Laura Mugford, former student at The Henley College, Oxon, achieved AAB in A-Level Ancient History, English Language and Classical Civilisation. She now runs a very successful YouTube channel with over 33,000 subscribers, alongside studying Musical Theatre at University of Chichester! Find out more about Laura and what she has been doing since leaving The College
Please tell us who you are, where you come from and what you are doing now.
- My name is Laura Mugford, I’m 20 years old and from Reading. I’m currently studying Musical Theatre triple threat BA hons at the University of Chichester and am in my third and final year! I also run a YouTube channel focussing on all things Harry Potter and mental health which currently has 33,000+ subscribers. Through the channel I’m able to attend events and conduct interviews with a variety of people including those involved in the Harry Potter/Fantastic beasts films.
When did you come to The Henley College, what did you study here, and how did you get on?
- I came to The Henley College when I was 16 back in 2014, where I studied Ancient History, Textiles, English language and Geography in my first year, going on to fast track Classical Civilisation in my second year, continuing to study Ancient history and English Language. I feel I really pushed myself at college and was supported by some incredible teachers which was a massive contribution to me achieving my desired grades of AAB!
What was your first impression of The Henley College?
- I loved that The Henley College was busy but still relatively small, it felt like the perfect stepping stone between the size of secondary school and University. I liked how it seemed to give students a lot of independence and freedom.
Why did you choose to come here? What helped make up your mind?
- I think the range of subjects really helped me make up my mind. There was nowhere else locally that would offer Ancient History or Classics, which quickly became my favourite things to ever have studied. I think coming to the open day made me realise it was the place for me, as it opened my eyes to how the College treats its students like adults and doesn’t really have a ‘school’ feel to it.
What is your best memory of your time at The Henley College and why?
- I have so many great memories from my time at College, but I think a stand out moment was visiting Naples with my Ancient History class in the April of my first year. We saw Pompeii and climbed Vesuvius and it’s a trip I will never forget.
Did you always want to do what you are doing now?
- I’ve always wanted to be a performer, and I was so thrilled when I was successful in my audition for uni. Since being there I’ve had some incredible performance opportunities and am currently working with a small group of creatives to produce a piece of innovative, site-specific, immersive theatre which is something I’ve always wanted to do! I’ve also always loved YouTube and the social media world, so being part of that creatively and having it as my job is also a dream, so right now I feel like I’m working on and part of so many things I’ve always hoped I’d do.
What has influenced your decisions about the subjects you have studied and the career path you have chosen?
- I’ve always been fascinated with ancient literature, so studying Ancient History and Classics really fed my love for that. And having that knowledge behind me, particularly in regards to Greek tragedy, has been so valuable to my performances creatively. Last month I performed a 30 minute re-telling or Euripides play ‘Medea’ using modern musical theatre songs and a cast of 6 people. It was entirely self directed and I would never have had the detailed knowledge of both the play and it’s original time period had I not studied Classical Civilisation.
What are your ambitions for the future?
- I hope to Graduate next May with a First Class degree and have a successful agent showcase in soho where (fingers crossed) I’ll get an offer from an agency and begin work as a performer in London. I hope to be able to write my own work and creative theatre with a purpose, perhaps taking educational theatre to schools and travelling around the country with it. I also hope to continue working in social media and build my presence online more, continuing to make videos and bring some positivity to the internet (where it’s often in short supply!).
What do you think The Henley College did for you – aside from the qualifications you gained?
- I think The Henley College gave me the independence and self directed study skills needed for University, which you don’t often get in school where things are just written on a board for you to copy down. It also gave me good friendships and fond memories of having fun as well as studying which I think is so important given the high stress reality of sitting exams and worrying about grades.
If you had one piece of advice for a 15-16 year old thinking about their future, what would it be?
- Even if you don’t know what you want to do with your future get, it’s not a big deal. You’ll find so many things that will interest you as you study and you might find yourself going down a path you never thought you’d take, but everything works out and you have so much time to decide what you want to do - the future is a really long time!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
- I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease during my second year at The Henley College and I feel like this was quite well supported here as I wasn’t penalised for my absences in class due to hospital appointments or illness, which meant I was still able to achieve good grades despite not being able to attend many classes as my A2 exams drew near. Overall I’m so glad I picked The Henley College and I’m very thankful for the inspirational teachers I met and the good friends I made during my time there.
