Sophie left The Abbey in 2017. She was a very experienced Tennis player as well as Netball, and represented The Abbey in many school and national championships. Sophie is now pursuing a career in English National Netball and plays GA for the England Vitality Roses. Sophie is also currently finishing an Engineering degree at the University of Bath.

I left The Abbey in 2017, having started at the school in Reception in 2003, and I am currently in my final year studying Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the University of Bath whilst also playing netball for the Vitality England Roses.

The Abbey girls are what makes the school so special. I really miss being able to spend every day with the friends that you have grown up with and it is not until you leave that you realise how fortunate you were to experience that. 

I think my proudest achievement would be making my debut for the England Roses when I was 18. It was always a dream of mine to play to the highest level that I could and so to be given the opportunity to play for England at a senior level in front of family and friends was a surreal moment. Putting on the red England dress and singing the national anthem is always a privilege but the first time was particularly memorable.     

The one piece of advice that I would give current students at The Abbey would be to believe that anything is possible. Many people would have said that I wouldn’t have been able to combine studying for a degree in engineering whilst having an extremely busy training and competing schedule, but it is doable with hard work and commitment. I have also had a number of setbacks along the way, including deselections and injuries. I’ve found it is important to use these experiences as motivation to want to improve and get better in whatever you pursue.