Ellie Williams

Former Deputy Head Girl Ellie Williams has been extremely busy since leaving FGS in 2012, working as a personal assistant, a dance choreographer, a retail advisor and starting her own business!

Having enjoyed a very successful student life at the school, achieving 8 A*s and 7 As at GCSE, she is hoping to gain three more As in her A levels, to add to her AS in Drama at Grade A. She plans to study Occupational Therapy at the University of Salford, being one of the 56 successful applicants chosen from almost 400.

It's not only academia in which Ellie has excelled; Ellie has also worked as a personal assistant for two clients, teenagers with Down's Syndrome and Autism. Ellie takes them out on various leisure activities of their choice. She is also a member of 'Act Act Act' and choreographs routines for this drama company.

Dancer Ellie thinks her time in FGS helped her seek out these various roles, as she says; "FGS has always taught me to follow my interests. I gained varied experiences such as performing in shows and dancing as part of the TAG dance team - sometimes in famous venues such as the Lowry."

Recalling her time at the school she describes as Inspirational, dedicated and accommodating, Ellie cites Mrs Ashurst and Mrs Summersgill as her favourite teachers but credits the whole school with the experiences that helped her develop as a person. "I was never pushed into any particular course of education: I was encouraged to get involved with many different subjects. Being able to come out with the qualifications I did from FGS makes me proud, because it just proves that you can succeed equally if not more than if you attend a Grammar School or pay for private education."

Ellie recalls a number of guests that were invited to the school and encouraged pupils to recognise their unique potential: "They impressed upon me that anything is possible if you believe in yourself - and FGS certainly believed in me. The careful nurture from staff, responsibility and experiences I was exposed to, alongside the knowledge I received during my time there, has moulded me into the person I am today."

This is what gave Ellie the confidence to found KidzCre8, a company which helps young people plan activities in dance, drama, music and visual arts, to be delivered in summer schools. Connecting with young adults through drama and dance is what Ellie finds truly rewarding. Having loved to dance since the age of 10, she knew her future lay in this field and would offer current pupils the advice to follow their hearts too, as she says: "Never lose sight of who you are and what you want out of life. No matter what others think around you, you should always do what you believe is right, because that is what will make you happy."