A Passion For Care

As parents, you may find yourself asking: how will independent education prepare my children for their journey after they leave school? At Boundary Oak School, pupils are prepared through the wealth of opportunities available to them, whether this be through our broad curriculum, extensive co-curricular provision or life-skills programme. At our day and boarding school, pupils feel happy, work hard and enjoy full participation in a well-rounded education. An education that cultivates passions, life skills and lifelong friendships, so when the time comes to move on and explore new possibilities, they do so with confidence as happy and successful people in their pursuit of growth and excellence.

As part of our careers provision, we regularly seek opportunities to invite Old Bounders back to school to inspire their younger peers about the possibilities beyond Boundary Oak. Earlier in the Spring Term, our Senior School pupils received an inspiring alumni talk and Q&A session with Lily (Class of 2021), who is pursuing a career in the healthcare sector. The Q&A session was an invaluable experience, as inquisitive pupils asked her everything from managing the pressure of exams and balancing academics with extracurricular passions to the different pathways into the sector. Through Lily’s thoughtful and candid responses, Years 7 to 11 gained brilliant insight into navigating their paths with courage and curiosity.

 

 

You can find out more about Lily’s story below:

What inspired you to pursue a career in healthcare, and how did your time at Boundary Oak help prepare you for this path?

“Personally, for me, it was my parents. My mum is a surgeon, she is my hero, and I have always looked up to her and her work ethic. I have always found the stories from both her medical training and her job really interesting, so I think the fact I was surrounded with medicine and healthcare growing up definitely influenced me.

As for my time at Boundary Oak; I always had a love for science, specifically Dr Silvester’s biology lesson and physics. They were definitely my favourite subjects, and I felt the teachers always pushed me to do my best and keep improving. Dr Silverster was always so invested in her pupils’ interests, I remember her always taking us to conferences and exhibitions. For me, she fostered a love for science and learning.”

How important do you think skills like resilience, communication, and teamwork are in the healthcare field?

“Resilience is vital. In healthcare, you face many traumatic situations, and it’s essential to stay strong. But that’s why teamwork is so important – everyone is there to support each other. At university and in the workplace, when you find your team, it makes everything easier. Active listening is another critical skill that Boundary Oak helped me develop. It’s about understanding that others may be feeling the same way about a situation and coming together as a team.”

What advice would you give to current pupils who are interested in a career in healthcare?

“My advice for current pupils looking to go into careers in Medicine, Nursing or Dentistry would be to ensure you have understood the requirements to get onto your course of choice, research extensively, and consider many universities. It's never too early to start looking into your career. Most importantly though, have a passion for your subject, a small aspect of a healthcare career is because you're "good at science" or "like helping people". These are both important but there is a much bigger picture, and it is a job which involves life-long learning, so you need to be prepared to have a work ethic, passion and resilience for your role within the NHS.

For those currently in Years 7-11, please recognise the value of your GCSEs and the weighting they have on your future pathways, in your further education and inevitably for your career within healthcare.”

Can you share a moment in your career that has made you especially proud?

“I had the opportunity to observe and assist in a long, risky surgery. Being able to observe and help within my scope of practice was amazing as a student because it helped to develop my confidence around specialists in a specific field, linking theory to practice; such as anatomy. It also made me realise that this really is truly what I want to do in life and it gave me such joy to be actively improving someone's life.”

How does it feel to return to Boundary Oak and share your experiences with the next generation?

“It was nerve-wracking but really rewarding. I still get nervous talking to large groups of people, but it feels great to give back. It’s important to me that pupils at Boundary Oak understand how much work it takes to enter healthcare. I wish someone had shared that with me at their age, so I hope my talk helped them see what’s ahead. I’ll always hold Boundary Oak close to my heart – it gave me so much, and I’m grateful to be able to give something back.”

What was your favourite thing about Boundary Oak when you were a pupil?

"My favourite thing about Boundary Oak was the sense of family. When I started in Year 7, the school was smaller with fewer than 100 pupils. Watching it grow has been amazing but I just loved everyone there. My happiest days were spent on the rugby and cricket pitches during the summer, running around with my friends. And of course, Thursday morning waffles in the boarding house were always the highlight of my week!”

What advice would you give to your younger self, knowing how far you’ve come since school?

“Keep going. I did my best with the information I had, and I never look back wishing I could change anything. I think my younger self should be proud. Enjoy the small moments, especially the freedom you have at school, but also remember to be resilient. And always remember the Boundary Oak approach ‘I haven’t done it yet!’”

 

 

Why Was This Event So Important?

It was a privilege to welcome Lily (Class of 2021) back to Boundary Oak to share one of the many possibilities available to our pupils beyond Boundary Oak. She openly shared the challenges she faced as a young adult stepping into the real world, reflecting on the lessons that shaped her along the way. Her honesty and vulnerability resonated with both pupils and staff, as she spoke candidly about moments of self-doubt and the importance of failure as a stepping stone towards success.

This event celebrates the important place our alumni have in the Boundary Oak community. Our Hampshire school prides itself on our culture of kindness, strong values and high standards where every child who attends Boundary Oak flourishes, in their learning, in their lives and beyond school.