At Epping St Johns we are keen to promote the achievements of our alumni and show current and prospective students the diverse range of career paths our past students have followed. The high achievements of past pupils across such a wide selection of careers, we believe, reflects the well-rounded education on offer and demonstrates how we help to develop each pupil’s individual talents and strengths
All our students are inspired by the success of our alumni, so share your experiences of College, University or your career path with them. This can be done by adding to our alumni career profile, or why not become a volunteer ambassador, taking part in our inspirational talks or careers events

Why become a volunteer ambassador.
• Enrich and support student experiences by being a resource for them to use
• Help give advice and support to students
• Give something back to the next generation.
• Attend talks and promote university life or a particular career to students
• It looks great on a CV!

To submit an alumni career profile or become a volunteer contact vmadden@esj.essex.sch.uk


Wednesday 25 November 2015

Isabella Mehmet -Rule


Since leaving St. Johns in June 2013, I wasn’t ready to choose what career path I wanted to pursue. I was wavering between following my dreams of becoming a musician or finding a career in business. After listening to advice from family and friends, I made the decision to determine a career in business and continue with my singing as a hobby.
And so, I chose to study Level 3 Business Studies at Harlow College as opposed to, doing A-Levels not because I wasn’t competent at exams but I believed I would inherit a lot more insight into the world of business if I were to study the subject full-time. I completed the Business course in April 2015 achieving D*D*D* and 420 UCAS Points which is equivalent to attaining three A-Levels at A* grade.
Currently, I am fulfilling a thirteen-month apprenticeship with Google as a Digital Marketing Apprentice. Google has helped me to focus on developing my skills and talents, allowed me to meet and work with incredible people and experience invaluable and exciting opportunities. I am currently preparing to headway into the direction of Technology and Digital Solutions within an internationally recognized investment bank.

 

Thursday 24 September 2015

Ex students A Level success


Manisha Koolman, 18, from Epping
Business A, Government & Politics A, History A, French B
Going to King's College London to study Business Management.

Manisha decided to continue studying four full A Levels despite universities only requiring three, due to her enjoying studying so much. All this was in addition to her being a Student Ambassador for the college, volunteering for all open days and evenings and working tirelessly to support the Sixth Form department.

"I finally feel that all my hard work has paid off. I've worked tirelessly for this for the last 2 years and for me to secure my place at King's is really mind blowing! My dream career is to be involved in business within the music industry, which was always my first love. During my second year I'm hoping to go to California to explore my music industry opportunities.

 

Aaron Daly, 18, from Epping
Maths A*, Further Maths A, Business A
Going to Newcastle University to study Maths

"I'm so happy! I couldn't have asked for better results. I want to work in the City once I graduate – ideally in banking. I plan to get my foot in the door and work my way up.

Thursday 26 March 2015

Daniel Spillman


I was a student at St Johns from 2007 to 2012, where I left with long lasting memories and the best results I could ask for. I began in year 7 as a shy kid with hardly any confidence, yet over the years I spent my time volunteering at various school events, got involved with different clubs and even learnt a new instrument. The opportunities I was served while at St Johns have been incredibly valuable to me, helping me learn to ski, visiting impoverished children in India and by the end of my time at St Johns, I became Head boy in year 11, leading the school council and the student voice to hopefully leave a legacy behind. I went on to study Geography, Sociology, Government & Politics and Business Studies A-levels at Leventhorpe Sixth Form with 14 other peers. At Leventhorpe I became the 'Facilities Senior Prefect' managing the common room and continued my service to the local community that I had been used to while at St Johns.

By the end of my time at sixth form, I had decided that a career in politics was for me and in 2014 I began my first term at the London School of Economics studying BSc Government having secured A*AA in my A-levels. What I want to do following the completion of my degree I am yet to decide, but as long as it involves politics and is something I enjoy then I couldn't ask for more. Staying at home while at University has been extremely helpful for me to be able to devote time to local politics, where I am running for a seat on the Epping Town Council in May 2015. My time at St Johns has been crucial in the shaping of my future and I am thankful for the experiences gained from my time there. You get out life what you put in.

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Paige Hopcutt


Since Leaving St.Johns Epping in 2012 after successfully completing my GCSE’s, I then went on to complete my A levels at Leventhorpe sixth form in Hertfordshire. I soon decided University wasn’t for me as I wanted to be more proactive in my studies, so I decided the best route to take was an Apprenticeship. I am now in my first year of a two year Apprenticeship at Barclays head office in Canary Wharf, and I love every minute of it. The area I am working in is Sourcing which is where we manage the contracts with our suppliers. Some of my daily tasks include going out to meet suppliers such as Virgin Atlantic, IBM etc to negotiate deals and manage contracts in order to get our end product or service for our internal colleagues on a global scale. Whilst completing this apprenticeship I am also studying for a `Business NVQ Level 3’ as well as sitting exams which are specific to my department (CIPS).  I personally believe that this Apprenticeship has opened up many doors and opportunities for me and I would defiantly recommend Barclays to anyone who is thinking of completing an Apprenticeship once they have completed their GCSE’s. The enrolment will open around the middle of March and if you are successful you will start in August. Barclays will be reaching out to schools in London, however they are also very interested in attracting those people like myself, who live outside of London. I look forward to going into a permanent role within Barclays once the Apprenticeship has finished, as well as having the opportunity to complete a part time degree.

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Tim Mortimer


I attended St. Johns from 2005-2010. Whilst there I took great interest in the sciences, particularly mathematics and engineering. At GCSE I achieved 13 A*s and 2 As and then went on to study at King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS), Chelmsford.
At KEGS I studied Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Economics and General Studies to A2, achieving 2A*s and 3As, and Additional Further Mathematics to AS in which I obtained an A. It was whilst I was at KEGS that I confirmed my desire to study mathematics beyond sixth form. After taking the Sixth Term Entrance Papers (STEP), I was accepted into the University of Warwick.
Mathematics is an often underappreciated subject. “When will I ever use algebra in life?”, “Why would I ever need to solve a quadratic?” and “What’s the point of trigonometry?” have probably gone through most of our minds at some point during our school careers. Whilst for many there’s a lot of truth in these thoughts, I have certainly had a different experience.
Indeed, what do Facebook, computer graphics and Siri all have in common? Algebra. Society is run on algebra. Every second, computers all over the world are solving large systems of millions of algebraic equations. Whether they are instructing Facebook which friend to suggest that you add next, trading shares on the stock market or even helping international organisations shut down human trafficking networks, algebra is always depicting what the world is going to do next.

Does this mean we should all do mathematics degrees? Well, no. Does it even mean that we should all go to university? Again, no. There are countless areas of fascinating academia, but thankfully the world isn’t full of academics! I took something far greater than knowledge away from St. Johns - I grew my ability to learn. Of course, I have forgotten most of what I was taught at St. Johns. Does that make a waste of time? Certainly not. Quite simply, if I didn’t expand my brain in the way I did at St. Johns, I definitely wouldn’t know what I know now.
Further to my academic endeavors, I’ve always had a keen interest in the education sector. Teaching others has always been part of my own learning. Only by teaching others does one truly learn a subject thoroughly. My experience has been varied - I have taught privately, at university and even at Epping St. Johns! In addition, over the Summer of 2014, I taught at a township school, Progress Comprehensive, in Soweto just outside Johannesburg, South Africa.
As for my future, I really don’t know where I am heading. I could be a teacher, an academic, a software developer or something entirely different! I plan to live in the moment, work hard, and do what I believe is right at each step. Epping St. Johns is providing you all with an education that provided me with more opportunities than I could have ever asked for; all I ask of you is that you embrace those opportunities and make the most of them.

Monday 10 November 2014

Janis Pegrum Smith


I attended St John's School from 1977 – 1982. It is often said that your school years are the best days of your life, I am not so certain I would go that far, but my memories of St John's are extremely happy ones packed full of firm friendships, many of which I retain to this day. I also have some very great teachers to thank for inspiring and encouraging my love of writing, and literature, and my passion for history; Mr Dellar and Mr Saunders particularly stand out in my memory. I was also hugely involved with the PE department, regularly representing the school in hockey, netball and athletics. Academically, my time at St John's was a challenge, despite obviously being extremely bright, I constantly frustrated my teachers who were always putting 'could do better' on my reports. What we did not know at the time is that I am dyslexic, a condition little recognised back then. Despite my struggle with words, the staff coached me through to achieve a respectable 8 'O' levels. I left St John's at sixteen with a place secured at Queen Mary's College, London to study engineering. However, thinking I knew best, I decided that I was fed-up with education so, despite there being three million unemployed at that the time, I decided I would go out and get a job. My mother made me a deal, that if I found a job before I was due to go to college in September, then I didn't have to go (she was most certainly hedging her bets that with three million jobless, I would stand no chance in securing employment). So, I put on my best dress and set out armed with the plan to knock upon the door of every business in Epping. The travel agents I was aiming to approach first was closed for lunch, so emboldened by the fact I had come this far I summoned up all my courage and went into the business next-door. I had no notion of what they did, I just walked up to the reception desk and asked if they had any jobs. I left there an hour later with an offer of employment, the manager admired my pluck so much that he created a job for me, and thus I began my working life as a Service Clerk for Pump Maintenance. I was with the company for eighteen months before becoming old enough to realise my childhood dream of joining the Royal Air Force. In October 1983 I left Epping and took a train to Lincolnshire where basic training led me to becoming an airframe mechanic. My association with the RAF was only brief as within a year I left to get married, and returned to live in Epping.

Back in 'Civvy Street' I went to work for Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation as a trainee foreign exchange dealer, which was my father's profession at the time. After three years of working in the city I left to have my two children and become a full-time mother. I had always had a passion for writing and began to write more now I had more free time. I attended various writing evening classes, mostly in screenwriting for films and produced a number of novels and screenplays, though, never had the self-confidence to attempt to get them to an agent or approach a publisher. After a brief, exciting time living in Dublin I moved to Cambridgeshire and as my children grew and needed me less, I returned to work via volunteering for the Citizen's Advice Bureau. I qualified quickly as a generalist advisor, and then specialised in domestic and substance misuse, which lead to me working in prisons, and with street outreach community programmes amongst the vulnerable and homeless. I also found myself working with dignitaries and celebrities at charity events. I trained as a counsellor, and also as a homeopath at this time. I was soon offered a paid post within the organisation, becoming the deputy-manager of Mildenhall Citizens Advice Bureau, and then manager of that branch. Throughout this time I was still writing, and finally in 2011 I was persuaded to submit a short story for publication in a national magazine – from that moment I have never looked back, I published numerous short stories, and some magazine articles before writing and publishing my first major novel More Than Gold. Although initially approached by a publishing company to write More Than Gold when I saw the percentage of the profit the publisher was going to be taking I decided to start my own independent publishing company and publish myself. With the great advances in publication technology, e-readers and print-on-demand it is not only possible nowadays to publish yourself independently, but it is by far the most fashionable way – with major authors leaving their established publishing routes and publishing themselves. It gives much greater artistic freedom and realises slightly more profit for the author, in a business where margins are getting smaller and smaller. I am now a passionate indie publisher and author. My publishing company, Wilton End Publishing, has published two more of my works; a romance Marigolds in Her Hands and the first in my new fantasy series The Book Ark: Black on White. Through my work as an indie publisher I was approached to become an indie book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, and am very proud to now be the assistant editor for the HNS Indie Review section. Being an independent author/publisher is very hard work, but greatly rewarding. I do a lot of work with my local school, the Iceni Academy, as their author in residence, and even sponsor an annual award called the Janis Pegrum Smith Word Snottor Cup, awarded to the child who has shown most advancement in their storytelling and love of literature('word snottor' being an Anglo Saxon term for a gifted storyteller).

Currently, I am busy with national book signings and writing the next The Book Ark Novel – Children of the Universe, as well as preparing to release a book of my collected short stories In Short and Thus Far. I am also hoping to write a new historical novel next year, too. Undoubtedly, my time at St John's helped shape the person I am and equipped me with life skills and a knowledge base which has helped me throughout my life to achieve all I have. I am extremely proud of my old school and know a lot of my friends are, too, and I know we all left the school with far more than exam certificates to show for our time there. I am very lucky in that I see every day as an adventure, and embrace all life throws at me, for St John’s undoubtedly laid some very solid foundations within me which I have been able to build upon and achieve my dreams. If you can dream it, you can be it, you just have to be prepared to stretch yourself far enough and reach for it.

Friday 18 July 2014

Harlow College Awards



The college held its annual awards recently and ex Epping St John’ students came out on top by receiving 3 out of the 9 awards allocated.
 
Amy Mohr was Vocational student of the year for Hospitality and Travel



Aaron Farrell won Vocational student of the year for Business and IT 



Ryker Towerzy was Vocational student of the Year for Visual Arts



Congratulations go to all three of them who made us very proud of their achievements. Well done.