Antonia - Alumni Spotlight
A Life-Changing Experience
Going to Landmark was a life changing experience for me, not just because the invaluable support of the teachers helped me drastically improve my grades and achieve mostly eights and nines at GCSE, but because it fundamentally changed the way I thought about school. Whereas before I dreaded it, the warm, welcoming community made learning enjoyable for the first time in my life. The realization that lessons did not have to be boring, and that the teachers respected me as a fellow person, and were there to help me on my educational journey instead of berating or belittling me, made me look forward to school each morning. I felt supported in every way, with the teachers taking time out of their schedule to help me and encourage me with my work, as well as guiding me through the anxiety I had around exams. Thanks to them, I performed much better than I could have ever dreamt of.
Friendship and School Memories
My classmates were wonderful, too. The deeply ingrained culture of bullying and mistreatment that had plagued my primary school and made learning difficult and lunchtimes unbearable was absent, and it felt like a breath of fresh air. I am still in regular contact with two of the people I met at Landmark, who have gone on to be my best friends. The time I spent with them and my other classmates makes up some of my most cherished memories- from playing at the Rec and swinging off the monkey-bars at the playground, to making extremely amateur computer games with Scratch on the computers in the library, there was never a dull moment. My favourite, however, was when, in 2019, me and my best friend went out to London with Mrs. Gibbs, our science teacher, to take part in the World Wildlife Foundation trivia competition. We came in second place, and I can honestly say that hearing that news was one of the happiest moments of my childhood. Looking back now, I realise that my time in Landmark was amazing, and that it is what school should feel like.
Academic Journey and Future Aspirations
As of writing this, I’m nineteen, and have finished my A- levels in Latin, English, and Spanish, subjects I grew to love thanks to the wonderful Mr. Lord, Mrs. Roche, and Mrs. Silvestro respectively. I am having a gap year, and using it to take an extra sociology A- level, learn how to make jewelry, and enjoy my hobby of creative writing. Soon, I’ll be going off to the university of Edinburgh to study anthropology, and eventually specialise in Egyptology, which I’ve been wanting to study ever since I can remember (incidentally, a year six school trip to the Fitzwilliam Museum was the moment I was sure that's what I wanted to do!) I never thought I would be pursuing my dreams in this way, but Landmark helped give me the confidence and skills I needed to do it. Perhaps more valuable than any of the actual lessons was the way that the school taught me to believe in and be kind to myself. When I joined at the beginning of year six, I was anxious and withdrawn, but when I finished year eleven in 2023, I felt ready to face the world.
Advice to Current Students
My advice to current students would be to make the most of the opportunities the school offers and to enjoy every moment. When I joined the DnD club on a whim, for example, I discovered a hobby which I still enjoy to this day. Be who you are- you don’t have to conform and fit in, because everyone will accept you for the unique person you are. And, finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. People will always be willing to give it to you, without judgement, because they truly care.
