Personal Statement

IGCSE Grades

The International GCSEs that I have sat, along with my awarded grades, are:

• GCSE (OCR) in Art and Design, sat in Spring 2023: Awarded Grade 9. I was graded 100% in my Exam module. The examiner's comment on my final exam piece was that it was of 'A-Level standard'. To view my final pieces, see the gallery.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in English Language, sat in Autumn 2023: Awarded Grade 8. My final markings were one mark below the Grade 9 boundary.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Higher Tier Mathematics, Summer 2024: Awarded Grade 9.
• International GCSE (CIE) in Computer Science, Summer 2024: Awarded Grade 9. I received the highest mark out of all applicants at FareGos Examination Centre.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Biology, Summer 2024: Awarded Grade 9.

My GCSE exam centre: FareGos Home Education and Examination Centre, Titchfield, Hants.

What is Self Directed Education?

After a lot of research, my parents decided to home-educate my older brother and I, by mainly focusing on the approach of Self Directed Education (SDE), based on the outcomes of Self-Determination Theory.

Self-Determination Theory, developed by Deci and Ryan in the 1980s, states that humans are most motivated, and learn best, when 'intrinsically motivated'. Intrinsic motivation results from learning in an environment that allows autonomy, competence or mastery, and connectedness with others.

In practice, this means that the most powerful learning and motivation results from a learner (i) being able to direct themselves, having the freedom to make their own decisions and choose what they are keen to learn, when and how, (ii) having the freedom and opportunity to develop mastery and competence in their pursuits and interests, and (iii) having access to other humans, such as mentors, tutors, peers and friends, for support and to learn together.

Intrinsic motivation nearly always produces the strongest and deepest learning outcomes and, by learning within a self-determination environment, learners tend to more effectively and quickly 'discover themselves', including their interests, what truly drives them, and their individual strengths and weaknesses.

How and Why I was Home-Educated

As a result of having been independently home-educated my whole life - with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, creativity, sport, and academic studies - through the fast-growing Self-Directed Education (SDE) approach, I have developed self-reliance, self-awareness, determination, and focused goal-setting skills.

I study conscientiously, and I invest in myself with curiosity and motivation, in many other 'extracurricular' activities. One of the capabilities I am most proud of is a sense of 'knowing myself', which is likely a consequence of my self-directed education; I have years of experience in setting goals for myself - and learning through research and exploration - encouraged and mentored by my parents, my home-education tutors and community mentors. I have thrived in learning both autodidactically (self-driven and seeking answers for myself, from experts and feedback from my own results) and didactically (through teacher-led lessons).

As a full-time home-educated student, I have invested my time between sitting International GCSEs with an equal investment in many other skills and interests outside my GCSE studies.

My passions and abilities, I believe, lie equally in both the logical and scientific approach, and in the more artistic and creative skill set. I enjoy studying Maths, coding using Python, and playing with logic-and-pattern based puzzles, for example speedcubing (Rubik’s cubes). Additionally, I spend time learning about biology and psychology, and have achieved Grade 9s in my scientific or logic based IGCSE subjects (Mathematics, Biology and Computer Science). I am equally inspired, however, by experimenting with various artwork media, artistic aerial performances, playing the ukulele and acoustic guitar, cooking, and interior design. Expressing myself creatively is important to me, and I was awarded Grade 9 in Art and Design GCSE, and Grade 8 in English Language IGCSE.

My Chosen A-levels

I am applying for a student place at Barton Peveril College, to study the following A-levels: Graphic Communication, Mathematics, and Biology. I am aiming to achieve high grades in my A-levels, and I would therefore be very grateful if you would accept my application to study at your college, as a reputable sixth form educational institution in my area.

I have carefully considered the subjects I would like to study, factoring in what I am passionate about, where my skill sets lie, what I have experience in, and which subjects would best prepare me for acceptance on the degree courses and careers I am considering pursuing.

Why I Am Choosing to Study Graphic Communication, Mathematics and Biology

Graphic Communication

The creation of narrative and theming through design is exciting to me; I enjoy communicating ideas through visual media. Having sat my Art and Design GCSE, I have experienced the full process of compiling a portfolio - the journey from testing, exploration and research, through to completion of a final project that follows the discovery process. The commercial aspect of Graphic Communication is also appealing to me: meeting a brief, such as the development of a persuasive advertisement, is a new challenge I am keen to undertake. I have a wide range of experience in traditional art, and a moderate amount in digital media, the latter of which I am especially excited to develop my skills in.

My previous experience and interest in graphics includes the following:

• GCSE (OCR) in Art and Design - Awarded Grade 9. I was marked 194/200, or 97%. To see my final pieces, see the gallery.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in English Language - Awarded Grade 8.
• Observational photography, for my Art and Design GCSE coursework and exam preparation.
• Years of creating personal art projects (see gallery), often themed around endangered animals, mainly focusing on using graphite pencils, acrylics, gouache, watercolours, fabric, modelling paste, and clay (both air-dry clay and pottery clay).
• Painting and contribution of a tile to the Global Roots Mural Mosaic Project — England Connects 2024. You can view my blue-tones rhino tile (number 945) in the finished mural here: https://www.muralmosaic.com/england/. Alternatively, see my tile in the gallery.
• Creation of digital artwork, using Procreate, with an iPad Air and Apple Pencil (see gallery).
• Design of vector illustrations, using Figma (see gallery).
• Running an online Etsy store called 'Doodles Design Art', selling digital downloadable vector illustrations to the global Etsy markets. I have made 25 sales to date. Whilst I recently consolidated the number of products I have listed on Etsy, I intend to run this store long-term, and expand onto print design and print-on-demand products, of which I have a small amount of experience with already.
• Completing Youth Digital’s (Apex Learning) Digital Fashion Design online course, using Inkscape design software.
• Attendance of a fortnightly art club/workshop, with other home-educated students, run by professional artist and GCSE teacher, Kate Burgin. (2021 to present).
• Participation in Home-Ed Creatives course (for several months), run by professional artist and tutor, Veronica Williams.
• Brought up with an immersive education in entrepreneurship, media and business, as a result of my parents' Digital Marketing and UX Design Consultancy.
• Training in progress for Junior Contractor and Trainee (in UX Design-based Landing Page Creation) for NerveCentral Limited, a digital marketing consultancy, founded by my parents.
• Theming and designing interiors and exteriors, as well as character design, in various creative video games, such as The Sims 4, Animal Crossing New Horizons, and Minecraft.

Mathematics

Due to being an analytical person, maths was my favourite IGCSE subject; I enjoy the challenge of using problem-solving skills and deduction, when presented with a mathematical question. I am inclined to think logically, and am intrigued by the fact maths is intrinsic to the fundamental workings of the universe, inherent in art and nature, for example the Fibonacci Spiral and the Golden Ratio.

Architecture, as a career, interests me partly due to its intersection of creativity, design, and mathematical reasoning. Maths and statistics are also key to the study of the various branches of psychology, including my interest in sports psychology, especially at degree level.

My previous experience and interest in maths includes the following:

• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Higher Tier Mathematics - Awarded Grade 9. I was marked 188/200, or 94%.
• International GCSE (CIE) in Computer Science - Awarded Grade 9.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Biology - Awarded Grade 9.
• Learning about Rubik’s and other logic and pattern-based puzzles. My personal-best solving time for the traditional 3x3x3 speed cube is 40 seconds, and 10 seconds for the 2x2x2.
• Watching maths and science videos, shows and movies, such as V-Sauce YouTube channel, TED-Ed YouTube channel, Brain Games on Netflix, and 2016 film Hidden Figures.
• Reading books on maths and psychology, for example How to Lie with Statistics, by Darrell Huff.

Biology

Biology is inherent to nature and is intrinsic to the fundamental workings of planet Earth, which is intriguing to me. When presented with a problem, I especially enjoy the challenge of using critical thinking and deduction, as part of the scientific process. Biologists have to think and experiment scientifically, creatively, ethically and mathematically, and this intersection of skills is fascinating, in my opinion.

With a passion for nature and animals especially, I am interested in ecosystems, habitats and biological adaptations. I am equally intrigued in the study of biology at the molecular and cellular levels.

Biology A-level will clearly help pave the way for investing in two of my tertiary study and career options: Animal Behaviour & Psychology and Sports Psychology.

My previous experience and interest in biology includes the following:

• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Biology - Awarded Grade 9. I was marked 161/200, or 89%.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in Higher Tier Mathematics - Awarded Grade 9.
• International GCSE (Edexcel) in English Language - Awarded Grade 8.
• Studying and caring for various animals from pets to animals at rescue and conservations centres (for example during educational workshops at Marwell Zoo, The Living Rainforest, and New Forest Wildlife Centre, and frequent visits to a friend’s homestead farm).
• Learning about human anatomy, and core body systems essential to sport (some of which I have learnt from my father, who specialised in Sports Management, and who used to run a personal fitness consultancy).
• Regular nature field trips to arboretums, the New Forest, and plant study centres, such as The Eden Project, Marwell Zoo’s rainforest enclosure, and Hillier’s Arboretum.
• Reading books on human biology and psychology, and the evolution of humans (for example Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari).
• Reading books on animals, including their anatomy, psychology, and how they perceive the world through their senses (for example An Immense World by Ed Yong and Animal Cognition by C.Wynne & M.Udell).
• Watching maths and science videos, shows, and documentaries such as BBC’s Plant Earth, V-Sauce YouTube channel, TED-Ed YouTube channel, Amoeba Sisters YouTube channel, and Brain Games on Netflix.

Further Education Goals

My goal is to progress onto a career in either Sports Psychology, Architecture, or Animal Behaviour, first by studying A-Levels at Barton Peveril sixth-form college, and then by achieving an academic degree at a Russell Group University.

Home-Ed Extracurricular Achievements

I have always had a wide range of interests, and have participated in many extracurricular clubs and lessons, involving art and design, music, sports, business and cookery, amongst others.

Art

All my life I have invested time in creating art pieces and developing projects, including in fine art, mixed media, digital design, portraits (which I am keen to practise further), and 3D sculptures - especially pottery and clay work (wheel and hand-building), that I had fortnightly lessons for over three years. Additionally, I have benefited from taking part in several jewellery-making workshops using soap stone, and, more recently, silver clay.

I especially take pleasure in creating artwork where the subjects are endangered animals - a cause that is meaningful to me - and I more recently discovered a passion for creating textural and sculpted pieces.

Recently I contributed to the Global Roots Project - Mural Mosaics, when I painted and submitted a tile to England's latest mural mosaics piece, which you can see here: <https://www.muralmosaic.com/england/](https://www.muralmosaic.com/england/). My blue-tones tile, of a rhinoceros, is currently number 945.

Besides completing my Art and Design GCSE, I attend a fortnightly Art Club, with other home educated students, run by professional artist and home education teacher, Kate Burgin.

One aspect of art that I am excited to explore further is digital art using design software. I already have some experience in using Figma and Procreate design software, in which I have made designs for both personal enjoyment and also for selling digital downloads on my Etsy store (see gallery).

Sport

Over the years, I have been a member of many sports clubs, lessons and activities, specialising in BAGA Gymnastics training, with multiple awards (up to Silver Floor Award) over several years. More recently - over the last six years - I have devoted my training focus to Aerial Silks (aerial acrobatics, suspended on specialist fabric ‘ropes’, hanging from a ceiling rig), for which I attend weekly lessons with the professional trainers at Aerial Southampton, additionally practising at home on my own aerial rig.

Fitness is a major passion of mine, and I enjoy being trained by my father, who studied Sports Management at university level and ran a fitness consulting business for several years, in New Zealand. As a result, I have recently been benefiting from weight-lifting both at public gyms, and at home. Additionally, I have participated in rock climbing (both belay, and more prominently bouldering) at Golden Gecko Climbing Ltd, where I achieved The National Indoor Climbing Achievement Scheme - NICAS 1 Award.

I am also an Ultimate Frisbee team member at the field sports group my parents launched, run and coach at - for home educated teenagers.

Along with these regular sport clubs and lessons, I have participated in many other physical activities - such as kayaking, ice skating, badminton and many more - and I am always keen to try out new sports.

Media & Entrepreneurship

I have been immersed in media, entrepreneurship and business life, having grown up in a family with parents who run their own Digital Marketing and UX Design consultancy. I also have some experience with selling print-on-demand products, through my Etsy store, as well as downloadable digital art.

Besides having learned about the world of small businesses, as a result of both my family's company, and from short courses, I have just started training on how to use web page building software, whilst focusing on UX Design principles; my parents have offered to pay me to create some web and landing pages for their clients, a few hours a week.

Music

Over the past four years, I self-taught myself to play the ukulele and acoustic guitar (mainly fingerstyle), which I now play at an intermediate level, via online video tutorials and practice. When I was younger, I had in-person professional tuition in flute and piano lessons for beginners.

Cookery

With emphasis on Asian cuisine, I have cooked meals from scratch, at home, a couple of times a week, and have been doing this regularly for the last five years. In addition, I enjoy baking by following recipes I find online. I choose to cook and eat pescatarian.

Interior Design

I planned the style, colour and textural theming of my bedroom recently, by using Pinterest and Procreate. I was given a budget by my parents, and I purchased all the items I needed, and painted and styled my bedroom myself. I also regularly watch interior design programmes, and occasionally experiment with theming and design in creative video games, such as The Sims 4, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing, and previously in Minecraft.

Rubik’s and Logic-based Puzzles

I am inclined to think logically, and challenge myself with various puzzles and problems. For example, I learned how to solve the famous 3D combination puzzle Rubik’s Cube, and now have a passion for speedcubing, in which one focuses on solving these puzzles at high speeds to attain low clock times. I enjoy competing against myself with cubing, and my personal-best solving time is 40 seconds for the traditional 3x3x3 cube, and 10 seconds for the 2x2x2.

Reading

Reading, both fiction and non-fiction, has always been a hobby of mine. Regarding non-fiction, I am especially interested in athletes’ biographies (such as Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, and Olympic heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill), and books on animal or human psychology. Some of my favourite books are Don't Sleep, There are Snakes, by Daniel Everett, Jessica Ennis: Unbelievable, by Jessica Ennis, and I am currently reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari.

Home-Education Sports & Youth Groups, Organised by my Family and I

My family and I have been very active in the home-education community since 2008, founding and organising many home-education groups, lessons, activities and field trips.

In the last four years, I have supported my parents in launching and running two sports and social groups for home educated teenagers: our weekly Home Educated Teens (HET) Hangout, Hants & Wessex - Sports and Youth Group, and the Wednesday Teen Social Group.

At the Sports & Youth Group, we run weekly sessions for up to 30 home educated teenagers, where we lead and coach other home educated teenagers in field sports games, with a special focus on Ultimate Frisbee matches, and also Handball and Touch Rugby. (My father specialised in Sports Management, in New Zealand, and used to run a personal fitness consultancy.)

Wednesday Teen Social Group, that ran for two years, involved us organising weekly sports activities in different sporting venues, including indoor climbing and bouldering, off-road cycling, badminton, trampolining, laser tag, archery, sledging, tenpin bowling and assault courses.

Future Extracurricular Goals

Entrepreneurship Goals

• Expand my Etsy store further, and make more sales.
• Continue my Page Builder Software Design and UX Design training with NerveCentral Ltd, gaining experience and earning income, for a few hours a week.

Art Goals

• Launch an Instagram account to showcase my art pieces that advocate for the protection of endangered animals, such as the African elephant.

• Further practise my photography skills.

• Further practise painting portraits.

• Experiment in creating portrait artwork that has aerial silk artists as the subject.

• Hone my digital art skills, in Procreate and Figma, and start using Adobe design programs.

Sport & Fitness Goals

• Continue progressing my skills as a team sports player, and assist with coaching at our HET sports group.

• Practise my performance in Aerial Silks, focusing on stamina and smooth transitions.

• Continue working on my fitness, focusing on increasing my strength, and endurance.

• Boulder more often at Golden Gecko climbing, and improve my climbing technique.

Other Goals

• Cooking and Baking - Experiment with making Japanese and Thai dishes.
• Music - Further practise and improve my ukulele and acoustic guitar playing, focusing on fingerstyle technique.
• Speedcubing - Learn more advanced methods, with the aim of achieving faster solving times.
• Sports Psychology - continue to learn about this as a career option.
• Architecture - continue to learn about this as a career option.