Lily Patrick
Alumni Interview July 2023

What are your memories of City of Peterborough Academy?
My fondest memories of CoPA were our year 11 prom and leavers as the whole of the year group were brought together for one last time, despite the different friend groups. Some of my other favourite memories were the Race for Life in year10 and the sports days every year as we got to see everyone in a competitive environment, which was very fun to watch!

How has City of Peterborough Academy helped you?
CoPA has helped with professional development, preparing us for post-16 options and career paths, with bringing in an external careers advisor to pick out suitable and specific to us and our ambitions, as well as providing us with the knowledge to write a desirable for personal statements and allowing visitors from post-16 providers in the local area, such as AMVC and The Peterborough School. CoPA has also helped with my personal development, helping me gain confidence and optimism throughout. They have allowed me to access opportunities, which I never thought I would apply for, such as Student SLT and year 10 prefect, both of which my applications were successful. My year team and teachers alike were always so understanding of my lack of confidence and my worries and encouraged me to open up rather than bottle it all in and were aware of the potential that I had that I sometimes didn’t realise, especially during mock and GCSE exam season. CoPA has even helped me after I left in 2022, allowing to speak to year 11s about life as a sixth form student and talking about my college and answering questions that I was too scared to ask before, helping me with

What are you studying currently?
I am a year 12 student at Arthur Mellows Village College, studying business, sociology and English language and literature. I am a part of the student leadership team, recently being appointed as the Head of Social committee, meaning that I help organise events for the college and create more efficient social spaces.

If you were to offer a message to others who currently attend CoPA?
If I were to offer any advice to the current students, whether they are KS3 or KS4, I would say to take part in an extra-curricular club as it is a great way to get to know other people outside of your normal friend group and also helps release the stresses of day-to-day life, whilst also improving confidence and self-esteem. Plus, it might spark passion and interest and will allow to access other opportunities within it, such as making it to the team of your sport and competing or performing in a school production for example.

What are your future aspirations?
I am hoping to study law at university, potentially at University of Cambridge or Nottingham depending on my grades. From there, I would like to work as a criminal prosecution solicitor.

Finally, what advice would you give to your Year 10/11 self?
If I were to give my younger self advice, I would note that your exam results are not the be all or end all. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try or put in any effort; it just means that GCSE’s are not worth immense amounts of stress. If you do not get results that you want on results day, the school or post-16 provider can support you with this in a process called ‘surgery day’, allowing you to potentially being able to still attend the place you would like, and could adjust more beneficial and suitable to you.