Eleanor studied A Levels from 2011-2013, gained herself a first-class degree and has come back as a teacher.
Please tell us who you are, where you come from and what you are doing now.
My name is Eleanor Witcher and I'm an English and EPQ teacher at The Henley College.
When did you come to The Henley College and what did you study here?
I was a student at The Henley College from 2011-2013 and I studied A Level English Literature, Law, Philosophy and Religious Studies.
What was your first impression of The Henley College?
My first impression of the college was just how beautiful the surroundings are, and I still think that now as I come up the hill to Rotherfield!
Why did you choose to come here? What helped make up your mind?
I chose Henley because I wanted to transition to a more independent approach to education ready for university. It was the best offering locally and I’d heard such good things, so it was a no-brainer really. I also returned as a teacher this year because of the good experience I’d had here as a student.
What is your best memory of your time at The Henley College and why?
One of my best memories of Henley is the time I spent as part of the Student Union. I was elected as Vice President and had a wonderful experience being an integral part of the college and making student voices heard.
Did you always want to do what you are doing now?
Yes, I always wanted to teach and knew that teaching in a college would be my calling. I haven’t taken the usual route into teaching but now that I’m finally doing it, I couldn’t ever imagine doing anything else!
What has influenced your decisions about the subjects you have studied and the career path you have chosen?
I have always had a love of literature and books so doing an A Level in English Literature was a natural choice for me. When I left college I joined Waterstones so I could continue being around books, and then recently I’ve made the move into teaching. I now work with some of my former teachers too which is really lovely!
What are your ambitions for the future?
My ambitions as a teacher here at Henley are to inspire the young people I teach to realise that literature doesn’t just stop on the last page of the book. There's a whole world beyond the book just waiting to be discovered and discussed.
What do you think The Henley College did for you – aside from the qualifications you gained?
Henley taught me to follow my heart academically, as cheesy as that sounds! Sometimes when you’re young, you do things because you think you should or because other people say you should. Studying English at A Level gave me the confidence to go on to study English at university, where I graduated with a First Class degree.
If you had one piece of advice for a 15-16 year old thinking about their future, what would it be?
Trust yourself, only do what you really love and know that the rest will fall into place eventually.
