Anya joined us as our new Deputy Head at the start of the summer term so we thought now was the perfect opportunity to get to know her a little better and see how her first term at Redmaids' High has gone.
What book did you last read?
I just finished Milkman by Anna Burns and I'm about to start the Thing Around your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I have also got the ResearchED Guide to Special Educational Needs lined up on my bedside table for the summer holidays. I am a big fan of educational research and how it can best inform practice in schools.
What is your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievements are my collective travels, which have seen me exploring the many great temples and landscapes of the Indian subcontinent to camping under the stars in Yosemite and sailing down the River Gambie.
What is your favourite memory from your school days?
I will never forget the trip to France and our visit to a Camembert factory. It is a truly treasured memory as it is one in which my entire friendship group features, alongside taste testing of lots and lots of cheese and a nauseous coach ride back to our hotel later. It was great fun and there were laughs echoing through the factory and the coach ride home.
What is the main thing that has stuck out to you in your first few months at Redmaids' High?
The community! From each of the parents I have met, to colleagues and in fact the girls here, everyone has made me feel so incredibly welcome.
Tell us about a surprising hobby/interest you have.
I am an incredibly keen walker and enjoy walking both the more mundane terrains with my favourite being Oldbury Court Estate in Bristol and the more adventurous, having scaled Half Dome at Yosemite National Park and been on the some of the more difficult trails at the Grand Canyon.
What advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?