Our commitment to helping you gain the best placements, positions and futures has led to the establishment of the NCS Mentors Network.
NCS Mentors are highly successful young professionals who have recently graduated from the best universities in the country, so have previously been in your position and know how to succeed. Like you, many of the mentors are from East London and many have been previously supported and guided by the same staff that now teach and shape the learning experience at The NCS. Success in their academic studies and subsequent careers has led them to want to give back to the community they grew up in; providing guidance and mentoring to those young adults making the same choices they once did.
We also work with some of London’s best Universities to support NCS students when it comes to selecting undergraduate courses. Our strong links with admission tutors ensure out students are receiving the most up to date information and guidance to allow them to make the very best UCAS applications
Expect real world advice from those who are now successfully living their dreams; from how to handle applications and entrance interviews, to studying and living abroad, to guiding you in choices that you can make now to aid your long term career.
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“When you’re considered an able, self-motivated and conscientious student you can sometimes experience a lack of support especially the kind of support that teaches you how to manage external pressures, your own high expectations and your very first setbacks. Learning the hard way, often at university, can be extremely hard. I therefore want to nurture and inspire students who are in the position I was in a few years ago through sharing my experiences and hope to spur them on further, with a more informed understanding of success so that they are better placed to grasp it.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I vividly remember a conversation I had with the Principal of the NCS during my final parents’ evening of high school. He told me that the following two years would be the toughest I would face and that it was crucial to remain focused and driven. He helped me recognise that the people around me were no longer the benchmark for success; it was in fact the entire nation and I was in a competitive environment and to succeed I needed resilience, drive, ambition and support.
A-level exams are daunting in their own right but the importance of the decisions you have to make during those two years are equally burdensome. Here is where the NCS mentors step in. It is the job of the other mentors and I, to share our experiences during our A-level years with the aim of equipping you with all the information required to make sound judgements which are going to stand you in good stead.
Unlike many I’ve been fortunate to follow a more unusual career path. Directly out of sixth form, I’ve joined a top 4 accounting firm who in addition to paying me a salary, also pay for my tuition fees, with the eventual goal of achieving a degree in accounting and an ACA qualification. I hope that in my role as an mentor, I can provide an alternative perspective to post A-level education; one which involves the world of professional practice as well as study. More and more of the world’s leading companies are calling upon your services… today; a truly exciting time for all sixth form students.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“The NCS is one of the most exciting projects I have seen in the field of education in the Borough of Newham. I went to a 6th Form in Redbridge which was full of incredibly intelligent, ambitious and hardworking students from Newham and Tower Hamlets. Most of these students were so talented and driven that they became role models for me. I think it is about time they get the high quality post – GCSE education that they deserve, right on their door-step! Furthermore, I feel very passionate about elevating our communities in East London through education and empowering the youth to become movers and shakers of the future. We have so much talent in our communities and we need to propel it as far forward as we possibly can.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Having grown up in the East Ham area, I knew the difficulty in finding a Sixth Form which would provide me with the learning environment that I yearned for. When this opportunity to help Newham students came along, I jumped at the chance.
The talent and desire is clear to be seen within students in East London and the NCS now provides the platform for them to flourish and succeed. Having also been taught by some of the teachers now at the NCS I can say that their expertise in their subject area is second to none. Truly inspiring teachers!”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I have decided to be an NCS mentor as I would love to be able to share my experiences with ambitious and talented young people and support them whilst they make daunting decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. Studying Maths at Warwick has been incredible and having also secured a full scholarship from a leading investment bank I hope I will be able to answer your questions about both university and career choices!”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“For me, the transition between GCSE and A-Levels was extremely tough. To whittle 11 subjects down to 4 is a very important decision and is essentially the start of you planning for your future! At this point in time, it is vital to get as much information and help as possible from anyone you can. This is the main reason why I want to become a NCS Mentor – to share my experiences and support students from Newham with their choices and career paths.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Your two years at sixth form are two of the most pivotal years of your life as they are central to your further education and what happens from there. Aiming for excellence, the NCS allows students from East London who aren’t necessarily from the most privileged of backgrounds to excel. I agree with the principles of the school and admire the ways in which its faculty have ensured that students of all backgrounds are not held back by lack of opportunity. I want to be an NCS Mentor so that I can contribute to these efforts as much as possible and help give others the opportunities that allowed me to study what and where I wanted to when it came to university.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Seeing the NCS in the news and of course, by living in the local area, the buzz from the sixth firm has drawn me in. The prospect of meeting energized and likeminded individuals who simply have a desire to succeed excites me. My academic life has always been enriched with mentors from all walks of life; from the Foreign Commonwealth Office diplomats to investment bankers and parliamentarians. Having been approached by a few others to mentor students, I realised I wanted to be part of a growing and established organisation; and I’m so glad I’ve been selected to be part of Newham’s greatest venture. I want to channel my energies from having just left sixth form by giving both academic and university related advice. ”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“As a keen community activist, a Newham lover and someone who believes in the power of education, I have taken the decision to become an NCS mentor. Too often, we hear of students from “disadvantaged backgrounds,” and it is this idea that I look to combat as an NCS mentor to prove that students in Newham are some of the highest achievers there are. The sense of community spirit, belonging and an excellent student ethos is what attracted me to become an NCS mentor. When hearing that an A-level sixth form centre was to be opened in Newham, it made me very happy to know that a vibrant student ethos enjoyed in other Sixth Forms can now be found in our own home borough. There are the obvious reasons of giving back to a student body that I once made a part of, but more so I have become an NCS mentor to help, offer advice and to try and inspire students from my own experiences.
A great man once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” It is this very philosophy I want to pass on to all students at NCS. With all the hardships that maybe faced by students from Newham and neighbouring boroughs, it is this inspiration of changing the world through education that I want to instil into our students to come!”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I am in my final year of reading Law and will soon be entering the City to work at a leading American law firm. I would love the opportunity to give back to my community and share my experiences to help students strengthen key skills necessary for their degree and beyond. I am really excited to be a law mentor and to work with ambitious individuals!”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“There are two main reasons why I have decided to be an mentor for the NCS, a) wanting to give back and b) remembering what it was like being a student during sixth form. In relation to a) I can safely say that being able to go on the journey I have been on, from growing up in North London, to going to the best undergraduate business school in the world, to working at a rapidly growing Silicon Valley start-up, wouldn’t have been possible without the support that many others have given me. Be it my family, friends, teachers, colleagues, there is something to be said for providing support to those who need it, as you never know where it can take you (for me it took me to the other side of the world!). As for b) it was very hard being a student applying to US schools, simply because it wasn’t the prototypical path and there wasn’t any example for a student who had done it before at my school. Even though, my sixth form provided me great support through the process I always remembered saying “It would be amazing if there was a student I could speak to, who was once in the position I was (applying to US schools), so I could pick his brain and know what to expect.
Now that I have been fortunate enough to be in that position, I would like to be that former student that you can ask about the process, so you have someone who can relate to the process you’ll be facing.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I would like to share my A-level and university experiences with students as well as provide students with an insight into a wide range of professions that they may be considering or may not have even considered. Coming from Newham I understand some students may view studying in East London as a disadvantage when applying to university and entering their chosen profession, however I really want to be able to help students make informed decisions about their future and ultimately show students coming from East London is definitely an asset. All you need is a little bit of guidance, a lot commitment and motivation and you will go a very long way!”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Your life at sixth form or at college will be the two most important years of your life as it is the starting platform to whatever you will go on to do next and life at sixth form cements the building blocks to your career. Having attended a prestigious sixth form in Redbridge many of my peers and teachers were quick to judge me as I came from a “disadvantaged background”. I was extremely quick to defend myself because I believe learning and teaching in Newham is second to none and the abilities of students in Newham are enormous. I believe that NCS will be a very prestigious sixth form at the heart of Newham which will adequately equip its pupils to face the world once they leave and it will instil a huge sense of passion for education within students, hence I have decided to become an NCS mentor. Preparing and drafting personal statements, completing UCAS applications and attending interviews can be a daunting experience and having experienced this myself I believe I can help and support pupils face what is usually described as a stressful time.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“The NCS is an amazing new institution which I am proud to be a part of. Having known and been taught by the Principal as well as some of the outstanding teachers now at NCS, I can confidently say that the NCS will be an immense success not just for the borough of Newham but in East London in general. I was born and brought up in France but at the age of ten my family and I moved to London to seek new opportunities. These opportunities were hard to come by because of the lack of contacts that I or my family had with top city companies and it was a real struggle to find and secure placements. However, what I can say is that with the NCS’s excellent contact list students will not go through some of the struggles I went through to get placements. Those who get a place at the NCS will be very lucky indeed and I can assure you your experience will not be mirrored elsewhere.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Being from Newham myself I had to go through the experience of studying for my A Levels at a sixth form in a different borough. The creation of the NCS should be recognised as giving individuals in Newham the chance to stay in their borough to carry on with their education at an establishment, which has an excellent team of staff, facilities and extensive links with different firms and universities. The decisions that students make at sixth form will have a significant impact on their future so it is important that they are well informed and I would like to share the experience and knowledge that I have gained over the past few years in relation to choosing what subjects to study and the process of applying to university.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“The role of an mentor can be what one wishes to make it. It is a unique opportunity to not only teach and mentor students, but to also deliver to them a vision that is slightly more accessible, coming from individuals not directly in a teaching role. It is this immense sense of satisfaction and reward that I choose to make myself accessible to any young student wanting to learn about this process of entering university and the great changes it brings, as well as its challenges. My background means I can direct our teens to good resources and give sound advice for medicine but this is very much a bonus. I am here to support all our newest members.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“It is so important for young people from all backgrounds to feel that they can aspire to anything and for that to be a reality. I really believe that the resources we invest in our students shape the future that we create for ourselves. I was born and brought up in East Ham and I had good schools to help me gain the grades I needed however there was always a gap in mentors and therefore an uncertainty about what was achievable. I did not have access to people who have ventured down the same path and faced the same choices and dilemmas. The NCS mentor network provides students with access to those people- people who have learnt from their successes and mistakes and are willing to share them. That is why I would like to be an Mentor for the NCS.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Ive been lucky enough to have the support from some of the teachers who will be working at the NCS and between their teaching and mentoring I have achieved so much more than I would have without it.
Studying medicine at Barts has been a dream come true and I’m so excited to meet those with the same passion as I had to study it. There were so many questions I had when I was applying and I remember wishing I had someone who had been there and done that to ask. As an mentor I hope to answer all of those questions for you and both reassure and inspire those going into the medical field.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I have lost count of the number of times I have engaged with students across various competitions and initiatives, only to realise that I am the sole individual there representing Newham. One of the biggest misconceptions young people, particularly in Newham, are constantly led to believe is that they don’t have what it takes to compete at the highest level. My experiences quite clearly prove how untrue this is. Having been born and raised in Newham hasn’t prevented me from pursuing a degree in the best Dental school in the UK, in fact it has only strengthened my resolve to succeed. I want students to never allow their socio-economic environment to be a barrier to achievement, rather I want them to understand that it is their work ethic that makes or breaks them. More importantly, I want students to appreciate that I couldn’t have achieved what I have without the support and help of my role models. I cannot imagine a better way of serving my community than being a role model for the brightest minds in Newham. I want to be an Mentor because I believe a true measure of success is not what you achieve for yourself, it’s how you utilise that success to best serve others.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“It was not long ago that I myself was a 6th Form student; filled with ambition and surrounded by the expectations and aims that arise when studying for A Levels.
I remember both the hardships and the moments of joy during this period, the memories and the experiences that followed. However, in the end, it all came down to one moment and I was left with a piece of paper in my hands; the results. This represents the critical period of a student’s life, where they realise whether they are one step closer to their dreams or not. The decision of where to study your A Levels can be life changing!
I want to be an NCS Mentor so that I can help students achieve their aims and when the day arrives be proud of their accomplishments. A Levels are crucial and the final milestone before the initiation into the career pathway. Students require a strong support system, formed of both experienced, passionate teachers and mentors who are available to assist in their learning throughout their A Level period.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“There are so many things I wish I had known years ago when I was going through this process. I think the key is knowing what is expected and required of you early. I didn’t know anyone who had trodden this path before me and it’s daunting when you start.
I still have to make choices about my career and need the support and advice of people who have experienced it before me and been successful. I would love to be able to provide that same insider knowledge and experience to you! .”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I have always been passionate about education and empowering people to achieve the best that they can. Having been to school in Newham, I have always felt attached to the area and saw first-hand the many hurdles my friends and I faced throughout our educational careers.
During the three years I have spent at university so far, I have noticed how under-represented Newham and the surrounding areas are in the student body. Why is this? What is stopping all the bright people I went to school with, who wanted to be studying at a top university, reaching their goals? The answer to these questions may be very complex, but one area that I highlighted is the lack of alumni support for students in Newham; as a sixth former wanting to study medicine, I simply did not know anyone who had experience with applying to the degree of my choice, or to the university of my choice.
That is the main reason I want to be an NCS mentor – to be that contact, to guide your university applications and to hopefully empower the next generation of university students from Newham.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“When I was applying for sixth forms, in year 11 I remember wishing for a decent sixth form right here at home in Newham. Unfortunately there wasn’t at the time and I was forced to travel for 40 minutes everyday, which became tiring. But now there is an opportunity for students to go to the NCS. The NCS has great potential to be one of the best sixth forms in London and allow students the opportunity to excel in their education.
I want to be an NCS mentor so I can do my part in helping students who are confused about making choices regarding their future, whether it is for jobs or a degree in university. The two years in sixth form are vital and can make or break a young person’s future. Therefore it is important that students are aware of this and make wise decisions and choices to better their futures. A-levels can be a daunting prospect for young people and some students tend to struggle with the jump between GCSE’s and A-levels, I want to be able to help and support these students to achieve the best of their abilities.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“For me, the biggest reason to become an NCS mentor is to share my experiences and give back something back to the community. At AS Level, it is difficult to understand what university life is like and I hope that by becoming an mentor, I can help answer many of those unanswered questions about university life and what it is like to be a medical student. I am excited to work with enthusiastic, passionate and driven students, who will one day become the next generation of doctors and medical professionals.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“Being a sixth-form student not so long ago I can remember the pickle I was in when deciding which degree I wanted to pursue once I completed my A levels. There is also the added pressure of your A level exams so it’s important that you have people who can give you good advice and guidance along the way. As a result of my experience I want to be part of an outstanding network of highly talented students that are on hand to help and assist NCS students make some important decision in their academic careers.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I decided to become an NCS mentor because I remember myself how daunting it was to pick subjects, evaluate opportunities and apply to universities. I wasn’t sure of the degree or career that I wanted to do, so having gone through the process I hope to be able to help others by providing guidance and advice.”
Why have you decided to be an NCS Mentor?
“I guess there are two main reasons why I wanted to become an NCS Mentor. First and foremost, I miss sixth form which might seem daunting at times but when it’s over, all you’re left with are good memories. I can’t wait to be an active part of student life and be as much help as I can be to anyone who requires it. Secondly, it seems like such a fulfilling and rewarding way to spend some of my time. I remember when I was confused and it was a range of staff along with ex-students that helped in clearing this confusion and now, I feel grateful to them that I am at the university of my choice, undertaking a degree that I am highly passionate about.”