Lucy G is one of our Burkitt Scholars who has just achieved some amazing A-Level results to end her long list of successes at Durham School (AAA – Geography, Politics, Economics). Hers is an inspiring story of triumphs!
Lucy began her schooling in her hometown of Sunderland before being granted a scholarship at Durham School Sixth Form where she continued her studies and thrived, showcasing her determination and adaptability.
Outside of the classroom, football has played a transformative role in Lucy’s life. “From a young age I’ve always been quite nervous, but football has allowed me to meet new people, given me so many opportunities, and improved my confidence” she said. However, Lucy became unable to play due to health constraints but decided to turn adversity into opportunity by diving into coaching.
Having completed a free coaching course with Durham FA, Lucy is now on the path to earning coaching badges on a national coaching training programme demonstrating her commitment to personal and professional growth. “Coaching football has given me a new lease of life!”
Lucy is a passionate advocate for women’s football and she’s committed to inspiring the next generation – she has set up a football festival for over 100 primary school girls, given a talk to 100 headteachers at a North East conference on girls’ sports in primary schools and has recently visited younger pupils at our Chorister School site to sharing her passion for football coaching.
Her dedication to her football and her local community was recognised when she was chosen as a representative for Barclays Game Changers, standing out among 200,000 applicants. “I’d like to say I’ve given a lot of girls the opportunity to see that women’s football is an option,” Lucy states, emphasising her dedication to empowering young girls in Sunderland.
Her stellar achievements extend beyond football and academics. During her time at Durham School, she has also spearheaded initiatives for road safety and environmental sustainability. Lucy reflects on her leadership journey, emphasising the successes achieved in collaboration with her peers. “It’s stressful sometimes, but I’ve learned that there are so many other people who also want to do good as well”.
As Lucy continues to excel academically and pursue coaching opportunities, her narrative serves as a beacon of inspiration for those navigating their own paths. Her trailblazing journey reminds us that with passion, determination, and a focus on accomplishments, one can overcome obstacles and leave an enduring legacy.
Lucy has kindly written a message about her time at Durham School and her amazing A-Level results:
I have been at Durham School two years now, studying geography, politics and economics A-level, achieving AAA. Having top quality teachers with a clear passion for their subjects ignited the passion I had for each subject and has led me on to decide to study Geography at the University of Glasgow, in hopes to work towards a career focussing on geopolitics ideally working for an IGO or an NGO working on development and international relations. This will fully utilise everything I have learned at Durham School. I am also grateful for the support I have had from staff elsewhere in the school, a great benefit of the school is how close it is, I always had a friendly face across the school and was never far away from a great conversation with a member of staff about anything and everything! Durham is like one big family.
However, it is important to acknowledge the other things DCSF has to offer, such as the trips, extra-curriculars and sports. A key experience of my time here has been the fantastic geography trip to Italy where we visited Versuvius, Naples and Capri, with its fascinating physical landscapes and vibrant culture. In terms of extra-curricular activities, I have loved being the editor of the Durham Eye from 2024-2025 (winning Shine Media Editor of the Year 2025), leading environmental initiatives (including setting up a sustainability club) and utilising our close relationship with Choristers to coach football to younger girls. Finally, I loved playing cricket for the 1st XI Girls, having many successes on tour and at home, I loved wicket keeping and batting for the team and I wish every success to my teammates staying on.
All things considered, coming to Durham has benefitted me more than I can articulate, with the brilliant teaching, extra-curricular and sporting opportunities and the constant support, I don’t think I would have performed so well in my exams. I will miss DCSF, but I can’t wait for my next steps!
We’re incredibly proud of Lucy and are delighted that our scholarships are successful in supporting students like Lucy. Scholarships are vital because they not only open doors to life-changing educational opportunities, but also empower talented students like Lucy to thrive, inspire others, and create lasting impact in their communities.