Mollie Winder joined Stanley House at Rugby School for Sixth Form in 2019 through the Hope Opportunity Trust, arriving from Holly Lodge Girls’ College in Liverpool with strong academic potential. Her time at Rugby proved transformative. With the support of the Arnold Foundation and a nurturing boarding environment, Mollie developed the confidence and discipline that shaped her future. She went on to study Geography at the University of Manchester, graduating with a 2:1, and now works as an Assistant Planning Officer while completing a Masters in Planning.

I studied Geography, Politics and English Literature at Rugby and then went to the University of Manchester to study Geography (a four-year course including a one-year job placement).  I achieved a 2:1, including a First on my dissertation.  

The Head Teacher at Holly Lodge was a geography teacher but the School did not offer Geography A level as not enough students wanted to take it. He urged me to take up the Arnold Foundation offer to go to Rugby and I am very grateful to him for his encouragement.   

I felt very blessed to join a school with its own fully formed bursary programme. It felt ingrained within Rugby’s identity and I’m pleased that the Arnold Foundation continues to work with Holly Lodge.   

Since graduating in July 2025, I have become an Assistant Planning Officer within the policy team at a local authority in Greater Manchester. I am studying for a Masters degree at the same time.  

My job placement was at a recruitment firm specialising in education. I met someone there whose partner was in the planning team at the local authority. She thought that I might be interested in that area of work and arranged for us to meet. He told me that I would need an accredited degree to become a town planner. I applied for a graduate scheme called Pathways to Planning which includes a Masters (MSc Planning). It’s a fully-funded Government scheme because we don’t have enough planners in this country. It’s very competitive. I went through four or five rounds of interviews, assessment centres and online situational tests. By the time I’ve finished the Masters I will have been at Manchester University for six years!  

I fit the studying in before and after my day at work. Fortunately, Rugby was very helpful in teaching me time management.  

I was 16 when I arrived at Rugby and I had no confidence. I was awkward, and worried that my Liverpool accent might hinder me, but I received support from the Arnold Foundation and the tutors who were all lovely. Without it, I could easily have floundered. I was  encouraged to ‘stand strong’ and learned how to carry myself. I mastered public speaking.  The confidence I gained helped with all the interviews and presentations I have done since I left school -  getting through the doors.  

I was quite political at Rugby and I still am. I always wanted to work in a political landscape. Politics impacts on how I do my job every day as we look for funding to improve social housing and schools and build recreation centres. I could have gone into the private sector but it wasn’t right for me.     

Stanley was a very supportive environment. Most of my friendships came from Stanley. Rugby changed me in a very positive way. I have been very lucky.