A WOMAN who came to study abroad in Salisbury has celebrated success on A Level results day and said her college was 'everything she dreamed of and more'.
Tryfena Addo Tobeb Peprah moved from Ghana to Amesbury in February 2022 so that she could study at Salisbury 6th Form College.
The 19-year-old waitress, who works at Amesbury Abbey Care Home, soon noticed a significant difference in the education system and how students at S6C approach it.
Her previous Ghanaian school solely measured students' ability to remember information but Miss Addo realised that most of her new classmates "were looking to solve problems".
"It challenged how I thought," said Miss Addo.
"It moved from remembering things to applying my knowledge. It made me understand myself better."
Assistant head Craig Chambers encouraged and inspired Miss Addo to persevere with her vocational Creative Media Practice course and she ultimately attained the highest possible grade of Distinction*.
Results day on Thursday, August 15, also saw Miss Addo offer high praise to psychology teachers Kirsty White and Polly Cordell who eased the process of learning a curriculum which at points seemed "overwhelming".
Sociology, taught by Andrew Lomas, helped Miss Addo learn life lessons and broadened her understanding of the country she had moved to.
Follow live: A-Level 2024 results LIVE: Updates in Salisbury
Miss Addo, whose devout Christian faith pushed her through tough times, achieved Bs in psychology and sociology which granted her a deferred place at the University of Southampton where she wants to study digital marketing.
She hopes to spend her gap year getting work experience at a marketing company in Bristol.
Throughout Miss Addo's time at S6C, she has felt "challenged but supported". She said: "The process was all part of the journey.
"I feel like if I didn't go through the journey to get this point it would just be grades and mean nothing but the struggle brings it together to make it beautiful."
While researching where to study in the UK, Miss Addo felt drawn in by S6C's motto of 'aspiration, excellence, success', she explained: "I love to be excellent and aspire to do things. The values align with my own.
"It's everything I dreamed of and more."
Read more: PHOTOS: Pupils across Salisbury celebrate A-level results
Miss Addo's advice for anyone studying abroad is to "be flexible and willing to learn" as adjusting to different societal values can be difficult.
She added: "They should persevere and have an overcoming mentality. They should not think they're limited in any way. So long as you work hard, I believe you can achieve it."
A low level of confidence among girls her age is something Miss Addo has noticed during her time in England.
"They think that because they are black they can't get to a certain place," said Miss Addo.
"It's true - you live in a place where most people don't look like you - but living in a place where you look different doesn't lower you. You must believe you can give something to the world."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel