We were very pleased to welcome back alumni, Sarah Hutson to our College Open Evening on 14th October as a guest speaker.  She clearly thoroughly enjoyed her time with us, as is clear from her speech, which you can read below.

"I’m delighted to share some memories of my time here and how they’ve helped me in my life after A levels.

I joined Warlingham in Year 7.  I was a bit of a nerd at school and had a good relationship with my subject teachers; for my chosen A levels, most of those were going to remain the same and as for any new faces, I was reliably informed that they were ‘cool’.  My decision to stay at Warlingham provided a level of stability:  I was already happy here and could focus on the sudden step-up of work which did sometimes clash with my desire to “be a teenager”.  I had the pleasure of meeting lots of new faces as well as holding onto some old ones.

The staff here provided support to me and also gave me opportunities to grow beyond just passing exams.  Whilst it may seem like the world revolves around them, there is so much beyond just passing exams.  Whilst here, I participated in the Duke of Edinburgh award, world challenge opportunities, sports teams, foreign exchange trips - I can’t recall them all.  I also had work experience, could work with younger students and we had a revue each year which allowed us to show off our talents.  I participated in a Dragons Den event supported by business entrepreneurs and there was an event called ‘Card Shark’ which we ran for primary school children.  This allowed us to put our knowledge into practice for A level Business & Economics, as well as helped us learn to interact with others. We also had a residential trip to Prague which gave us a proper insight into so many aspects of Business - small scale and large - as well as a bit of culture.  On this trip, I learned that high heels and cobblestones are not a good combination, especially when you add a bit of snow or ice in the mix!

I left here with A levels in Business & Economics, Product Design, Maths and Physics in 2006 – before iPhones were invented – unsure what career I wanted to pursue.  However, I’d always liked working with people and I found science fascinating, so I ended up at Exeter University, studying Radiography - the world of X-Rays, CT scans, MRI and even the administration of radioactive substances for some patients.  I loved university and my course included placements in different hospitals in the South West so I also got to explore a bit of the UK.

I currently work for Surrey & Sussex Healthcare Trust, as a Radiographer, based at East Surrey hospital. My job suits me well; it keeps my interest in science satisfied and I also get to meet and talk to so many different people.

I am especially grateful to the Science teachers from my time at Warlingham, as their passion for their subjects helped to spark and nurture my own.

Don't ever dismiss something you learn at school however abstract and irrelevant it might sound. I remember having to do a piece of work on particle accelerators in A Level Physics and I said to my classmate, “What use is this going to be to me in the future?!”  Well, for many people none at all, but for me, well, I couldn't do my job without one!"