Ahead of our Scholarship Competition taking place tomorrow, Tuesday 17th November, we sat down with our second Scholarship Winner, Ahmed. We asked Ahmed to explain exactly how winning a fully funded place at the College has benefited him and what he is enjoying about his experience of the College so far.

Talk us through your College experience since you joined.

I joined Ealing Independent College in Year 11. I was quite anxious and tense due to being in a new environment for the first time in such a long period. However, I quickly came to a realisation that the college was very nurturing and welcomed me with open arms. It was clear that the teachers and students there were extremely delighted to have another member of the college.

Can you explain how the College has changed your approach to education?

The teachers at EIC were quickly able to pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses. They also immediately helped me adapt to new ways of learning by explaining what I needed to do differently in many challenging scenarios. I was able to seek feedback from my teachers very freely which straight away allowed me to understand what is needed to improve. It was also very beneficial for me to study how the successful students would perform and these successful students really began to act as mentors in the College for me who also really helped me to apply my new learning skills in a range of different scenarios. 

Why did you want to stay at the College for your A Level studies?

When I joined the school, I was about to take on-board very different exam boards in relation to my previous school which notioned the idea that it would seem very difficult for me to change. Having said that, the teachers were able to tackle this quite easily due to their knowledgeable past teaching experiences which allowed me to grasp the new exam board very quickly and efficiently. This instantly made EIC my desired choice to study for my A Levels and I’m extremely grateful for the scholarship otherwise I would have not been able to attend.

What is your planned career path?

I am currently studying Maths, Biology and Chemistry in order to apply for Dentistry at King’s College.

What opportunities at the College are helping you in the pursuit of this? 

Despite being at the start of my A level course, the college already offers a wide range of opportunities which help to amplify my understanding of the courses available and what I aspire to study in the future. For me, I attend extra-curricular activities such as Medical Science club which offer great developmental opportunities that help me academically as well as socially, while also enhancing my UCAS statement an invaluable amount. The college also helps me outside the education barrier providing me with support on my extended project qualification which is extremely convenient.

Why does the atmosphere at the College help get the best out of you?

One aspect I recognized almost immediately was the teachers and their ability to make use of our designed small class sizes. Having such small class sizes has allowed more individualised learning right from the start and more contribution from each pupil in the classroom. Teachers at EIC are very approaching so this also allows me to go to my teachers whenever I need help with a specific topic so I can organize a set time where I can acquire knowledge of the area of weakness.