“Don't be limited by your background, or, where you think you belong, or what you think you can achieve. Aim high and don't let anyone tell you that you don't 'belong' in your chosen career or training.”

This is the advice of former Sacred Heart and Colne Primet student, Pip Matthews, who is now a Professor of Accounting at Durham University and also Deputy Executive Dean of Durham University Business School.

Pip’s best memories of Primet, where her Dad was a Deputy Head, were the passion and enthusiasm of some of her teachers including Mrs Blackburn for Biology, Mr Timberlake for German, Mrs Mann for French, Mr Boborowski for Chemistry, Mr Ashton for Physics and her Dad. Pip said: “I was quite an academic child and hopeless at sport and music and drama! Primet made me a self-reliant, self-starting, learner - and that made the transition to college easier. I also had some great friends!”

After completing her studies at Primet, Pip progressed to A levels at Nelson and Colne College before studying Law at Durham University. After graduating, Pip worked for PWC and then EY as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax adviser in Cambridge, before moving into professional exam training for Chartered Accountancy exams. Pip then moved from professional exam education into higher education and ended up back at Durham University.

Pip added: “I'm really proud of my career to date and what I have achieved, going from a comprehensive school to a top UK Russell Group University and also being a first generation university scholar (as neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to university).

“University is not the be all and end all for everyone - if your skills are academic, by all means go to university, but also explore other options if they would work better for you - there are great apprenticeships and vocational qualifications out there too.”