What happened to the head girls from your school?

Forget first drinks and snogs, the pinnacle of anyone’s school life was winning the head girl badge.

Pinned onto dry-cleaned lapels, this tiny accessory lifted the bearer above their underachieving mates and made them playground royalty, able to lord it over lesser years.

But where are they now? Did they live up to their unreasonably high expectations or did they tank out?

We spoke to the old head girls a few years on to find out where they ended up.

Grace Thompson, 20

Ipswich High School for girls

Grace is now a Politics second year at York — but just three years ago, she was head girl with important responsibilities and a glitzy badge.

“I did all the open days and get people to turn up on Saturdays for open days. I made speeches in front of parents and gave them tours of the school, telling them how lovely it was.

“I also had to stand up in front of the school and do assemblies, being the face of the school. I really loved it because I was a bit of a nerd.

“We had a little red shield badge and wore those every day. When it was a big day, like prize giving, we wore these fancy silver badges studded with rubies.

“To get the job, there was a massive application process, involving nominations, formal letters, recommendations and interviews before a speech in front of the whole school and then a vote.

“When the offered me the job it felt really good. It’s been useful as well, it’s still on my CV and when I’m drunk on nights out, it’s a chat up line.”

“When you say to adults in interviews that you were head girl, they love it. But when you tell people at uni you were head girl at an all girls’ school, they look at you and say, ‘well, you must have been head bitch’.

“If I could look back at my head girl self, I’d tell myself to not take everything so seriously.”

Abby Meadows, 20

St Mary’s RC High School

Second year Abby does Hispanic Studies at Liverpool and used to be head girl of her Catholic school.

“I was the head girl in Year 11, and went for it again in Year 13

“There was a head girl and head boy and we were in charge of a team of four boys and four girls.

“Because it was a Catholic school I did a lot of church related things, like giving speeches and sermons, reading out the Bible, and getting first communion.”

“Everyone else had clip-on ties at my school but the heads got to wear gold ones, along with a badge.

“There was a lot of competition for the position: ten girls went for it and we all had proper Apprentice-style.

“It’s on my CV still and an example of leadership which I use in interviews. It was something that stuck in my mind since I arrived at the school, something I realised I wanted to do since Year 7.

“It put me in good stead for work ethic, exams and uni.”

Rhiannon Compton, 20

Bishops Stopford

Second year historian Rhiannon, at Nottingham, was one of the bosses of her Kettering school back in the day. This is her story.

“I had the badge and everything. We had two head girls and two head boys to run assemblies and schmooze the mayor when he came in.

“We had a student leadership team and we helped organise the prom and socials. We also took one speech each and did one big assembly.

“I didn’t expect to get it – I thought it was a popularity contest. It was really intense, like the Apprentice and 20 girls went for it.”

“I went to a C of E school, I’m a good church girl.

“It was a massive confidence boost – I was always coming second so it was nice to win something.”

Sofie Cacoyannis, 21

The Mount School

Third year Sofie does History and Politics at UEA and was the head girl at a school which no longer exists.

“In 6th form I moved to a big mixed state school and I was picked as one of the head students. You had to be a prefect in Year 12 to get it.

“We had to stand at the bottom of the stairs at break time to make sure everyone behaved do assemblies and award ceremonies.

“That was quite cool and we also got to play a part in the Remembrance Services.”

“You knew the teachers a bit better, you have a team working underneath you
I used it on my personal statement and job applications

“And then at prize giving we were given Amazon vouchers worth £20.

“I don’t think I’ve changed that much since then. At uni I still go for committee positions, so I’m a school-staff rep and an events assistant.

“It’s in my nature to be a bit of a busy body and get involved in stuff, there’s always those people lurking about.

“I kept the head girl badge and wore it on my Freshers’ Week. I can’t let go.”