Alumni

From a young age I decided that I wanted to study at an English University but my parents felt that it would be of benefit to me to understand the British education system and experience the culture before doing so. A friend of my father recommended Lucton and after visiting the school with my family I loved it. I was really impressed with the history of the school and I thought the countryside setting would be the perfect choice.

The teaching style was different to what I had experienced elsewhere; critical thinking was encouraged and the staff were able to push me academically. I studied at Lucton for five years and I actually went on to take six A Levels, three of which I achieved an A*, before completing my degree in Statistics, Economics and Finance at University College London. I was offered a place at Cambridge to an MSC but chose instead to take a job at KPMG. I had a wonderful time at Lucton, so much so that I now run a company that promotes educational exchanges between Britain and China.

I looked at several schools before choosing Lucton but I loved the fact that it was relatively small compared to others. We were encouraged to try absolutely everything and so when I wasn’t on the sports fields, I would often be found playing drums in one of the orchestras or, more often than not, experimenting with different techniques in the art room. In fact, art at Lucton was particularly inspiring and by the time I left I knew that I had no doubt that I wanted to pursue it as a career.

After leaving Lucton I went on to study Photography at Bath Spa University before moving to London to work as a freelance photographer specialising in fashion. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to have assisted Mario Testino and Nick Knight on fashion campaigns for companies including Burberry, and in addition to my freelance work, I currently shoot for online designer retailer Net-a-Porter.

I had a wonderful time at Lucton and the communication skills and confidence that I rely on in my career as a photographer, were instilled during my time there, not to mention my adaptability!

I was quite young when I started my education at Lucton and joined the nursery at the age of two! As I progressed through the school I had some really fantastic teachers, particularly for science, where they taught above and beyond the syllabus and supported me in my pursuit to become a Doctor. My time at Lucton was also full of extra-curricular activities; there were many sports on offer and I regularly competed in team and individual sports to county level which was something I may have overlooked had I attended a larger school.

The leadership experience that I gained through CCF and becoming Head Girl helped place me above other candidates when I applied for university and, even now, the skills I learned through drama have shaped me into a confident public speaker which is invaluable in dealing with patients in my current role as a Paediatric Registrar. When I reflect on my time at Lucton, I have so many fond memories and I am grateful for the opportunities that were available to me.

I left Lucton in 1971, however, as a member of the Old Luctonians Association, I am still very much involved with the school and it’s great to see that it has continued to thrive year on year. I joined Lucton in the early 1960s. My parents were concerned by the volatility of the cold war missile crisis and felt that I would benefit from continuing my education in the countryside. Much as it is today, the school had a real focus on sport, which I loved, and placed particular emphasis on developing resilience and independence.

After leaving Lucton at 19, I enjoyed a varied career; from studying at Art College to joining the City of London Police, travelling the world, joining the civil service and a lot more. The strength of character that I built at Lucton gave me a tremendous sense of confidence which I have carried with me throughout my career. Through my involvement in the Old Luctonians Association, it has been wonderful to watch the school flourish and to see the positive characteristics and values I experienced being instilled in future generations of students.