Alumni Representatives

Brief details of job: I care for women during their pregnancy, Labour and delivery, and their postnatal period (after the baby is born). I have only just moved to the Netherlands so have recently worked in a local NHS hospital maternity unit on a rotational post. I hold a First Class Honours Degree In Pre-Registration Midwifery and have been qualified for 2.5 years. I have had to undertake additional training following my degree in teaching in practice, post operative nursing and scrub nursing (passing instruments to the surgeon in the operating theatre).

Attributes needed for this job: A strong stomach, honesty, a willingness to work long hours (hospital midwives work 12-13 hour shifts), an interest in science and internal medicine, excellent communication skills and the ability to work with and lead, if necessary, a team of healthcare professionals in life and death situations. You have to be very motivated to do this job and to meet the many needs of your patients.

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?:  My time at Gad’s taught me good communication skills, good leadership skills (which I went on to develop as vice head of school), a thirst for knowledge and new skills, and resilience. My confidence built at Gad’s surrounding modern foreign languages has enabled me to be confident when embarking on a qualification in Dutch from University College London. I only started my course 8 months ago and have already commenced my work towards my Intermediate Certificate. The residential trips abroad that Gad’s provided me with have also made me far less fearful of taking the leap and moving abroad.

Brief details of job:  I trained for four years at drama school after leaving Gad’s.  I then made my professional debut in ‘South Pacific’ the musical.  After this I then went on to do ‘Les Miserables’ in concert.

Attributes needed for this job:  You need to be hard working; polite; punctual; kind; active and want to learn and grow.

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?: If it wasn’t for Gads I wouldn’t be where I am now.

Constant support from all of the teachers and the amazing opportunities given to me.  I played Nancy in ‘Oliver’ which was hands down one of the best experiences I’ve ever had and I was only 14!

Then a year later was lucky enough to play Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast’… I just loved all of the music concerts, drama cups, House competitions… I think I did school work sometimes.. hahaha..

The teachers really nurtured and encoraged me and they have given me great confidence and life long skills.

What Gad’s gives you is priceless and I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for this school. Thank you.

Brief details of job:  I am currently training to be a teacher of Physical Education. I work at New Line Academy in Maidstone and have had the opportunity to come back to Gad’s Hill to complete my second School placement, which is a section of my teacher training course where you spend a term at another contrasting school.

Since leaving Gads I have acquired 10 GCSEs, 4 A Levels and a 2:1 Degree in PE and Sports and Exercise Science. My passion has always been Sport and some of my fondest memories of Gad’s were playing on the Tennis courts, I even remember Mrs Gunnill who I now have the opportunity to teach alongside.

I also part own my own business with my father; The Shukokai Karate Academy (www.shukokaikarateacademy.com). Karate has been a passion of mine since the age of eight and I have loved competing and training ever since.

I have had great opportunities in the past competing with the Shukokai Karate England Team. I have competed across the world in places such as South Africa, America, Portugal, Estonia, Germany. I achieved the title of World Shukokai Karate Champion in Kumite (Fighting), 2004, South Africa and in 2016 I won the World Shukokai Karate Championship in Kata (Forms), Berlin, Germany. I have also achieved multiple European individual titles as well as World and European team medals.

Attributes needed for this job:  The biggest attribute to being a good teacher is caring. I think the best teachers care about what they do and the students that they teach. Having an impact on young minds so early on can help to form them into well rounded adults. Teaching is a lifelong career for me and I am very happy that I have chosen this pathway.

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?:  Young Katie; My time at Gad’s as a child were some of the best years of my life. The memories I have even at such a young age shows the impact that it had on my life. The atmosphere at Gad’s is one of family and friendship something that is very important to me.

Bit older Katie; Here at Gad’s my experience of coming back for a short time has given me the opportunity to see that not much has changed. Students have excellent teachers guiding them and the environment is warm and friendly. From what I have seen in my time here at Gad’s I want to be a teacher that makes a positive impact on students’ lives so that they can grow up in a happy, healthy environment and achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Brief details of job:  I am a Deputy Ward Manager of an acute psychiatric ward – dealing daily with those in acute mental distress and helping towards their recovery, building therapeutic relationships and often intense conflict resolutions.  I work primarily with those with psychotic disorders assisting with the management of the ward.

Attributes needed for this job:  A good balance of constant calmness and vigilance – being able to maintain firm boundaries and safety on the ward, while also demonstrating patience, compassion thus creating a safe but relaxed atmosphere.  Strong confidence and self-belief especially when dealing with violence and volatile situations – which occur regularly.

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?:  It allowed me to build my confidence (which was at its lowest point before I started) in a nurturing environment.  Making fantastic friends and meeting role model teachers who made you feel accepted for who you are.  In my job, self-awareness and unwavering confidence is the key to running a ward – these skills were developed at Gad’s for which I am very grateful.

Being made Vice Head Boy was a huge confidence boost which has helped take me through life.

Brief details of job:  I run a small but growing events agency. It’s quite difficult to explain what my job entails, as every day I do something different. One day I might be planning a corporate dinner for 700 people in London, followed by a private birthday party in Kent, and the next a small wedding in Costa Rica. I spend most of my time making events happen, creating designs, sketching up ideas, and then finding the right people to help execute those ideas.

As a small business owner, I also have to make sure the business actually functions. This means taking care of the marketing, accounts, HR and all other areas of the company. When you’re in your first few years of business, you must wear many hats!

Attributes needed for this job: To sustain a career in the events industry, being calm is a skill that’s imperative. I say skill as it is learned and maintained. Enjoying variety and change is also important, as no two days are ever the same, nor are any two events. It’s an incredibly fast-paced environment, so being able to think on your feet and asses what’s most important in the moment is key. A successful events manager isn’t determined by how well they execute plan A, it’s how they put plan F into action.

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?:  Gad’s not only prepared me for my career, but should be held accountable! In year 10 I was the chair of the summer ball committee, and I truly believe this is where it started for me. It was a great insight into the components of an event, and I enjoyed it so much.

Gad’s taught me that it’s up to you to work hard, and you’re ultimately in control of what you achieve if you work for it.

CCF taught me how to work in a team, the ability to problem solve and that I never want to be in the army!

When I started Gad’s in 2005 I had little to no confidence. Now, I stand in boardrooms pitching my business to big corporate companies with pride, even if I am a bit nervous on the inside. As a prefect and vice head of school, I learned how to speak to people and not be scared of challenges I face. I’m severely dyslexic, but with the support of Gad’s that’s never got in my way.

I learned how to be a well-rounded, well-mannered person at Gad’s, and for that I will be forever grateful.

Brief details of job:  I create tender proposals to try and secure multi-million pound contracts for my firm. I devise various documents to answer client requirements whilst promoting my firm as the best choice to proceed with the works. The values of contracts that I have worked on range from £20,000 all the way up to £10m. Previously I have won contracts worth £60m for old firms.

Attributes needed for this job: 

• Keen eye for detail
• Ability to work under pressure
• Willing to think outside the box
• Good team worker
• Strong communicator

How did your time at Gad’s prepare you for your career?:  I would say my time at Gad’s Hill prepared me for my career mainly through the lessons learned in English with Mr Wadey.

His lessons helped me to develop the ability to be able to critique/analyse documents and in doing so, I have carried that with me into my professional career to ensure my proposal responses correctly answer the requirement questions listed by our clients.