Tabitha studied A-levels in History, English Language and Literature, Business Studies and Media Studies at CWA.
Tabitha chose college over sixth form as she wanted a break away from the constraints of a school environment. Tabitha enjoys studying, but wanted trust that she could maintain a work/life balance. CWA gave her that sense of mutual trust and respect. CWA was her first choice of education since meeting the tutors at an Open Event. She was enthused by the passion and excitement of the business and history tutors.
Business incorporated an element of mathematics, whereas Media gave Tabitha the opportunity to exercise her creativity. A theme which ran throughout all subjects was problem solving, which she loved and is one of the reasons why she wanted to pursue historical research as part of her degree. In addition to this, three out of her four subjects were coursework based (English/Media/History). Tabitha loved having her own research projects. She has always been obsessed with 1980s history and her history tutors supported Tabitha in adapting her study of the Thatcher years to an independent study project on the Ronald Reagan administration.
Tabitha said, “I didn’t enjoy high school much and CWA was a breath of fresh air in terms of independence and community it gave me. Both tutors and my fellow students all seemed to be accepting of my diverse interests and wish to prolong my journey in education, this wasn’t nearly as ‘cool’ at school. I wanted to study an extra A-level and CWA never said no to this. It was more of a case of figuring out coping strategies and organising my time to make it work, CWA was incredibly supportive.
I certainly grew up a lot during my time at CWA. Encountering such a diverse mix of people and personalities bestowed me with invaluable people skills, which I exercise everyday through my various people-facing roles. CWA also aided my independence, and drive to seek my own opportunities. One of my fantastic English tutors alerted me to an opportunity volunteering at a local Shakespeare festival in 2019. I had an incredible time, and she was kind enough to accompany me to an academic roundtable discussion, which gave me the confidence to ask questions and be an independent thinker. Similarly, one of my fantastic History tutors introduced me to True's Yard - the rest, you could say, is history! All these little nudges encouraged me to go out into the world to find my own feet and experience new things. This meant that when I got to university, I was more receptive to opportunities, such as trying new sports and joining the university paper, Nouse, as a journalist.”
After finishing at CWA, Tabitha was accepted by her first-choice university, the University of York to study History and English Literature.
Tabitha is currently the Deputy Manager at True's Yard Fisherfolk Museum in King's Lynn. This includes overseeing the development of the Pat Midgley Research Centre, as well as marketing and outreach for the museum. She works closely with our Schools Liaison Officer to develop educational opportunities and hosts school visits and activity days at the museum. One of the biggest aspirations for her role at True's Yard is to improve links and opportunities for local young adults who are looking to join the heritage industry. Tabitha’s role at True's Yard is part time, and she is also working as a part time support tutor with the College of West Anglia.