Benenden GCSE student Tolu Gbadamosi, who joined the School on a full bursary in 2021, is celebrating exceptional GCSE results today.
Her results include Level 9s in Art and Design, English Language and Literature, Geography, Physics and Religious Studies respectively.
“I’m really, really happy” she said, “All of my grades were better than expected.”
Reflecting on how her place at Benenden has helped her, Tolu added: “It has helped me understand my potential. I’ve realised I’m a lot better than what I thought. I was put in an environment where everyone wants to do the best, which makes me want to, too.”
Tolu’s journey to Benenden began while she was attending Eastside Educational Trust’s Saturday school, close to her home in London. The Trust worked with the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation to help young people from less privileged backgrounds to gain access to boarding schools – a prospect that immediately appealed to Tolu.
“When I found out I was going to Benenden I was excited because I’d never boarded and had never been to a girls’ school,” she said.
“I was intrigued by the independence and confidence boarding gives you – you don’t have your parents around 24/7 so you become less reliant on them. You’re prepared to take steps without asking. It sets you up for life really well.”
Since then, Tolu has completely embraced being a part of the Benenden community. Coming from a different social background to her friends is something Tolu is proud of – and happy to educate others on.
“Everyone has been really welcoming and ready to learn,” she said. “A lot of people know me as someone who can explain things about different social situations, and I will always make it known that I hope everyone can understand.”
“Being on a bursary doesn’t make me any less – it means I’ve achieved something and I’m not afraid to share that.”
Tolu’s eagerness to educate others has led to her working with the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion head Jessica Grannatt to present to the younger students on social inequality and ‘tone-deafness’. She notes, however, that she also has much to learn from her peers, adding: “Being in a boarding school has meant I’ve been able to meet lots of people from many different backgrounds who I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
Tolu will be studying Philosophy and Religion, Art and Geography at Benenden’s Sixth Form next year, and while she doesn’t have a fixed plan for the future, thinks she may want to study law or politics one day.
We wish her the very best as she embarks on her A Level study in September, and many congratulations for her outstanding results.
Benenden is holding a Sixth Form open evening on 12 September and several open days throughout the Autumn Term. More information and booking available at www.benenden.school/opendays
