A Benenden School student who has achieved a clean sweep of top A Level grades has encouraged other girls to consider applying to the School on a bursary, saying hers has been “life-changing”.
Ava Charlton, 18, is heading to Durham University after today securing four A* grades – which she described as “surreal”.
She said: “My eyes scrolled down to the results and I thought there were specks of dust on my screen or something!
“I was really not expecting it at all: it was such a surreal moment, I still can’t really believe it to be honest.”
Ava, from Woodchurch in Kent, will be studying for a Combined Honours in Social Sciences at Durham, after achieving top grades in English Literature, History, Politics and the Extended Project Qualification – a university-style research-led course. For her EPQ, Ava explored the role of women in the punk movement of the 1970s and 1990s.
Ava joined Benenden in Year 9 on a 110 per cent bursary and threw herself into School life, through activities including the Dance Show, Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Model United Nations (MUN). In the Sixth Form she was one of the School’s prefect team, started a student book club and led the student Social Sciences Society.
She said: “Both CCF and MUN formed such a massive part of my experience here at Benenden. When I was touring the School I saw the noticeboards for CCF and MUN and said to my mum ‘if I come here I really want to do those’ but wasn’t thinking it would actually happen.”
Asked about her experience of being at Benenden on a bursary, Ava said: “My time at Benenden has been life-altering – in a good way! It’s been incredible, I’ve loved every single moment of it.
“I have tried to go into it with the mentality of getting the most out of the opportunity so I’ve tried to get involved in as many different clubs and activities as possible. I’m so grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to me.”
She added: “I’m really quite upset to leave it behind to be honest – it’s one of those things you don’t want to end because everything about Benenden is so good.
“It’s been such an amazing experience and I have felt so supported during my time at the School – that’s not just with the bursary but with my neurodiversity; the academic support has been amazing.”
Asked if she had any advice for girls who might be considering applying to the School through a bursary, Ava said: “It’s okay to be nervous about it – it can feel like a massive change – but don’t let that stop you because being a student at Benenden is an incredible privilege.
“You will get out of it what you give, so if you give a lot you will get so much back.
“Be brave and give your all to everything you do at School and just make the most of every experience you can, that’s so important to do.”
- More information about bursaries at Benenden School here Bursaries – Benenden
- Join us for our Sixth Form Open Event on Thursday 11 September. Book at www.benenden.school/opendays