Old Badmintonians

I came to Badminton in 1985, into Year 9. I remember that when I came to look round, I joined in with a class in the Art Block. We all had to draw one of the girls who was sitting holding a parasol. I’d never done anything like that before and I thought it was brilliant. I was sold!

The art teaching at Badminton was fantastic, and the facilities meant you could try out everything, from screenprinting to batik, pottery to photography. There was so much emphasis on things beyond just sitting in a class room. We went to the theatre in London and Stratford and on a trip to look round the Houses of Parliament. I remember especially the art trip to Cornwall where we visited Barbara Hepworth’s studio and the Minack Theatre. We encountered amazing people: speakers who came to Badminton, including politicians, and, of course, some pretty inspirational Old Badmintonians. They all gave us a sense of what was possible out in the world.

Badminton made me feel pretty undaunted about going on to Oxford and then doing a Masters in Art History in London, and eventually working there in places such as the National Portrait Gallery. Extra-curricular things such as getting a certificate in speech and drama were useful in making me confident in public speaking. But my favourite memories are about the little things: hilarious break times in the Sixth Form block, and the chocolate spread at tea time!

The friends I made at Badminton, whom I’ve stayed in touch with ever since, are what I cherish most.

I am now an artist and I do some curatorial work too. You can see some of my work at www.annadoughertypaintings.co.uk, including my painting of Northcote in memory of Penelope Ellis who was such an inspirational art teacher. Prints are available!

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Esme, now studying Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College, London.

Badminton helped me look out for more. I’m now in my second year studying Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial. I feel that the opportunities I had at Badminton helped me look out for more and meant that from the beginning I had something a little bit different. This has helped me to secure a place at university, work experience, scholarships and internships, but so much more importantly than that it’s given me the enthusiasm to make the most out of every opportunity I find.

I came to Badminton in Year 9. I think the teachers’ deep commitment to our learning instilled a love of learning that has pushed me further.  Their passion for their subjects combined with their caring attitude meant that everyone could find something that they enjoyed.  

This in itself was a great preparation and has prepared us all for the future.

I’ve tried to carry on the work hard play hard(er) attitude from Badminton

At Badminton, there’s always a way to get involved outside the classroom. During Sixth Form, I was part of Science Outreach. The looks of amazement on the Primary School pupils’ faces each time we presented was a definite highlight. Studying fills most of my days now, but I’ve tried to carry on the work hard play hard(er) attitude from Badminton. I row and am Captain of the Underwater Hockey Team.

There is something very special about the friendships I made

What else did I love about Badminton? It’s a cliché, but there is something very special about the friendships I made there. Long may they continue! Other than that, I have to say the food. Whenever we were presented with the pasta and a choice of sauces, the challenge was almost how much we could eat!

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Helen Cheng, medical student and Old Badmintonian

The summer before I started at Badminton, I met up in Hong Kong with Maggie, who was already at the School and who became my first friend there. She’d already written me a letter before we met, so I felt really welcomed before I even arrived! When I got to Badminton, I was treated like a family member. It’s such a small school that it was easy to mingle and get to know people in my year very quickly.

I enjoyed the small class teaching that allowed me to be actively involved in discussions in class. The teachers were serious but relaxed at the same time, so we would work hard, but that didn’t stop some teachers bringing chocolate and cake to class in the lesson before Christmas! I went on to study Medicine at university, and was fortunate to be able to do my pre-clinical studies at Cambridge. I’m now in my final year of clinical medical studies at Queen Mary, University of London, and I’ll graduate this summer to start work as a foundation doctor.

It was great boarding with friends

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I remembered the first year I joined Badminton being quite challenging. Not only had I left home to join a new school thousands of miles away, but I had to settle into the English teaching style, and also start my GCSE studies. There were subjects that I found easy to get into, such as Maths and Science, and some that I struggled with at first. I took extra lessons in French an hour a week to catch up on my grammar and vocabulary. I also took piano lessons, as I’d always done in Hong Kong, and I remember practising on the piano at Little Grange during my free time.

It was great boarding with friends, and at the weekends we enjoyed going to Henleaze to top up our essentials and snacks - tinned mackerel was my favourite, believe it or not! I joined the Cookery Club that ran on Saturday mornings, and I remember that the Boarding staff would help us order the ingredients we need and we would pair up and spend the whole afternoon cooking. It was a real joy exploring different recipes. I grew up in a busy city, and when I first came to Badminton, I thought Bristol was quite a quiet place. But during the time I was at the School it changed enormously!

As a Boarder, I learned to be independent,
as well as to share with friends

Studying at Badminton opened so many doors for me. As a Boarder, I learned to be independent, as well as to share with friends. Badminton has also allowed me to build strong foundations in my friendships. When facing uncertainties in university life, I feel I can always come back to my friends from Badminton who can comfort and support me. It’s easy to stay connected to the Badminton friends I can’t see so often through Facebook. Last November we had a mini-gathering in London and it was such a lovely occasion to catch up with those I haven't seen in the past five years.

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