I started at Rugby in 2016. I was 11 and joined the distant (and now forgotten) Marshall House. Coming from a state primary school was quite a shock to the system. During my time there, my primary school dealt with a rat infestation, a gas leak, a flood, and myriad other issues. To leave that and move to a school which had every facility I could have dreamed of was incredible. It confirmed I was now in an environment offering me hundreds of opportunities kids from my background could not even imagine. 

My seven years at Rugby undoubtedly lived up to that. From activities like CCF and hockey fixtures, to being able to listen to some incredible speakers like Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage, my Rugby education provided me countless opportunities to develop some new skills or expand my thinking. 

I was recently a caller for the Arnold Foundation fundraising telethon, and in one of my conversations with an Old Rugbeian I spoke to someone who joined the Rugby as part of one of the first few cohorts of girls. We spent a few minutes discussing our experiences of being a Rugby girl. The conclusion we reached was this: ‘well, a lot has changed – for the better.’ 

She spoke to me about the strangeness of being a sort of novelty in what had for hundreds of years been a boys’ school. I had not experienced this strangeness. In many ways my experience at Rugby was only as enjoyable as it was because of the efforts of the girls in previous cohorts to make their mark on Rugby. To make the School truly co-ed. In many ways, I remained part of ‘minorities’ at School. I was a day girl. I received a scholarship and full bursary. But even then, I never felt my experience was all that different from the boarders or the wealthier students around me. 

In the 50 years since girls joined Rugby, the world has changed a lot. In 1976, the Sony Walkman had not even been released yet. Now, I rarely ever leave my house without my headphones and dozens of Spotify playlists downloaded. This is just one example, but it is no wonder our experiences were so different. Emails had only just been invented in the 70s. During my years at Rugby, I surely received no less than 10 emails a day – not to mention the Covid-induced online learning period. 

In any case, I am grateful to every woman who came before me, who in their own way shaped Rugby – as every student who passes through the School does. Their resilience made the path slightly easier for each girl who came next. 

Most recently, being an OR gave me the opportunity to enjoy an internship in Communications at the BSA Group. A testament to the reality that the experiences Rugby can offer do not end after Leavers’ Ball.