In January 2022, St George’s welcomed two new members to its Board of Governors, lawyer and alumna, Antonia Felix and Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning) of Bishopsgate School, James Pym. In the first of two articles, alumna, Antonia Felix shares her memories of St George’s and her aspirations for her new role.
‘I had an incredibly happy seven years at St. George's. My memories are of having fun and learning to be confident in myself as well as developing lifelong friendships. I also remember being listened to during a key part of my childhood and given a voice. This has stayed with me such that, in both my personal and professional life, I am able to challenge an idea and give my own opinion, whilst working collaboratively with others.
It was a very special community to be a part of and I remember we all felt as though we were part of a family.
After leaving St George’s, I spent five years at university and law school before spending a further two years training to be a solicitor, so education was very much a part of my twenties. I definitely developed a lifelong desire to learn and expand my skill set from School and I think the happy and settled experience I had at St.George's has been (and continues to be) a great grounding for me in life. School life was about finding your own path and being able to face challenges along the way, but to go over or around them rather than let them stop you from moving forward.
Looking to the future, I am excited about being part of the school and working with the other Governors and the Leadership Team to help the School and the staff continue to support the girls in reaching their individual potential. I hope to be able to use my own experiences in higher education, the workplace and as a parent of two daughters to help develop the School’s strategy; to continue to put the well being and mental health of the students first and provide a happy, secure environment for pupils to learn and develop. The world is changing and young people are facing different challenges from my day, including social media and a changing job market. As Governor I hope to help St George provide a varied and current curriculum which will help the girls to navigate these new challenges and work towards outcomes which allow them to reach their own potential.’