As the Summer term continues and our Year 13s look toward the end of the year with anticipation and ambivalence, we sat down with one pupil who has already completed her A Level Exams! This week, we had A Conversation With... Hannah Simonds-Gooding. Hannah joined Shiplake in 2016, after spending five years at Sacred Heart School in London, and is now studying Sport BTEC, Business BTEC and Photography.
What does your average day entail?
My average day normally starts at 7.30am, when I have breakfast. Then I have either chapel, assembly, tutor time or a free morning and at 8.45am the school day begins and goes on until 3.00pm, then we have sport or activities. Then after this I normally either do work or relax with friends until dinner at 6.00pm, then we have check at 7.00pm, where we have to hand our phones in for 2 hours for the duration of prep. Prep would normally either be doing photography in the classroom or doing BTEC work. then from 9.00pm-10.00pm we have free time, and this is normally spent with friends. Then we have to be in our rooms by 10.30pm.
What have been the highlights of your time at Shiplake College?
Shiplake has thrown a huge array of opportunities and good times at me, but some of the best moments are definitely when a team of four went to compete in the British School Ski Championships in Flaine. And it all sounds very cliché, but meeting all the lovely people here and having some great friends.
What has been your favourite subject and why?
I am lucky to really enjoy all of my subjects but I really enjoy photography as it feels like effortless work when editing the photos and working on my book, as its something I really enjoy.
Aside from academia, what has been your biggest learning curve while at Shiplake?
I think from my time at Shiplake, I have definitely learnt that you can do anything if you put your mind to it, because at my old school they doubted the fact I could even get A levels, and two years later, here I am finishing my A Levels with grades I am really pleased with.
What is your favourite film/book and why did it speak to you so much?
My favourite film definitely has to be 'Chalet Girl', as its about skiing which is something I really enjoy, but also its made me want to do something similar, and inspired me to go out and do a ski season.
What's the biggest mistake you've ever made, and what did you learn from it?
I'd say the biggest mistake I've ever made was jumping off of a very high snowy balance when I was about 6, and breaking my arm...and from there on in I've always been very accident prone.
What does the future hold for Hannah Simonds-Gooding?
The future is currently being planned, but I am going on a gap year in September and then seeing where I go from their, I have a few thoughts in mind, two of them being related around sports and photography, which are two things I really enjoy. But long term I really want to complete the 6 major marathons around the world, and I've completed London, so I have 5 left which are Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
