Meet Lucia
Lucia Spiteri, Head of Day, started her school journey at Rye St Antony before the merger and is studying English Literature, Psychology and Art alongside Leiths Certificate of Food and Wine. Outside the classroom, Lucia enjoys boxing, volunteers in a primary school and is a lifeguard at a local swimming pool, a skill she hopes to use at Headington Rye. She is also working towards her gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
On Headington Rye Oxford
I was really surprised when they announced the merger – I thought there would be a change but right away I was just really excited. I had been wanting a change although I also really liked Rye, my teachers and my friends so for me it was perfect – I would have my teachers and my friends and all the good things but with so many new opportunities too while still having all the things I loved about my old school.
I’m excited to play team sports properly because our year group has been very small so we haven’t had much opportunity to do it. In terms of Higher Education, we didn’t have the same level support that there will be at Headington Rye in terms of things that will really help me with university and I think it will be really good having a clearer idea of what I want to do and what’s going on. To have a bigger support network and more people around and to have their perspective of things will be really good. I study Art and English so hearing other people’s ideas is really important so having more people around me is really good.
On her first impressions of her new school site
At the beginning of the year, there was an event for Art Scholarship students and they had a visitor come in and we had a couple of hours with them. I was really excited and really glad I had the opportunity to come and see what the next year could be like. I was buddied up with another girl who was really nice and made me feel really welcomed. I got to have a look around and see all the people I would be in school with next year. It was really bizarre because I knew this was going to be my life soon but it was also exciting. The Sixth Form Centre looked so nice and such a lovely place to work.
On what she hopes to achieve by the time she leaves Headington Rye
I want to develop close relationships with a lot of the students at the School. It’s so good to have an older student to ask questions or for advice. I want to be equally involved with girls who originally started at both schools. A big challenge is going to be confidence for a lot of the girls. Confidence isn’t something you can just have, it’s something you develop. At first, it’s natural to be nervous and anxious but soon enough everyone will be able to confidently walk around the school, know whether they’re going and who their friends are. It’s just finding that stable ground at first. For me, every time I come here it gets easier.
On her ambitions beyond Headington Rye
I would really like to do English at university, or something to do with media. I’m still doing research. I’m really interested in cultural interests like museums or writing. I’m still not sure and I think Headington Rye will help me narrow it down more. I’m also quite interested in journalism.
On what she’s learned about herself
If you put your mind to something you can do it, no matter what it is. When I first joined Rye I had been in such a big school and if you didn’t know what to do it was on you. Being here has allowed me to develop so many different skills with the support of my teachers. There’s so many nice things I have done that made me realise if I put my mind to it, I can do it, especially getting the role of Head of Day which I didn’t think I could do.
