Alumni Spotlight
Radnor to the USA: James Hori on Scholarships, Sport and Sixth Form Success
Radnor House Sevenoaks alumnus James Hori joined the school in Year 7 (2018) and left in 2025 after completing his A Levels. Now studying an Economic degree in the United States and on a football scholarship, James reflects on the academic, pastoral and values-led support he received at Radnor - and the skills that helped him take confident steps into higher education overseas.
What initially attracted you to Radnor House?
James: “It was one of the first schools I visited… and because at my primary school I’d played sports fixtures against Radnor, I was already familiar with the facilities. The sports facilities were definitely one of the main reasons I joined — the indoor swimming pool, the gym, the football pitches. Sport was important to me.”
Which subjects did you find most engaging?
James: “When I selected my GCSE options, business and PE really stood out to me. Obviously what I’m studying now at university being a business degree, that’s what interested me.”
What co-curricular activities did you enjoy alongside your studies?
James: “A lot of sports… but I also did debating club in Year 7… and I did a reading club… so quite a wide range of different co-curriculars.”
How would you describe the culture and atmosphere at Radnor House?
James: “Very community-based and friendly. From the first day that I joined, it seemed like I already knew everyone… and that only grew… especially in Sixth Form when a lot of people leave and more people come in - you get to make new friends.”
How smooth is the transition into Sixth Form, especially for students joining in Year 12?
James: “From the friends that I’ve made that joined in Year 12… they said it was very smooth and found making new friends was really easy because no one wants you to be left out… Sixth Form wasn’t huge… so you got to know everyone quite quickly.”
What did you value most about being a Radnor student?
James: “The relationships with both friends and the teachers… coming back today and getting to meet all my teachers was great - and the references that they wrote really helped with my application to a US university.”
Was there anyone in particular who stood out to you?
James: “Mrs Pettit… she helped me with my oracy and that was one of the key talking points of my CV.”
How did Radnor balance academic expectations with sport and co-curricular commitments?
James: “They have good frameworks in place like SOCKS, where you can see exactly what fixtures are coming up… and they make it easy to communicate with your teachers and catch up on work that’s put on Teams.”
What is the relationship like between teachers and students - especially in Sixth Form?
James: “The school really values the relationships… When you go into Sixth Form the relationship changes and becomes more collaborative… You definitely feel more like teachers are working with you… alongside you.”
In what ways did Radnor help you grow personally?
James: “With my leadership, my confidence… opportunities to speak in front of public audiences… and in Sixth Form the leadership opportunities like Head Student, Head of House, the pupil voice frameworks… the school council definitely helps with your confidence.”
Did Radnor help you build confidence even in areas you didn’t feel comfortable with at first?
James: “They encourage you to do things that you might not be comfortable doing… When I entered Year 7, I didn’t think I was a very good public speaker… until Mrs Pettit helped me stand up and speak… and you realise it’s not as bad as you think.”
How did Radnor support your football development?
James: “The game sessions… once or twice a week… and the football club… There are qualified coaches such as Mr Nurse who was previously with Brighton Ladies… and structured fixtures are very helpful - you know you’re going to have a match every week and a chance to play as a team.”
For students hoping to balance academics with high-level sport, why is Radnor a strong choice?
James: “The facilities are definitely a good reason… the football pitch, the gym, the netball courts… the hockey pitch — a very, very good standard.”
When did you first start thinking about studying in the US?
James: “I heard someone mention it at one of the Radnor Sixth Form networking evenings… then I did some further research… if I wanted to continue playing sport after Sixth Form.”
What role did the school play in helping you explore opportunities beyond the UK?
James: “I spoke to Mr Green who had done something similar in Colorado… that was definitely helpful and answered a lot of my questions. But also… the confidence I had gained from leadership, and the communication skills, all developed at school … they really helped me with preparing for a big step like going to a foreign country.”
How did Radnor support your application process?
James: “I still went through the UCAS process as a backup… and Radnor teaching staff helped me through that… They also wrote me references… which were very important… Mr Green… gave me honest feedback… and some really good advice.”
Did your Radnor experience help you stand out to US universities and coaches?
James: “I spoke about my role as Assistant Head Student and why leadership roles are very important… coaches in America are looking for people that are going to step up and take initiative.”
How important was Radnor’s encouragement when pursuing a football scholarship?
James: “The school were really on board… there were days I couldn’t come in because I had meetings with coaches… they were supportive and helped me catch up with my academic studies. They also wrote really nice references that I used for coaches in America.”
Were there specific academic skills that helped with US entry requirements?
James: “I had to sit an SAT… and the subjects I’d done at GCSE and A Level really helped me prepare… and allowed me to get a good score.”
How did Radnor prepare you for the academic demands of university life in the US?
James: “They prepared me very well… the first two years are general education… a lot of them are GCSE or A Level and then the education I had from Radnor has made this first semester academically seamless which has helped with the transition to another country.”
What differences have you noticed between studying in the UK and the US?
James: “The workload is a lot more on you in the US… professors aren’t going to pester you… either you do it or you don’t… The independence given to students in the Radnor Sixth Form prepared me by developing my independence to do the coursework on my own.”
Did Radnor help you with the confidence needed to move overseas?
James: “Definitely… I didn’t know anyone… the confidence to talk to new people and build new relationships is really important.”
How important is it to attend a school that supports individual goals and pathways?
James: “Very important… I didn’t feel like they were trying to pressure me into any one career… They were really open and were always there to have a helpful discussion… and supported whatever ambitions me or my friends had too.”
What advice would you give to current Year 12 students considering universities overseas?
- “Do your research - you don’t know what you don’t know… speak to someone who’s done something similar.”
- “Prepare early… you don’t want to leave it too late and be scrambling.”
- “Think what’s important to you… I wanted a smaller, community-based university… America’s a huge place - you’ll find something you’ll enjoy.”
How would you describe your overall experience of Radnor House and it's Sixth Form?
James: “I’ve made some friends that I’m going to be connected with for the rest of my life… and the support I was given in Sixth Form is one of the leading factors of why I’m studying in the US now.”
What are you most grateful to Radnor House for?
James: “Support in oracy and speaking… the life skills… gave me the confidence to speak to new people and make new connections abroad.”
Why is Radnor a good place for students with big ambitions?
James: “You’ll be supported in whatever you want to do… all of the teachers will be behind you doing their best to help you achieve what you want to achieve.”
What kind of student thrives at Radnor House?
James: “A student who is willing to put themselves out there… and give things a go… because if you don’t give it a go, you don’t know what opportunities might come through.”
