Hear from our Sixth Form Students

Past and present Sixth Form students share their experiences of life at Hockerill, offering an authentic insight into studying the International Baccalaureate and being part of our vibrant community. From the perspectives of both day students and boarders, they reflect on the academic challenge of the IB, the support of dedicated teachers, and the opportunities to travel, lead and get involved in College life. Their stories highlight the strong sense of belonging at Hockerill and how the Sixth Form helps students grow in confidence, independence and ambition.

Alumni

Lucy
Leung

Before starting the IBDP at Hockerill slightly over two years ago, I don't think I would have dared to imagine where I am right now. Hockerill and the IBDP truly opened a lot of unexpected doors for me. I did not even think of doing Japanese Studies as a degree before Hockerill. The opportunity to study the language on a fairly frequent basis (far more than usual outside of school language lessons) really allowed me to spend time and effort to dive deeper into it and discover my passion to pursue the language, as well as the culture/society itself on a higher level. The compulsory 4000-word Extended Essay definitely sounded daunting at first; however, I would say that it was my favourite component of the entire programme. Not only it allowed me to apply and think beyond the taught content, but the essay (and the research-based nature of the DP itself) also made me realise that I enjoy research and might truly have a passion for it. Zooming out, while the two years were definitely filled with ups and downs, endless deadlines and business, I would say it provided me with so many opportunities to grow personally, especially in time management. Doing multiple projects at once doesn't sound that bad anymore! Beyond academics, being a part of Hockerill's music department definitely made my two years extremely fulfilling, from having the chance to perform solos at concerts, the choir trips to universities, to being offered a choral award at Cambridge. All these singing/choral experiences and the teachers at the department, especially Mrs Morrison, truly made me fall in love with choir and choral music again. Last but not least, I can gladly say that I met a great group of friends throughout these two years. Perhaps it could be the diverse cultural background our cohort has that provided me a sense of belonging, making the everyday academic (and university applications) stress a little bit more manageable. I wouldn't lie and say my two years at Hockerill were an easy journey, but it was definitely worth it, and I do not regret my decision almost 3 years back.

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Alumni

Sam
Johnston

My time at Hockerill couldn’t have been any better, great teachers and academic support that went above and beyond made me feel supported every step of the way. When it came to applying to universities the guidance I received was overwhelming, including the organisation of mock interviews, help with refining my personal statement, and opportunities to expand my repertoire of super and extracurriculars, notably my language skills and an introduction to politics, which I feel all allowed for my success in my applications. Beyond academics, there is something special about the community feeling you get from Hockerill and this is a feeling that only gets stronger as you grow through the years - supporting each other, playing team sports, and, for some, even living together. I spent all 7 years of secondary and further education at Hockerill, a choice that I would make again in a heartbeat.

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Alumni

Sebastian
Ttoffali

There are many reasons why I decided to do the IB at Hockerill, and many more reasons why I am so glad that I did. I was drawn to the IB because of the broad subject base, enabling me to prioritise the subjects I enjoyed the most at higher level, whilst pursuing other interests at standard level, such as Mandarin. I really enjoyed the independence I had whilst doing the IBDP, with the onus placed on students to engage critically with subject material. The IB also provided me with plenty of opportunities to develop my research and essay writing skills, which have proved invaluable for my undergraduate studies. The learning environment at Hockerill is supportive and cooperative, allowing students to push each other towards their academic and personal goals. The IBDP is a challenging course, but everyone in the sixth form community is looking out for one another and willing to help. Extracurriculars at Hockerill are also amazing, with plenty of opportunities to get involved with sport, music and drama, as well as some incredible trips. During my time in the sixth form I was fortunate enough to visit Berlin, Uganda and China; experiences which benefitted me greatly both inside and outside the classroom.

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Alumni

Sofia
Garcia Ivica

My journey at Hockerill has shaped me into the person I am today. Having been at Hockerill from year 7 through to year 13, I have grown both academically and personally and I have learnt various skills that I will carry with me throughout my life including resilience, communication and teamwork. During my time at Hockerill, I was part of many extracurricular activities such as sports clubs, language clubs and the student council. There are so many opportunities for growth and having members of staff supporting me throughout the years really helped me through my incredible journey at Hockerill. I had the opportunity to travel to several countries for example, Spain and France to enhance my understanding of language and culture, as well as volunteering in Uganda, which was such a unique and special eye-opening experience. Hockerill has truly prepared me for the future and I will always remember the special memories I made during my time here.

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