We are delighted to start off this year’s exam spotlight with one of our most recent leavers Natalia C!

Before joining Albyn in S5, Natalia faced the challenge of going between different schools to allow her to sit subjects that she had chosen to sit over her final two years at school. After careful consideration, Natalia decided that this was not a viable option and applied to Albyn School where her subject choices could be accommodated. Natalia gained a place at Albyn and also received a bursary which enabled her to successfully go on to achieve 3 A grades in Advanced Higher French, Spanish and Modern Studies in her final year. Talking about her time at Albyn, Natalia commented:

“I only started my time here at Albyn in Upper 5 so it has been a short journey but I definitely think it was for the best and I am glad I could finish my education here. Albyn offered all the Highers and Advanced Highers I wanted to do without me having to go to other schools. They also had really small class sizes so I got excellent support.

When first starting at Albyn, I found that the students here all really wanted to learn andthere was a lot of mutual respect between students, and between teachers and students.

Having a significant visual impairment, I found that the teachers communicated with me really well and were always very supportive”

With Covid-19 having a large impact on education in schools over the past year, Natalia, like many students, was required to find ways to adapt to the new normal:

“It was a challenge to keep up with work consistently, especially with revision at home. However, having more time at home did make it easier in the long run, as I ended up having more time to revise, but also had more time to take care of my mental health. The teachers were great with always being on hand to answer any questions I had.”

Natalia has deservedly gained a place at the University of Aberdeen to study Law with options in French. Speaking about her grades and starting her new adventure, Natalia said:

“I was pleasantly surprised about my grades this year, especially with Modern Studies as this was something that I had to consistently try and improve on throughout the year. I am incrediblyhappy that my hard work has paid off and I am really looking forward to starting somewhere completely new and continuing my love of languages.”

Headmaster, Stefan Horsman, remarked that:

“Making the move to another school for S5 and S6 is never easy, but, in Natalia’s case, her work ethic and positive attitude ensured a smooth transition. She now leaves us with the top grades required for a highly competitive university course and the next stage in her academic journey. We all wish her the very best for her Law degree at the University of Aberdeen.”