Read how Mia recalls how Charlotte House encouraged and challenged her both academically and with extra-curricular activities. Her experiences at the school have really shaped the person she is now, and Mia is proof of the meaning behind the Charlotte House values.
Mia’s story: Fond Memories
“Learning at Charlotte House was a joy…”
Charlotte House is the sort of school that lives long in the memory of its pupils, and Mia Hatfield still talks about her school years with great affection.
Mia, 30, left Charlotte House in 2001, having started in reception. A day pupil, Mia spent many happy years at school. She says: ‘I remember that we had very small class sizes, which is a great way to learn how to make friends because you could be intimate with classmates in a really supportive setting.’
Mia says that learning these life skills from a young age eased her into school life and gave her the tools to learn to be social and equipped for the intimidation of senior school and beyond.
Her recollection of her time at Charlotte House is filled with great memories, particularly the environment. She adds: ‘The outside space at the school was fantastic – I really enjoyed the beautiful grounds.’
Academia was key for Mia, and she says that the focus on learning was delivered in a non-stressful way. ‘Learning at Charlotte House was a joy – it was very much about having fun and enjoying the learning experience.’
Mia was also encouraged to indulge her love of acting. ‘The teachers at Charlotte House helped to cultivate my passion for acting; in fact, everyone who had extra-curricular activities was given a pathway to bring out the best in them. I remember performing The Comedy of Errors age 10, which was quite a challenge, but these challenges were part of the whole school experience and have stood me in good stead to take on all sorts of things since.’
Mia has memories of a very holistic, pastoral environment at the school, and that the whole school environment was especially encouraging for girls of such a young age, enabling them to believe in themselves and achieve their goals.
Charlotte House had a huge impact on Mia, who went on to read English at Exeter University and is now a corporate lawyer, based in London. A real testament to the values of the school, Mia is a proud Charlotte House past pupil!