Recent British School alumna Olivia achieved an outstanding International Baccalaureate result at Sixth Form and received the BSN ‘Spirit of Alumni’ award during the class of 2026 Leavers’ Assembly. This award honours a learner who has made a lasting impact on our school, and whose character, commitment, and contribution embody the very best of the BSN. As she begins a Liberal Arts degree, Olivia reflects on the journey behind her academic success, sharing why the friendships, support, and sense of belonging she found at the BSN mean even more than the grades themselves.
Hi, my name is Olivia. I completed my International Baccalaureate at the BSN in May 2026 and was awarded the BSN Spirit of Alumni award. Anyone familiar with the IB system will understand how rigorous it is and how much pressure it puts on students. After two consecutive years of a heavy workload, hard work, and determination, I graduated from the IB with a score I am personally very proud of. I am not only proud of the two-digit number that appeared on my results day, as I don’t believe this number alone represents us students and our achievements. This digit could never encapsulate the amazing path leading up to it. Having had time to reflect on my journey and achievements, I am primarily proud of my journey that got me to my IB score. Proud, because it marks an incredibly happy time in my life, characterised by the most amazing friends, teacher-student relationships, and great academic achievements.
There is no doubt that I wouldn’t have been able to perform as I did if not for the wonderful environment at the BSN.
For this reason, I want to thank the BSN students who accepted me just as I was and welcomed me so warmly. I would like to thank the teachers for providing constant feedback, support and guidance without hesitation. Of course, I would also like to thank the careers staff for their great guidance on all my applications. They helped me open the doors to my first-choice university.
Specifically, I would like to thank Miss Andrews-Wouters, without whom I would have never been able to make a smooth transition to the BSN. I am grateful for every word of encouragement you gave me. I would also like to express my thanks to my specific subject teachers. Miss Staveley, thank you for trying so hard and not giving up on me with my Paper 1 Analysis. Miss Gerstman, I appreciate all the time you took to mark the practice papers I always handed in right before the weekend. Mr Carter, despite still lacking a sense of orientation, which isn’t your fault, I can explain great geographical concepts to family and friends. Mr Conner, I thank you for allowing me to understand what seemed like the most difficult biological concepts on earth. Mr Tilt, Maths was never a strong suit of mine, but thanks to your help, I actually ended up enjoying the subject. Lastly, Miss Kay, thank you for taking the time to make sure I understood the hundreds of diagrams confidently.
To all my teachers, I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t answered my thousands of questions daily! Thank you!
I would also like to thank Mrs Napper for being such a lovely tutor and providing a great start to the day, every day.
I miss the BSN environment, students and teachers dearly; nevertheless, I feel I always have a part of the BSN with me. I have started my studies for a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a concentration in social sciences. Unlike what the name suggests, my studies don’t have anything to do with the arts; rather, it’s an interdisciplinary programme that lets me combine my interests in Law, Politics, and Economics, earning credits across all three disciplines. I am not yet certain of the job I will pursue later, but I do know that I aim to combine these disciplines in my future career as well, as I believe they are deeply intertwined. This is also why I couldn’t imagine studying only one of them in isolation.
Even after only the first few weeks of classes in Uni, I can confidently say that the work ethic and attitude the BSN taught us are of great help. I will continue to carry this part of the BSN with me, wherever my journey takes me.
Overall, I don’t associate the BSN merely with my academic journey but rather with an incredibly happy, welcoming, and loving environment and a chapter of my life.
I take pride in having been a student in the BSN programme and in becoming a BSN Alumna of 2026. Being the recipient of the alumni award fills me with endless joy. You only get one chance at the secondary school life you’ve always dreamed of; it’s up to you to take advantage of the amazing resources and opportunities to make it happen. I could not have imagined being the one called out at the graduation assembly; nevertheless, it happened. I am proud to have been recognised for the wonderful values this award represents. My whole life, I have embodied these values, and I did so happily at the BSN as well.
I will be forever grateful to call myself the BSN Alumna of 2026. I am already looking forward to the first alumni get-together.
