Ensuring that talented and academically gifted girls from all backgrounds have access to education at Notting Hill & Ealing High School is integral to the school’s vision and ethos. Our students, staff, current and former parents and alumnae represent all backgrounds and reflect the culture and community of our school. We know bursaries change lives and benefit the whole school community. At NHEHS, we have a long history of providing bursary awards and our bursary pupils have contributed hugely to the diversity and endeavour of the school.

However, each year we turn away many talented applicants, currently we have around 6% of our students on bursary awards but our ambition is to do much more.

To celebrate our 150th anniversary, we have been sharing some stories from our alumnae and their families showing what a difference a bursary can make. Hear from bursary student  Professor Nicki Saulsbury, Class of 1986, about the life-changing impact of an NHEHS Bursary:

“My mother was a young, single mum. She didn’t get school. She had left school with one O level, my older sister hadn’t excelled academically or gone to an independent school and certainly none of my family had been to university before. In my early years I lived a lot with my nan. We – my mum, older sister and I – lived in a council estate in Ruislip in Hillingdon where I went to primary school; later I moved to nearby Greenford for middle school. I did well in the classroom and the Headmaster there said that he wanted to put me forward for a scholarship to NHEHS. I remember the test day well – verbal and non-verbal and an interview. Miss Percy, the Head at the time, interviewed me, asking me what I was reading, what I was interested in. I really liked the day and was desperate to go. When the letter arrived to say I had received the top bursary I thought my mum was going to have a fit – the opportunity just hadn’t seemed possible. My dad offered to pay for the school uniform and I was off. 

I loved being at NHEHS: I just thought ‘Wow, this is great!’ The extracurricular life of the school was amazing. I really got into Netball and was put into the first team a year early. In one match I broke my little finger but kept on playing; as you can see now it wasn’t a good decision! (shows a malformed finger). I enjoyed Hockey too but most of all I enjoyed the Madrigal Choir under Mr Pullin. We went on tour and everything. Most of the people I stayed in touch with from school were in that choir with me. Tragically one of them, Claire, died two years ago – she was godparent to my children…..There was Debbie and Amanda and Karen – we stayed friends and went and sung at each others’ weddings. I still sing in a choir now and am excited that it will be re-forming for the next OGA Tea Party.  

At NHEHS I was surrounded by others who loved learning just like me. It was just expected that you would do O Levels, A levels and go to university. I thrived there and was made a Trust scholar. My mum said she thought she had picked up the wrong baby! I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a doctor (or a dancer, but that didn’t seem likely!) and my Biology teachers, Mrs Brown and Ms Macock were so supportive. There were other amazing teachers too like Ms Jolowicz who wanted all of us to be engineers, and, in complete contrast to what we expected, drove a white Cabriolet Golf!

My world was so different. I remember for the first time going to houses where there was more than one living room and no neighbours living on the other side of a wall. In the third year we were asked what our parents did for a living; when I said my mum was a forklift driver everyone thought I was joking. (She had many different jobs while I was child including being an ambulance driver for Great Ormond Street Hospital.) 

After NHEHS I read Medicine at St Mary’s London Medical School. I knew people who hardly left their room for the amount of work we had to do but I seemed to manage a balance. I was awarded an intercollation year to read Psychology at UCL and a MRC scholarship so that I could afford it – you had to be in the top 10% of the cohort to be given an intercollation year. I did my Junior doctor year and then left to Kings to be a Physician’s Registrar. I was made a consultant in HIV and Sexual Health at UCL and Whittendon in 2000. WIth a young family we wanted to move out of the city so we settled in Cornwall where a new medical school was being set up. My career now is balanced between working there as a Lead Practitioner and for the University of Exeter where my role is more strategic. My research is mostly concerned with HIV and I currently have a global exchange programme with the universities of Colombia and South Carolina. I am still very much a practitioner too – treating patients with HIV and victims of sexual violence. In my job you learn that not everyone has had the same opportunities as you, that not everyone feels they have a voice. Often I have been the first person a woman has disclosed her abuse or diagnosis to, worried that she will be judged.

Looking forward, I plan to stay in Cornwall. I like living by the sea and have recently been to New Zealand for the first time. I have just started a new additional role now of being the Academic Misconduct Officer. This position was set up following the Harold Shipman case to monitor death certificate cases to prevent anything so awful happening again. 

NHEHS didn’t just help me excel academically it gave me a world view, made me a confident, rounded person. I am good at listening, and passionate about giving marginalised people a voice. I didn’t have things handed to me on a plate myself so I am empathetic. My education gave me a way to think. I never thought boys do this and girls do that. School was full of different voices, different opinions. Mrs Fitz, the Head who followed Miss Percy, was instrumental in this and easy to talk to.

Without a bursary I would be a different person, I would never have done Medicine or been the same person I am today. I have sent my children to independent schools for just this reason. I appreciate that it must be difficult to appreciate, but I came from a family with no academic aspirations. I just got lucky. If someone from a family like mine gets this opportunity it really is transformative, not just for me but for generations going forward. Conversely it is such a waste of potential otherwise. I am passionate about giving all people a chance and to use my influence to change the world. It was NHEHS who made me who I am today.”

Professor Nicki Saulsbury, Class of 1986

If you would like to learn more about our Bursaries & Assistance Fund, read more on the GDST website. If you wish to donate, please click here. Thank you.