Hopes and dreams
New Year 7 and 12 students reflect on their experiences of Claremont High School so far…
By Student Reporters Elena Cepaityte 10.4, Veera Mehta 11.2 and Kheya Shah 11.2
On Tuesday 3rd September 2024, three hundred exhilarated Year 7 students turned a new page in the next chapter of their lives, taking the first steps towards adulthood… Secondary school.
From expectation assemblies, through ICT sessions, to writing letters to their 16-year-old selves, the new Year 7s had an eventful first two days at Claremont High School to help them settle in. They met their classmates, making friends and getting to know each other through a range of ice-breaker activities. A wide variety of co-curricular activities and opportunities were introduced, appealing to everyone’s interests. And, of course, the pupils toured the school grounds, receiving instructions on safety procedures like fire drills.
Like many other Year 7s, Rebeca Bodnar in 7.10 felt ‘overwhelmed and excited’. She explains: ‘It was like a new beginning - new school, new friends, new start.’ This apprehension was caused, in part, by the big differences between primary and secondary school life. Zaynab Pirani in 7.1 mentions how ‘it’s quite hard remembering to bring everything you need’. However, she feels reassured by the support Claremont has already given and believes she ‘will get used to it in time, like the older students’.
It was to help pupils like Zaynab settle in and feel comfortable that Claremont hosted two ‘Taster Days’, to give the new Year 7s a taste of what high school life is like. These were days during which the students got to experience a normal day at Claremont, and to receive all the necessary information to prepare them for this next step.
With the change, the Year 7s were reassured that they were not alone. Many felt that the teachers and older students were welcoming and helpful, making them feel at home in their new school. When some Year 7s struggled to find their classes, they were not shy in asking their older peers to help them. This warm welcome from the entire school made pupils like Ali Marashi in 7.2 feel ‘safe and happy’ at Claremont.
As the school opens new doors for the Year 7s, the students discovered new subjects and skills. A lot of the lessons Claremont has to offer, many pupils won’t have experienced before, such as drama and cooking. Students like Zaynab enjoyed their new PE lessons especially - she hopes to take part in ‘lots of inter-house competitions’. Others have let their dreams wander down a creative route, such as Maya Meianu in 7.2, who’s hoping to ‘get into the annual productions’. Claremont students are encouraged to aim for the highest and Rebeca hopes that ‘I will be a top student’. The school focuses on the personal identity of every child and each one’s hopes and dreams differ: Ali says, ‘I hope that my studies at Claremont will help me to get into architecture and interior design’; while some, like Kevin Vatamanu in 7.10, hopes to ‘make more friends’.
Overall, the new Year 7s have found Claremont to be a ‘great place’.
But they weren’t the only students at Claremont facing a fresh start back in September… The new Year 12s had to make the transition from Year 11 to the Sixth-Form, which places a greater emphasis on students as independent learners. We talked to a couple of them about their reasons for choosing to remain at Claremont to study their A Levels.
Saniya Mazhar in 12.2, who’s studying A Level Biology, Chemistry and Maths, explains her rationale: ‘One of the main reasons I stayed at Claremont was because of the supportive network I had around me, in terms of teachers and pupils. I felt it was a safe environment to be in, one where I am comfortable talking to teachers about myself and about the difficulties I may face in the future - especially because A Levels can be a stressful time and the support is necessary. I was also encouraged by the past results, which have been really good. Being a sixth-former, I like the number of students in each class, usually around ten to fifteen people, which allows more one-to-one help from teachers. And, personally, I feel more comfortable with a smaller class size. Overall, I am happy and thankful for where I am and I credit my teachers and the staff around the school who make it a memorable experience!’
Ahaan Saraf in 12.1, studying A Level Maths, Chemistry and Economics, feels similarly: ‘I decided to stay on at Claremont because of the amazing teacher support provided - here you are not treated like a statistic, but a person. Due to the small cohort size, the teachers know the students very well and are therefore able to help them reach their full potential. I also like the emphasis placed on co-curricular activities so not everything is about your studies, there’s an opportunity to engage in your personal interests too. There’s a fantastic enrichment scheme that allows students to achieve their aspirations for post-study. Last but not least, I love the exclusive Sixth-Form Centre! Not only does it have many useful facilities, like a silent study area and a vending machine, it’s also kept really clean and looks fresh and modern.’