Hackney New School pupil wins £44,000 sixth form scholarship

A teenager from Hackney New School has won a £44,000 scholarship to study in the sixth form of a top independent school.

Nicole Monteiro- Ariza, 15, from the school in Kingsland Road, Haggerston, will join fee-paying Highgate School to study A-Levels in maths, further maths, classic civilisations and politics in September.

She was aided by Hackney New School's scholarship programme, which pairs pupils with teacher mentors who help them apply for sixth form places at top private schools.

This includes how to write personal statements, entrance exams and interview technique. They also pay the application fees.

Nicole said: "I had this perception that the students would all be dressed in suits and be really posh and but actually they were very similar to students at my school.

"They all said they loved grime music and they same sort of things we do in Hackney. Everyone was really welcoming. It was really amazing."