We’re thrilled to introduce three outstanding students who have been awarded the Founders' Award Bursary, designed to support young women of exceptional talent and promise. Each recipient brings unique strengths and ambitions to our community.

Read on to discover their inspiring journeys and the goals they are pursuing with the support of this award.

Roseanna, 2023 recipient

Roseanna is a committed musician, playing drums and singing in the MSJ Choir and the Senior Vocal Ensemble. As a Music Scholar, her role is also to encourage younger pupils to pursue their music passions, and to involve herself in lots of enrichment activities. Recently this has meant visiting the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to understand more about the concept of symphony, and going to Italy last Summer to perform at various venues in the northern Lakes region. Roseanna is studying Maths, English Literature and Music at A Level and is also doing an Extended Project Qualification (this sits alongside A Levels and gains UCAS points for university entry). Her EPQ title is ‘To what extent are the aims of sentencing achieved in the UK prison system’. This choice of topic is inspired by her interest in Law, and Roseanna’s ultimate aim is to become a solicitor. She was really pleased to get some experience recently at a top London firm, which has cemented her ambition. Roseanna achieved eight Grade 9s at GCSE and two Grade 8s. Her Founders’ Award bursary has allowed her to flexi board 2 nights per week. She is grateful for this opportunity which has allowed her to develop much stronger relationships with other girls she didn’t know before; plus it has made her more independent and is “great preparation for university”. A typical evening for Roseanna involves going to the gym, doing a few hours of homework, then watching a film with friends in Poulton. She also manages to squeeze in Debating Club, Tennis in the summer, orchestra and participation in the school productions (in the orchestra rather than on-stage). A few of Roseanna’s favourite memories so far include the A Level recital at school (editor’s note: truly a magical musical lunchtime with all A Level music students performing – open to any OGA members who would like to come along) and appearing on Blue Peter to play the Drums after achieving her Grade 8 with Distinction at age 8 – the youngest drummer to achieve this.

Charlotte, 2023 recipient

Charlie is studying for a very impressive and interesting mix of four A Levels including English, Maths, Physics and History. Still in Year 12 (Lower Sixth) she is thinking ahead to university already with the intention of reading Engineering and then converting to Law afterwards. Engineering has always been an interest and she has her sights set on Oxford, Kings College London or Durham. Afterwards she wants to practice as a barrister in IP law in either the commercial or media sectors. She has decided on this career as she likes debating with evidence-based data to support her answer. Charlie’s Founders’ Award allows her to weekly board. “It gives me more independence and control over how I pursue studies. I am a Sports Scholar and it means I can go to the gym after school, as well as early morning conditioning sessions and attending Saturday matches.” She plays hockey, lacrosse and netball in the winter, as well as dance; and tennis, cricket and athletics in the Summer.  Her other enrichment activities (yes, she manages time for more!) include debating, TEFL, taking part in school musicals and plays, and Greek Club. She says, “Weekly boarding means that all my work is in one place, I do not have any commute to/from school and that way I gain about an hour a day. I use this extra time for the benefit of my studies and interests.”

Both Charlotte and Roseanna are busy prepping for Oxford entry at the beginning of next academic year. For Roseanna this means “lots of research, wider reading to prepare for the ELAT exam, and using our Russell-Up sessions at school which are an academic enrichment activity to prepare us for the most sought-after universities.” Charlie, meanwhile, has been talking to Old Girl Jess Morris (MSJ 2020), currently studying Engineering at Oxford, as well as one of our Maths teachers, Mr Ward, who started his career as an engineer. She is dedicating around 3 hours a week to this, though knows it will continue to increase, the closer to application she gets.

Jess, 2022 recipient

Jess is studying Biology, Geography and Music at A Level. She participates fully in musical life at MSJ, being an accomplished pianist, achieving Grade 8 with Distinction last year. She also plays clarinet (Grade 7 with Merit) and is a member of the MSJ orchestra, the Choir and the Senior Vocal Ensemble.

Her other passion involves kitchen instruments rather than musical ones. Jess is an enthusiastic foodie who has just completed the prestigious Leiths cookery course, which also gains her UCAS points. She is looking to study Biology at undergraduate level and then a post-grad degree in Medicine. She holds offers from Liverpool, Queen Mary’s and Southampton at present and is waiting to hear from two more.

Jess has been able to weekly board at school with her Founders’ Award and this has made a world of difference to her. “It has made me a lot closer to everyone in my year group. And it’s great to have a Housemistress who is always around to talk to. The boarding environment is helpful to my study time as we can work together, particularly with tests and exams coming up. Working collaboratively means that we can all help to motivate each other.”

Being a boarder, she can go back to her room to study in free periods and during Prep time: this is important to achieving all that she wants in her academic ambitions.

Her standout memory of MSJ is The Gambia Trip last Easter. “Being with all my friends, a close-knit group of teachers, working with children in local schools and helping out at a clinic for sick children, as well as seeing a world so different to my own was amazing.”

Jess came to MSJ from a co-ed boarding school and is very happy to be enjoying an all-girls environment. “I wouldn’t switch back. There is less pressure and you can just focus on your work, with less to worry about.”