The ten years I spent at More House after joining the school in year 4 when I was eight, shaped me into the young adult I am today. In my speech as one of the Head Boy Team on Founder’s Day, I was happy to tell everyone at the school how lucky I was to have been a pupil at the school.

When I first arrived at More House, I was not at all confident. I was uncertain about what I could achieve and what I would be able to go on to do after I left school. I was also worried about the prospect of having to sit public exams. However, the encouragement I was given by my teachers at every stage from Junior to Senior Years through to the Sixth Form helped me to build my confidence both academically and socially. I particularly enjoyed my time in the Sixth Form when I could focus on the 3 ‘A’ level subjects that interested me the most and I felt supported by the staff in my choices and was inspired by their teaching. As a result, I am now studying a degree in Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading. I still use the organisation, revision and exam strategies shown to me by the MHS learning support team as essential study tools to help me at university.

Music was a huge part of my life at More House. I really enjoyed performing as part of the Concert Band and Jazz Band at events both at school and outside the school. This continues to be an important part of my life as I still enjoy performing regularly as a member of my university’s Jazz Band and Orchestra.

My time at More House was filled with a number of unforgettable trips overseas, including a Jazz Band trip to New York (2024), a two-week World Challenge expedition to eSwatini (2023), and a couple of More House ski trips to Italy. The shared experiences on these trips helped cement some firm friendships with other MHS boys and I have many happy memories that will stay with me forever.

In the Upper Sixth, many of the boys are given positions of responsibility in the school which is very rewarding. I had the privilege of serving as Chair of the School Council which allowed me to work closely with the staff and younger pupils to implement a variety of student-led initiatives in the school as well as support projects in the wider community.

Looking back, my time at More House was truly transformative. It gave me the confidence to believe in my abilities so that I could achieve some strong exam results, make lifelong friendships and acquire important life skills needed for an independent future.