Sarah Ateaque - Bournemouth School

Sarah Ateaque attended Bournemouth School between 2012-2014 as part of our Sixth Form cohort studying 4 A-Levels, including Chemistry, Biology and English Literature (dropping Physics after year 12).

Sarah believes that her time at Bournemouth School helped shape the way she approaches problems and gave her many of the skills that have supported her confidence in adult life. What comes across immediately when speaking to Sarah is her warmth, friendly manner and beaming smile. She is someone with a positive attitude, who approaches challenges constructively and has made the most of the opportunities offered to her during her school years, using them as a foundation for future success.

Reflecting on her varied A Level subjects, Sarah explained that the sciences demanded an analytical approach and encouraged her to understand how the world works. English Literature, by contrast, offered what she described as a “welcome shift”, giving her the freedom to express ideas and viewpoints through storytelling.

When asked whether any teachers held a particular place in her memory, Sarah mentioned two. The first was Mrs Crowe, a current Biology teacher, whom Sarah remembers as “enthusiastic, meaningful and exciting.” The second was our Headteacher, Dr Lewis, who taught her Chemistry. Sarah recalls that, when she felt overwhelmed, Dr Lewis would patiently and constructively help her break problems down and understand them more clearly.

One particular memory from Sarah’s time at Bournemouth School came from an English lesson, where a thought-provoking debate became so engaging that it continued later that evening at a party. The class had been discussing a novel related to their A Level topic, Love through the Ages, and the topic had impassioned students so much that they continued to critique and explore it well beyond the time constraints of the lesson. It was through moments like this that Sarah discovered the enjoyment of mature, lively and competing debate.

When asked why she chose to leave Bournemouth School for Girls and move to Bournemouth School for her A Levels, Sarah explained that she wanted to be “pushed into a different environment.” She felt Bournemouth School offered a “strong culture of competition”, with students who were “very driven.” Sarah also believes mixed schools can offer valuable social development, explaining that it is “healthy to experience different environments while young,” particularly those with different levels of maturity, independence and opinion.

Since leaving Bournemouth School, Sarah has gone on to achieve a PhD in Neuroscience and now works as the manager of the Scientific Solutions Consulting Team at an AI startup in London. Reflecting on her doctoral studies, Sarah explained that they taught her to think critically, challenge assumptions and interpret evidence carefully. She believes that scientific research requires “creativity, persistence and finding the evidence,” as well as the ability to ask rigorous questions, design experiments and draw meaningful conclusions from data.

Although Sarah admits she did not always enjoy studying in the traditional sense, she has always valued environments that encourage learning, curiosity and the application of knowledge. For her, education has been most rewarding when it has offered the opportunity to create impact and “stay curious.” When asked to describe her time at university in three words, Sarah chose: challenging, transformative and fun. Sarah credits much of her positive mindset to her upbringing: her parents were supportive and actively encouraged her to reach her potential, while growing up with three younger sisters helped her understand the value of explaining ideas clearly and revisiting knowledge often. Through helping them with their studies, Sarah came to appreciate the importance of regular recall and steady progress, summarising her approach with the belief that “consistency beats intensity.”

In her current role, Sarah works with scientific organisations to understand how researchers operate and how AI technology can be integrated effectively to improve and accelerate scientific workflows. She works closely with scientists in the pharmaceutical field, supporting them in the use of new AI tools. Sarah has seen first-hand the positive impact AI can have, particularly in helping researchers make faster, better-informed decisions that can ultimately contribute to people’s lives through the development of effective medicines. However, she is also clear that AI must be used thoughtfully. Whilst it offers enormous potential, she stresses the importance of strong governance and responsible use.

The topic of AI was also discussed in relation to students and education. Sarah believes AI should be introduced in schools, provided students are taught to use it “responsibly and respectfully.” She explained that future graduates will be expected to use AI effectively, stating that “this generation will have to use AI like previous generations had to use the computer.” For Sarah, the key is that AI should “support learning, not replace thinking.” She believes it can help students ask better questions, explore ideas and develop critical thinking, but that it should sit alongside traditional methods of learning rather than replace them. If students are taught to use AI well, she believes they will be more employable in the future and better prepared to remain “the human in the loop.”

Later this month, Sarah will be speaking at the Discovery and Development conference in Berlin. The event will host over 1,000 senior leaders from pharma, biotech, academia, and technology over a two day period. When asked whether she feels nervous about speaking at such a prestigious event, Sarah explained that nerves are a “normal part of an opportunity where you are pushed outside of your comfort zone.” She believes that the more someone steps into challenging situations, the more manageable they become. For Sarah, discomfort does not mean failure; instead, it can be part of building confidence, experience and “stronger memory pathways.” Speaking at conferences forms part of Sarah’s role, and she has previously presented at other events including one in Switzerland. She believes that, rather than focusing solely on the impact a presentation may have on others, it is also important to recognise the personal value that comes from taking on such opportunities. Sarah attributes her calm approach to three things: “preparation and practice, understanding her audience, and knowing that the more prepared you are, the more natural you will feel.”

When discussing resilience in both the workplace and school environment, Sarah recommended avoiding “fake productivity”, such as passive revision sessions that feel busy but do not lead to genuine progress. She also highlighted the importance of removing distractions, such as mobile phones, and studying alongside like-minded people who are motivated to achieve. Speaking from experience, Sarah described helping her younger sisters revise by encouraging her to explain concepts out loud and use flashcards to strengthen memory recall. Sarah believes that “confidence doesn’t come before hardship, it comes after,” and that “the people who do well in life didn’t ignore the struggles, they lean into them.” She also reflected that young people today are growing up in a society that can be risk-averse, while also navigating an environment of “huge technological change.” For Sarah, learning how to adapt, persevere and remain curious will be essential skills for the future.

Finally, when asked what she does in her free time to relax, Sarah explained that she is focused on maintaining a healthy work-life balance. She enjoys socialising with friends, eating out and spending time in social settings. Sarah describes herself as an extrovert, but also recognises the importance of rest and is learning to value relaxation as a way to recharge and rebalance.

Meeting	Exceeding
You will be able to describe and explain the increased tension over Berlin between Khrushchev and Kennedy. You will be able to have a good understanding of why there were summit meetings called, 1960 and 1961. You will be able to describe and explain why the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. You will be able to explain the impact the building of the wall had on East-West relations and the importance of Kennedy’s visit to Berlin in 1963. You will be able to show a good understanding of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the importance of the Bay of Pigs failed invasion of 1961 and the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.	You will be able to evaluate the impact on international relations of increased tension over Berlin between Khrushchev and Kennedy. You understanding of the summit meetings is precise and you can evaluate their importance. You will be able to precisely recall details of how why the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. You will be able to evaluate the importance of the building of the wall on East-West relations and the importance of Kennedy’s visit to Berlin in 1963. You will be able to show a precise knowledge and understanding of the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the importance of the Bay of Pigs failed invasion of 1961 the events and significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 in the short term and long term.
Assessment Methods
Do-now tasks Retrieval Quiz in class End of Unit Assessment

Meeting	Exceeding
You will demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the origins of the Weimar Republic from its creation in 1918. You will be able to describe and explain why the Republic faced political and economic challenges in the years 1919 – 1923. You will be able to understand some controversy over Germany’s recovery from 1924 – 28. You will be able to describe and explain how society and culture changed during the ‘Golden Years’ of Weimar. You will mostly be able to demonstrate accurate recall of key people, key dates, terminologies and acronyms to describe aspects Weimar Germany, 1918 – 1928.	You will be able to recall, with more precision and accuracy, the origins of the Weimar Republic from 1918. You will accurately explain the early challenges including the Spartacist Uprising, Kapp Putsch and the causes and impact of the German Hyperinflation of 1923. You will be able to recall, with precision and accuracy, how Weimar recovered including Stresemann’s economic and foreign policy successes whilst able to evaluate the limitations of recovery. You will have a secure knowledge of how Weimar society and culture changed. You will be able to convincingly demonstrate accurate and precise recall of key people, key dates, terminologies and acronyms describing aspects of Weimar Germany 1924 – 1929.
Assessment Methods
Do-now tasks Retrieval Quiz in class End of Unit Assessment

Meeting	Exceeding
You show a good knowledge and understanding of key terms associated with the changes happening from 1750 – 1900. You are able to describe and explain some aspects of continuity of society and economy during this period. You demonstrate a good understanding of how agriculture changed, why the factory system developed, how transport improvements impacted the economy with particular reference to the steam train. You are able to explain why living conditions in the new towns and cities changed, the impact on public health and calls for reform. You show secure evaluation of sources for utility, taking into account some aspects of provenance and / or own knowledge.	You are able to show an excellent knowledge and understanding of key terms associated with the changes happening from 1750 – 1900. You are able to precisely describe and explain aspects of continuity of society and economy during this period. You are able to show an excellent and precise understanding of how agriculture changed, why the factory system developed, how transport improvements impacted the economy with particular reference to the steam train. You are able to evaluate how and why living conditions in the new towns and cities changed and the impact these changes had on public health and calls for reform. You show a convincing evaluation of sources for utility, taking into account provenance and precise own knowledge.
Assessment Methods
Do Now Questioning in class Peer assessments (Skills based written response)

Meeting	Exceeding
You will be able to describe and explain the early tension between the members of the Grand Alliance at the three wartime conferences and events in Europe up to 1945. You will be able to have a good understanding of the ideological differences between Capitalism and Communism. You will be able to describe and explain the development of the Cold 1947 – 1949 including the flashpoint of Berlin, 1948 – 49 and the setting up of East and West Germany. You will understand why the Cold War intensified, 1949 – 58 including the arms race and the USSR’s response to the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 and international reaction to this.	You will be able to evaluate the consequences of the wartime alliances for East-West relations. You will understand the attitudes of the wartime leaders and how this further impacted East-West relations. You will select accurate evidence to show the creation of the satellite states to further explain how soviet influence spread, 1945-48. You will be able to demonstrate an excellent understanding of short term and long term reasons why Stalin blockaded Berlin and how this further escalated the Cold War. You will be able to evaluate the significance of the arms race, Khrushchev’s response to the Hungarian Uprising and international reaction.
Assessment Methods
Do Now Retrieval quizzes in class Topic 1 End of Unit Assessment (factual recall)

Meeting	Exceeding
You will be able to have a good knowledge of Nazi policies towards women and why this was so. You will be able to describe and explain Nazi policies towards young people including education and youth groups with some evaluation. You will be able to understand the ways the Nazis reduced unemployment and how they made changes to peoples’ standard of living. You will be able to describe and explain why persecution of minority groups, especially the Jews, increased after 1933.	You will be able to evaluate Nazi policies towards women and young people. You will be able to confidently evaluate policies designed to reduce unemployment whilst also having an in-depth knowledge of policies impacting the standard of living of German workers. You will be able to evaluate the impact Nazi racial policies had upon groups such as Slavs, Roma, Sinti, homosexuals and those with disabilities. You will be able to evaluate the escalation of persecution towards Jewish people with precise reference to events such as the Nuremberg Laws and Kristallnacht.
Assessment Methods
Do Now Retrieval quizzes in class Key Topic 4: End of Unit assessment (factual recall)

Meeting	Exceeding
You will be able to produce a written response that includes three distinct causes of the Break with Rome (this is the keystone point: no answer can be graded as ‘meeting’ if it does not contain three factors) Each of your causes contain sufficient factual detail/proof to justify judgments rather than assertions. Each cause is analysed/explained and linked to why it was a cause of the break with Rome	Your selected evidence is precise and detailed giving more weight to the judgments drawn. The quality of your evaluation is in greater depth (e.g. linking in more depth to the question, considering limitations of each factor as a cause, making a clear judgement for each cause, maybe comparing their importance). Your answers may contain evidence of independent research outside of the work covered in class.
Assessment Methods
Do Now Questioning in class End of Unit Assessment: Causation writing (PEEL Paragraphs)

Meeting	Exceeding
Your written response includes three distinct causes. Each cause contains enough ‘accurate’ (factually correct) and ‘relevant’ (fitted to this question and taken from the correct time period) information to justify judgments rather than assertions. You have analysed or explained each cause and linked it to why it was a cause.	The deployment of your evidence (e.g. precise details, dates, statistics) is in greater depth, giving more weight to the judgements drawn. Your supporting evidence is precisely selected to address the question directly, showing skill in selecting the most convincing evidence. The quality of your evaluation links in more depth to the question ‘directed consistently at conceptual focus’, maybe considering limitations of each factor as a cause. You make a clear judgement for each cause, maybe comparing their importance. All of your three points demonstrate a line of reasoning that is coherent, sustained and logically structured. You demonstrate an excellent, precise and accurate knowledge and understanding of the origins of the Weimar Republic and the challenges it faced, 1919 – 1923.
Assessment Methods
Do Now scores Retrieval quizzes in class Skills based end of Unit assessment: writing a causation examination answer

Meeting	Exceeding
You need to demonstrate secure revision strategies through independent home learning. You need to be able to recall plot and characters. You need to understand contextual factors that influenced 19^th century texts.	You need to demonstrate effective and consistent revision strategies through independent home learning. You need to confidently recall key events, plot developments, and character arcs. You need to show a developed understanding of the contextual factors that influenced 19th-century texts.
Assessment Methods
Do Now. Full KO Quiz. End of unit assessment .

Meeting	Exceeding
You can recall and use most information from the Knowledge Organiser. You can link some features of the music to the context in which it was written. You can describe most elements of the music with reasonable accuracy. You are able to perform a solo on your instrument of at least grade 3 standard. You are able to plan and maintain practice sessions leading to a reasonably successful performance in terms of accuracy of notes, quality of tone, use of some expressive features such as dynamics. You are able to perform with fluency and coherence and only minimal hesitation. You are able to choose appropriate music which fulfils most of the exam board requirements such as appropriate difficulty level, sheet music, backing tracks etc. You are able to confront your nerves and use some strategies to help you in your performance. You are able to use the exam board mark scheme with some accuracy to assess your own and others work. You show some understanding of word setting. You compose a piece which matches most parts of the brief set. You mostly keep on track with your work, generally submitting an appropriate amount at each check point. Your composition demonstrates some understanding of the compositional process, including song writing techniques.	You can recall and use all information from the Knowledge Organiser. You can link most features of the music to the context in which it was written. You can describe all elements of the music with good levels of accuracy. You are able to perform a solo on your instrument of a least grade 4 standard. You are able to plan and maintain practice sessions leading to a successful performance in terms of accuracy, quality of tone and include expressive features such as dynamics and articulation. You are able to perform fluently and without hesitations. You are able to choose appropriate music which fulfils all of the exam board requirements such as appropriate difficulty level, sheet music, backing tracks etc. You are able to confront your nerves and use a range of strategies to help you in your performance. You are able to use the exam board mark scheme accurately to assess your own and others work and use this to inform future practice. You are able to set the words effectively. You compose a piece which matches all parts of the brief set. You keep totally on track with your work, submitting an appropriate amount or going beyond the requirements at each check point. Your composition demonstrates a good understanding of the compositional process including song writing techniques.
Assessment Methods
Do Now tasks. Questioning in class. Exam style listening question at the end of the unit. Solo performance on own instrument in class. Informal marking of a range of solos. Choice of text and word setting of this text for composition. Submission of score showing progress at check points. Submission of final score and audio.

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