reasons why the relatively small size of the school was so important for me; the staff immediately picked up on my individual skill and passion and allowed me to develop it.

From Year 8 onwards, I was heavily involved in teams across a variety of sports ranging from football to athletics. I was given a position of responsibility every year, culminating in being made Games Captain in 2006/7. This was a role I felt deeply honoured to be given. A personal highlight of my time as game captain was leading our Rounders team in the annual Trust tournament. Although we did not win, a number of girls (including myself) were scouted for a regional team and given the opportunity to trial for the national team. At university, I continued to participate in sport, captaining my college basketball team and playing basketball for the university first team, which this year, was the most successful BUCS team at York.

My decision to stay at SCHS to do my A levels was an easy one. Not only would I be working with staff I was familiar and comfortable with and who were excellent in their respective fields, but we were also given the chance to contribute such a lot to the school. The main reason for my wanting to stay was how the teachers treated Sixth Formers. They recognised that we were no longer children but that we still required their guidance and gave us respect.

My time at the school gave me many valuable life lessons, especially teaching me the importance of structure and routine.

One of the reasons I undertook my undergraduate degree at The University of York was that it reminded me of SCHS. Being such a small (but elite) university added an intimate feel to the environment that I didn’t experience at any other university that I visited. Undergraduate life helped me develop skills that I learnt at SCHS such as teamwork and leadership. I have just graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting, Business Finance and Management and am about to begin an MA in Human Resources Management. In July 2011, I undertook an international Internship in a global investment bank. In a few years, I hope to complete my CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) qualification or an MBA specialising in Financial Risk.