We routinely hear from past students, keeping in touch to let us know of their achievements and just generally how life is going for them. This week, we heard from alumnus, Joe Wilson, an exceptional young man who has already gone on to achieve great things. Do take a moment to read his inspirational words below:

My name is Joseph Wilson, and I am a former GCSE and A-level student at Hele’s School. I am also a lawyer, scholar at Lincoln’s Inn and holder of a first-class degree in Law.

Much of my success and development is rooted in my school experience, which was one of self-discovery and realisation of my potential.

When starting secondary school, I was hardly able to read and write, initially struggling in Years 7 and 8 due to my Asperger’s, Dyslexia and ADHD. However, it was at Hele’s School where I was shown an important triad. This is the importance of staying motivated (I.E. pushing yourself, constantly trying your best, putting in the work and going the extra mile), not being afraid to ask for help and having a supportive environment.

Hele’s School provided this help and the environment, encouraging me to work hard and achieve what I am truly capable of.

It was made clear that school was not a short-term trial with no bearing on the future, but was in fact crucial to both developing and evidencing the skills required for employment, further education and a good life as an adult more generally.

Thus, the combination of putting in as much effort as I could during my lessons, homework and exams, as well as the help and guidance my teachers provided me, allowed me to flourish. I finished GCSEs in 2018 with several top grades (9s, 8s, 7s etc) and A-levels in 2020 with 3 A*s (Philosophy & Ethics, History and Criminology), which has been noticed by employers and academic recruiters alike.

This granted me a huge number of opportunities and allowed me to pursue my desired profession, such as studying Law at the University of Exeter (2020-2023) and completing my Barrister Training Course (2023-2025).

If you are currently studying in whatever year, my message to you is this: YOU can achieve this too, or perhaps even more if you put your mind to it! Where there’s a will, there’s a way!