We heard from Lizzie Picton (née Williams), who started working at the school in September 2021, twenty years after leaving the school as a student.

When I started at Hymers in 1991, my two brothers were here.  That was all I was bothered about on that first day! It was the first time I had been at school with the both of them.  I never knew the amazing time I had ahead of me was coming.

I met one of my current best friends on that first day.  We were sharing our excitement and bonding over our older siblings being there. I have many fantastic memories of my time as a pupil here; being allowed to collect a game from the headmaster Mr Bingham's office in the Junior School if you had been good, the plays and music concerts, Disneyland for the centenary year, skiing in the French Alps but more importantly I remember the incredible support from academic staff in guiding me and understanding me. Then, there is the incredible friendship group I had, and still have to this date.  This is a lasting and ongoing product of my time at Hymers College which I will forever be grateful for. 

After completing my A-levels here I went on to Leeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett) where I began Nurse training.  I recall Mr Gravelle telling me I was the first pupil he had taught who went on to do Nursing.  I felt very proud of this. Having originally planned to do Adult Nursing, I quickly found that Mental Health Nursing was my forte.  I was allowed to talk as much as I wanted to people! This takes me back to multiple teachers telling me I talked too much, a comment which was a regular feature in my days here as a pupil!

Coming full circle from pupil to staff is an incredible honour.  It took a while to get used to calling some of the staff who taught me by their actual name, and not Sir!  It is a privilege to work as the school's welfare nurse, alongside Emma James and the Pastoral Team.  In a very real way, I feel "at home" here and I look forward to many more years ahead.