Dulcie (OP 2022)

"Without significant bursarial support, I would never have been able to access the extraordinary opportunities that come with a Portsmouth Grammar School education.

I joined the school in Year 7 after sitting the 11+ exam, and ended up staying until the end of Year 13. Throughout my time at PGS, I was acutely aware of how privileged I was to experience such an array of inspiring teachers and excellent facilities. When I was not being challenged in the classroom, my weeks were filled with various co-curricular activities, including drama, Portsmouth Point and even a spell in the RAF, all of which was underpinned by an outstanding level of commitment from staff members. I would say that the thing I am most grateful for from my PGS experience is the confidence that was instilled in me. I was invited to have great ambition, with teachers that were willing to invest time and energy into my academic passions. I was always made to feel that my thoughts and opinions were worth sharing, and felt supported in my every aspiration. The level of dedication that my teachers demonstrated during my university application is something that I will never forget. Whether through practice interviews, subject meetings, streams of emails or just a simple chat, the Sixth Form staff were tireless in their efforts to equip me with both the knowledge and self-belief to succeed. Without their constant encouragement and reassurance, I may never have gained an offer to study at an institution as prestigious as Oxford. I am now in my second year as a Spanish and German student at Lincoln College, and look forward to discovering where my career will take me next.

I am so pleased that PGS is providing financial support to more pupils from a lower socio-economic background, and hope that their time at the school will prove to be as formative as my own."