Today, in 2025, we celebrate something truly special: our largest graduating class to date - 23 remarkable young people. To put that in perspective, in 2017, our very first graduating Year 13 class had just two students. They’re now 27 years old, living and working in the real world.
Since then, 57 students have walked this stage as graduates. And today, 23 more join them, making this year’s group represent 25% of all graduates we’ve ever had. A quarter of our legacy is right here in front of us. That’s a powerful statement - not just about growth in size, but in strength and aspiration.
And what aspirations they’ve had.
This year’s graduates have received offers from some of the world’s most competitive universities, including:
But let me be clear: numbers only tell part of the story.
Because the real story is in the people you see sitting in front of you. These graduates have shown us again and again that they are not defined by rankings or destinations. They are defined by character.
They have direction, knowing where they’re headed - even if the path isn’t always straight.
They have drive, pushing through challenges, change, and yes, even a pandemic.
And they have determination, lifting each other up, supporting their community, and never backing down when it mattered most. Each of them is different. Each of them is valued. And each of them is leaving here not just with results - but with ambition, creativity, and passion.
So today, if you take only one piece of advice from this speech, let it be this:
The world is full of people ready to give you advice. But the voice that will guide you best is your own. So listen to it. Trust it. Follow it - whether it leads you to a studio in London, a lab in Seoul, a lecture hall in Berkeley, or somewhere no ranking ever measured.
Be yourself. Follow your own dream.
Not the dream your teacher had for you.
Not your boyfriend or girlfriend’s dream.
Not your parents’ dreams
And certainly not mine.
The world doesn’t need photocopies. It needs you.
So go out there. Make mistakes. Make art. Make changes to this world.
Be bold, be curious, but always be kind.
And remember: no matter where you go, no matter what you become - this place, this community, this school will always be part of you.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. You’ve done something amazing. Now, go and do something even better!
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