Resilience – another important key value of the school - is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to challenging life experiences; the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties. Here at Southborough, we recognise that the ability for students to be able to ‘dust themselves off’ and ‘bounce back’ from any setback he/she may encounter is resolutely key to success, both personally and professionally.
Year 11 student Dima M joined Southborough High School almost two years ago. He, his mother and younger brother moved to the UK from Ukraine at the start of the Ukrainian war: Dima’s father had to stay behind. The family – including Dima – spoke almost no English at all on their arrival. Coming to live in a different country so unexpectedly, adopt a new language and settle into a different culture, home and school was a truly daunting experience for each of them.
However, from the moment Dima joined Southborough, he took everything in his stride, demonstrating immense resilience in the face of adversity. A bright, intelligent young man, he was determined to quickly pick up the English language as he knew it would be the key to succeeding in any qualifications he would take whilst still in the UK. And he mastered the language with great aplomb.
Now in Year 11, Dima - a Gold Tie Prefect – is studying for his GCSEs and his favourite subjects include Physics, Chemistry and Maths. He is also proving to be a naturally talented artist and puts his heart and soul into everything he does. He feels settled in the UK now and appreciates the warm welcome that he received from everyone, especially at Southborough. He hopes to continue his education here and ultimately hopes to become a Neuro Surgeon one day.
Dima is the first to admit that the past couple of years have not been easy. However, he is a much valued member of the school community and is highly regarded, both by his teachers and his peers. We have utmost respect for Dima, not just as a hard-working student, but as an individual who has shown immense resilience in the face of adversity. We are so incredibly proud of him!