THE future looks bright for one North Yorkshire sixth former who is the first student to study a music technology A-level at her school.

Poppy Wood goes to Queen Margaret's School at Escrick and has now been accepted into the Leeds College of Music next year to study production.

Being accepted into a conservatoire to study in a very male dominated industry is no mean feat, said the school’s director of music, Dr Sam Horseman.

Dr Horseman said: “Competition for the places was very high but Poppy’s excellent portfolio ensured she was accepted and means she will have access to world class studios and musicians as she hones her craft throughout her degree.”

This should have been the time that sixth form students across the country began their study leave in preparation for their A-level examinations.

With Covid-19 causing the unprecedented cancellation of exams, many have found their future plans thrown into turmoil.

However, Dr Horseman said that pupils at the all-girl independent had already secured their offers for places at top universities before the coronavirus outbreak began and now look forward to the certainty of a bright future ahead in an otherwise uncertain landscape.

He said: "This proves that all-girls education has set them on the path to success, and now the QM girls have an exciting array of university courses ahead of them."

The school is well-known for its strengths in the arts so it is no surprise that three girls have offers for the Royal Drawing School, London while another is heading to Milan to study a Fashion Foundation course.

The QM girls’ future plans show that they are just as likely to pursue a career in the all-important STEM subjects, with many having already been accepted at prestigious Russell Group universities. Human Sciences at Oxford, Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Nottingham, Medicine at Bristol, Veterinary Science at Liverpool and Chemistry with Mathematics at UCL are all courses which are set to welcome QM girls in September – yet more shining examples of how QM pupils are paving the way for females in traditionally male dominated industries.

Claire Rhodes, deputy head (academic) said: “Our pupils’ attitude to learning is excellent and they are highly motivated to succeed.

"For so many girls to have secured such excellent places during this otherwise uncertain time is testament to this.

"At QM we aim to unleash creativity and innovation and the exciting subjects the girls will go onto study show that we’re doing just that.”