Nyagbafa

I'm Nyagbafa. I'm 17, and before Kingsley I was at Riverbank School in Lagos.

I wanted to study abroad for the opportunities, academically and through sport. There are things I've been able to do here that were never on the curriculum at home, and the standard of education is higher. What decided it was the football. The standard at Kingsley is well above what other schools offered, and I've played right across the country because of it. The investment goes beyond football too, into rugby, netball, even surfing, alongside a long list of other things to try.

Arriving

My first thought when I got here was that I'd have to step up, in my education and in my sport. The school looked good. What struck me more was the people, who were open-minded and genuinely welcoming.

I'd never boarded before. At home, boarding is usually seen as a punishment rather than something you'd choose, so coming here and finding out how much fun it is has been eye-opening. Almost all of my best memories from the past year come from the boarding house.

Weekends

Weekends usually mean trips. We've been to Croyde, Exeter and Bristol for the day, bowling in Barnstaple, and other boarders went to London and Bath. I went fishing for the first time and caught a shark, which I never expected. When we're in, a few of us cook lunch together, or get a game of football on the astro or basketball in the sports hall.

Boarding has made me far more independent. At home my parents would ask whether I'd done my assignment, what I needed for school, whether I'd cleaned my room. Here I'm the one cleaning my room, deciding when to study, when to go to the gym, when to walk into town. I manage my own money too. All of it has made me more responsible for myself and for the people around me.

Kingsley's location helps. We're on the coast but close to town, so there's real freedom. As long as you ask permission and say where you're going, you can get to Exeter, Bristol, anywhere. As a sixth former, knowing your weekend is your own is refreshing, and it's let me see a lot more of the UK.

The boarding house

The houseparents are kind and they look out for us. If they can see you're feeling down they'll ask, and they'll tell you their door is open. Having that closeness with an adult is a special thing. There was a spell when I was missing home and Mr Knowles would open the sports hall so I could shoot baskets on my own for half an hour. That cleared my head more than anything.

The other boarders helped as much as the staff did. It's like having a family away from your family. Friday nights especially, when there's no early start the next day, we'd all be in the common room playing FIFA and 2K, music on, laughing, heading into town.

Lessons

I'm doing Physics, Maths and Chemistry. The classes are small, and there are three of us in Chemistry. When a class is that size the teacher can see straight away who hasn't understood something, and they'll take the time to explain a concept two different ways so it lands for everyone.

The teachers are honest with you. One of mine told me plainly that at the pace I was going I wouldn't reach my target grade, and that brought home that the subject is mine to work at. They're quick, too. You can email about homework or something you're stuck on and get an answer within the hour, usually with a time to come and see them.

Sixth Form having its own study spaces makes a difference. The library can fill up or get noisy, so somewhere quiet sets the tone for actually working, and the café is there when you want a break.

Football

I play for FC Rise. It's a new programme, last year was its first, and we finished joint second in the league after a long unbeaten run. At home I only played seven-a-side, so eleven-a-side was a big step for stamina and fitness. It taught me that football is a group making an effort together rather than a few individuals.

The coaching approach is what I value most. Coach Frank, Mr Knowles and Coach Carl remind us that before we're footballers we're individuals, each good at something different, each with our own things to work on. I've helped at FC Rise events too, refereeing at a tournament and getting stuck in behind the scenes.

Being an international student here

Most of the boarding house is international, so there's an unspoken bond. I've got other Nigerians with me on the football pitch and plenty of others who aren't English either. You never have that worry about who you'll sit with at lunch, because there's a table of boarders wherever you look.

Nothing here is exclusive. Mr Pavis says it often: if you want to try something, do it, and if it doesn't go well, do it again. That's stayed with me, because there are things I didn't think I'd enjoy and then found weren't half as bad as I expected.

What I'd say to families back home

I'd tell a Nigerian family that it honestly isn't as scary as they think. It's a long way from Manchester or London, and it's safe and quiet with plenty to do. There's no chance of your child being alone or unseen or left out, because the school is inclusive, and a high-quality education alongside the sport and everything else is a real opportunity.

To anyone joining in September, go on as many boarding trips as you can in those first weeks, before the academic work builds towards December. You don't know what might come of it, or what you might find you enjoy. I've been thinking about going back ever since.

After Kingsley I'm thinking university, though I'm open to an apprenticeship first, and I'd like to travel a bit. I'd recommend Kingsley to anyone looking for a school in the countryside rather than a big city, where there's something to get into beyond your academics and beyond your sport.

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