Catching up with our alumni: Sîoned’s journey after King’s InterHigh

My mum wanted to find an alternative high school for me — the nearest high school to us at the time didn’t have the best reputation, and she felt that I wouldn’t have a good time there. After a bit of searching, she came across a few online schools. The appeal was that an internet school would allow for a lot more flexibility. I could learn at a pace and in a way that worked best for me.

The [King's] InterHigh Weekends were always a highlight — it was a lot of fun to meet the people who I only saw on a screen. One of the best moments was when I won second place in a writing competition the school held. While I love creative writing, English was never one of my strong subjects at school, so winning second place was such a surprise. I got a signed book and a few small trinkets (like badges and a bookmark).

Studying at King's InterHigh allowed me to grow into who I am now without the added pressures that come from the social side of school. Being autistic, I struggle at times to understand things like social cues or social situations, so mainstream school could cause a lot of stress at times. King’s InterHigh allowed me to build up my own confidence and discover who I am in my own time, which I will always be grateful for. While unforeseen at the time, it also helped when COVID hit and my university moved online. While a lot of my friends struggled with the transition, I already had the skills needed to learn optimally in that kind of environment.

After leaving King's InterHigh, I went to a nearby sixth form to study my A Levels. While my future career plans changed quite regularly at this age, the majority required a university degree. We thought it would be best for me to get used to an in-person school environment during A Levels so I would be more prepared for university. It was a tough transition at first, but I soon got used to the new environment.

After passing my A Levels, I went to the University of Essex where I completed my Bachelor’s in Mathematics (in which I achieved a First) and my Master’s in Statistics (where I got a Distinction). After graduation, I got a job as a Market Research and Data Analyst Executive at the accounting firm Price Bailey. I’ve been with the firm for over two years now and I am really enjoying it.

My most recent project, called Bridging the Divide, involved quantifying the gap between MPs and Business Leaders when it came to Parliament’s understanding and delivery of business needs. For this report, I completed the full analysis of the collected survey data and collaborated with my team on the writing of the report. Based on the findings of this report, we hosted an amazing event with Alastair Campbell as the main speaker. The response to this report has been unfounded, with members of government contacting us to share their compliments and an overwhelming positive reaction from our clients.

My advice boils down to a favourite motto within my team at work, ‘work hard and play hard’. I remember that the future seemed so scary at that age, I had no clue what I really wanted to do as a career and it all seemed so daunting. While there have definitely been tough and stressful moments, there have been more rewarding ones. I hope all current and future students can enjoy their time at King’s InterHigh while growing their knowledge.