Trulittle Academic Hero (7-11)
Seven was always a well-behaved and polite boy with a caring personality right from the start. Unfortunately, his mum and dad split up when he was just 4, after the birth of his little sister, which hurt him inside and he struggled to come to terms with over the years that followed. Nevertheless he continued on through school and home life, developing this love of numbers. He was soon top of the class and stayed there throughout primary school.
During his mother’s abusive relationship, the family were forced into moving from place to place, including a temporary place where he and his sister had to sleep on a broken bed and there were mice everywhere at night. His mother’s abusive partner would not let any friends come to the house for play dates. Despite moving schools and area, still he continued to work hard at school. Every morning he would walk past Dulwich College School for boys with its vast sporting grounds and grand exterior and dreamt of attending. Unfortunately, it was a very expensive private school and so he knew his only chance would be with a lot of hard work and a scholarship.
The day after his little brother was born, Seven’s mother escaped the abusive relationship. After moving home, a couple more times, Seven settled into a new school and home and his academic passions continued to excel. He started lessons on the trumpet and began cookery clubs as well as competing in cross-country events. As secondary school drew closer Seven wanted to sit the exams for Dulwich College, but he knew his mother couldn’t afford any tutoring. The family pulled together to buy him a handful of sessions and Seven would sit at home doing additional practice papers most days. His dedication and determination were clear and paid off as he passed the entrance exams, interview and was awarded a 100% bursary! The dream was coming true!

Trulittle Academic Hero (12-17)
is a Year 7 pupil of The Royal Hospital School (RHS), Ipswich who is academically driven, passionate and committed to sports. studies in and outside of school. He was found ‘selective’ for the three 11+ Borough examinations he took namely Kent, Bexley and Essex counties, doing exceptionally well in the Kent exam earning over 91%. He also did exceptionally well in his two independent school exams - The Royal Hospital School and Christ Hospital School and was granted bursary and academic awards. His SATS exam were also exceptional he scored full marks in his Spelling Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG) and workedv at greater depth in all subjects.
He has been in the ‘Gifted and Talented’ group since Key Stage 1, and has already bagged several merits in the first three weeks of Year 7 at RHS.
David’s interest in the martial art, Ju-Jitsu has seen him take up membership of the British Ju-Jitsu Association and of Stanford Warriors Club in 2013. He has won many gold and silver medals at the UK Junior Ju-Jitsu Championships and Stanford Warriors Competitions since 2015. He recently passed his Assistant Junior Coach course of the BJJAGB and is now certified to help his Senseis’ with training of the younger classes and his peers. He is currently on his eleventh belt (orange and green), and also a member of the Academy. His key techniques are kata, continuous fighting, random attack, sparring, sumo and ground fighting.
In RHS, David is a ‘right wing’ in the U12 rugby team and is a good defence in their recent matches. He has recently taken up kick-boxing. David was part of the athletic group that put his primary school in second and third place at the Thurrock Borough games in 2016 and Cross Country event 2017
He is also an ardent swimmer and a member of the Thurrock Swimming Club (TSC), and was invited to join Academy 1, which he has completed. He was moved to Stage 7 in TSC in August 2019. He is currently in the RHS free swimming club; and has recently been introduced to initial scuba diving techniques. His key strokes are front crawl, backstroke, butterfly stroke and scaling.
David played Hockey (as Defenseman) in Orsett Church of England Primary Quick sticks Hockey club and they moved from 4th place in 2017, to 2nd place in their division in June 2018. In Netball (as Wing attack) in Orsett Church of England Primary Netball club, they participated in High 5 Netball rally and were 2nd in their category. He also was Wicket keeper in Orsett Church of England Primary Cricket club. Other school teams he belonged to were Running Club and Athletics Club (Track and Field) and his specialities were: 100m, 200m and Cross country; Photography, Art, Gymnastics and ICT.
In April 2017, he received a Certificate of Achievement from PGL Windmill, East Sussex for 5 day Easter camp for his ability to plan, practise and complete tasks as an individual and as a team. Activities included Jacob’s ladder, rock climbing, bungee jumping, tunnelling, zip wire, obstacle course, bouldering, abseiling, parachute, archery, climbing, rafting, commando camp and open canoeing.
In May 2018, his year 5 class went to Lincolnsfields Children Centre for 4 days were they learnt about World War II, and recreated life in similar conditions, living in bunkers with make-believe explosions around, eating rabbit stew, etc. In September 2018 along with 5 other classmates, they achieved a full day of activity at Stubbers Activity Centre, Upminster. Activities included: archery, climbing, commando camp, open canoeing, tightrope balancing, etc. In May 2019, his year 6 class went to Danbury Outdoor Centre for their weeklong residential. David came back with a lot of accolades from teachers and classmates, from both retreats.
David along with 3 of his classmates formed a boy band MDDM in February 2019 and they were the winners of ‘Orsett’s Got Talent 2019’ singing ‘Stormzy- ‘Blinded by your grace’ and Alexandra Burke – ‘Hallelujah’; they have performed at two other events and received standing ovation. David also was ‘Jacob’ in their Year 6’s amazing musical production of ‘Joseph and his technicolour coat’ in July 2019; he sang beautifully. He is currently a member of the RHS Chapel choir and sings alto; they should be performing in St Pauls Cathedral, London in a couple of months.
He plays the piano and the electric guitar and enjoys music, he is a student of the Royal Hospital Music school, and was a member of Thurrock Music Services and Rocksteady Music school.
David has served and continues to serve in his school. He was a librarian in the 2017 academic year, and currently serves as one of the two Junior Road Safety Officers representing his school in Thurrock Junior Road Safety Council in 2018. He was also a Play leader to oversee a group of students at lunchtime in school in 2017.
David is an avid reader and has gained certificates in reading challenges such as Summer Reading Challenge in the past nine years. His flair for arts and design makes him enjoy drawing, illustrating, design technology and coding. In Year 4, his canvas painting ‘the sunbeam leopard’ had pride of place in the school’s Art Exhibition, and raised money for Cancer Research UK. He has also done Readathon to raise money for children’s books in developing countries, and contributed to writing ‘Orsett tales’ which was sent to East Africa as a resource for primary students.
In 2015, his poem ‘On Holiday’ received the Gold award and was published in the ‘Out of this world’ by the Young Writers, Essex and Kent. He continues to write articles periodically for his churches’ magazine ‘The Herald.’
He was the winner of the school prayer competition 2018/19 and this is still being used at all the school assemblies and services in the Diocese.
