Amy’s Story

Amy, Head Girl 2019 – 2020

“There’s so many things I love about Ballard, especially their family ethos. There’s no hierarchy; friendships are made across year-groups; everyone’s included. Opportunities to mentor younger pupils create bonds, trust and support for the mentee.

At Ballard, teachers tailor their lessons to the pupils; it’s not one-size-fits-all (bespoke education). They encourage us to fulfil our potential, but don’t place us under unnecessary pressure. These relationships with teachers are vital to our achievements. Staff always make time to listen, often sacrificing lunch.

Opportunities at Ballard are countless; the amount of activities are awe-inspiring. Pupils can start at 7:30am and leave at 5.00pm or 6.00pm, having done breakfast, break, lunch and after-school activities or clinics. There’s an extensive range of trips to cater for all interests, both locally and abroad; creating lasting memories. I particularly loved the Tuscany music trip. Singing in a sacred Florentine church and on-top of the Leaning Tower to applause from below; we cheered with locals and danced as the band belted out Wonderland at our final gig. These trips shape you, increasing knowledge and encouraging independence.

I love Ballard’s inclusivity; nobody is left out. You don’t have to be the best – as long as you have a passion or interest, you are welcome. Activities aren’t gender-oriented either; so at Ballard, girls can play rugby and boys can play netball. Our amazing productions are ‘west-end worthy’ because we all get involved. Young and old, boys and girls; it takes all sorts to achieve great things: sport for all, music for all, learning for all.” Amy, Head Girl

We excel in so many areas, there are plenty of opportunities to compete and develop your skills and experience.

STEM – Regional winners at TeenTechSolent and the Soroptomist challenge.

Arts – Artsmark Gold, 100% success in LAMDA, New Era and Arts Award; Highly commended – ISA Dance Nationals; Whole-school dance production and musicals; Beauty & the Beast and Singin’ in the Rain; performing with Gareth Malone at the Royal Albert Hall; Tuscany Tour; Fly To Paradise; ISI Young Musician of the Year; third place – ISA Musical Theatre Award.

Sport – National success; hockey, netball, athletics, skiing and swimming; International gold. Winners of UK STA ‘Small Ships Race’.

Life – Silver Eco-School; International School Award; Erasmus+; Exceptional ballard@home provision.

Despite or because of all these opportunities, Ballard’s GCSE results are consistently higher than the national average. We hope we can continue this trend.

As I read this back, I wonder how we do it all. The last couple of years have been exceptional and I will miss Ballard immensely.”