I came from a tiny village in Rugby called Cawston. There, I went to my local primary school. All my friends were either going to the grammar school nearby or the state school. So, I was practically alone coming to Warwick. I was quite nervous, but I’m sure anyone in the same situation would feel the same. However, I didn’t realise how much Warwick would help with transitions like mine. There were several open days to get to know the school and really get the ‘vibe’. After the entrance exam, another chance to explore the site, (and try some of their fabulous food!), all the boys who had got accepted got a chance to meet each other and have some trial lessons. Luckily for me, I got to go to Scholarship Day, where I got to meet some different boys and started to chat and make friends.

The next day was Moving-Up day, in the summer, where all the boys who had decided to go to Warwick would have another chance to chat to others and make friends. The most important thing was that we could meet our Form, the people we would be with for the next year or so. This was a big chance for people like me, coming alone, to talk to people and hopefully make some long-lasting friendships. We also got to meet Junior School boys, who I admit had their own friend groups at the start, but we would soon start to befriend each other. All these days made all my apprehension vanish and I was already feeling excited.

In September of Year 7, you get to on a Bonding Trip. This is an amazing chance to talk to your peers and get to know them better with an epic sleep-over residential! Coming back to school after the trip gave everyone something to talk about, and before you know it, everyone has friends! I feel like Warwick has done a great job with throwing away the anxiety with experiences like the Bonding Trip and Moving-Up day, and helping you to slip in Year 7, problem free.

MY TOP TIPS:

• Chat to as many people as you can.
• Complete homework when you can and get it out the way!
• Don’t worry! You’ll make friends!