An ‘inspirational’ Albyn School pupil has won a place at the highest-ranked university in the world.
Rachel Gallagher is heading south to Oxford University to study law, following top marks in four Advanced Highers.
The Aberdeen school described Rachel’s straight-A performance as an ‘exceptional accomplishment, reflecting her dedication and flair.’
Rachel’s hard work saw her receive A’s in Economics, English, French and History.
Her reward is a place at Oxford University’s Mansfield College, where she will begin a degree in Law with French Law in October.
Oxford University is currently the highest-ranked university in the world.
From Albyn School to Oxford – a family first
“The offer has not been confirmed yet but I have got the grades so I think it will come pretty soon, which is exciting,” said Rachel, who cannot wait to start her Oxford journey.
“Oxford is my first choice. Nobody from my family has gone to Oxford before.”
She added: “I am really interested in law and I think it is something that I will be good at. It appeals to my interests. I like understanding society and its regulations and how it all works together.
“I like to think about all the different aspects of moral issues as well as law’s practical implications. I think the way law influences everything in life is really interesting.”
By choosing to study French law as part of her degree, Rachel aims to fulfil a lifelong ambition.
“I want to study French because I have been learning French for 10 years and I am still not fluent and I’m not going to stop until I am.
School hails Rachel’s ‘perseverance and determination’
Albyn School head teacher Stefan Horsman said he was ‘very proud’ of Rachel.
“Her dedication serves as an inspiration to the entire Albyn School community, highlighting the rewards of perseverance and determination in the pursuit of higher education.”
Rachel joined Albyn School in 2008 as a three-year-old, and spoke of the school’s welcoming learning environment.
“Albyn School has a really nice community,” she said.
“I have made very good friends and I have felt very supported by all the teachers and support staff too.”
During her time at Albyn, Rachel said she did ‘quite a lot’.
“I was the president of the debating society this and last year, which was great. I really enjoyed that. It allowed me to interact more with younger years too.
“Along with that, I also attended model UN and I was part of the newspaper club. I have also contributed to other academic clubs from my first year so it was great to see my school and the clubs develop as well.
“I also played hockey for the school – it was just something different for me to get involved in and push myself.”
Rachel is just the latest example of a north-east pupil going on to great things.
Last year’s exam results saw one pupil emerge from one of the north-east’s lowest-ranked schools to win a place at Oxford.
Conversation