Oliver Duthie ‘21 Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement

Personal Statements

 The proudest moment of my life so far was addressing the entire school after being elected Deputy Head Boy for the 2020/2021 academic year. Being involved in important decision-making discussions, acting as a role model for the younger years and representing the school in assemblies, Open Days and other public events has been an honour I have thoroughly enjoyed. As part of the application process, I was asked what qualities are important to me and I still maintain that empathy, compassion and integrity are qualities that I believe shape my character. The role of Deputy Head boy has been particularly challenging during the global pandemic, which has seen school closures, cancelled exams and low morale, but I am very proud of the way I have remained positive and resilient. The demanding nature of the role has meant that I have had to hone my organizational and time management skills in order to successfully balance the demands of a rigorous academic and extracurricular schedule. This focused approach helped me achieve impressive GCSE results as well as strong predicted grades for my final year. I would like to think that my peers would describe me as a kind and empathetic individual who is passionate about everything I do. I am confident in my sporting capabilities, most notably as Captain of my Dubai Little League baseball team, and I consider myself to be a well-rounded individual. Finally, I pride myself on the positive relationships I have with my family, teachers and friends.

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As a Canadian growing up in the multicultural, fast-paced city of Dubai, with one parent from Canada, the other from England and the majority of my extended family living in Australia, I feel my background has given me an internationally diverse outlook on life. Dubai’s inclusive attitude towards religion, race and culture is inspiring and has made me want to move back to Canada to share my global experiences with other young people. I believe that respect for others, regardless of ethnic, economic or cultural differences is one of the most important qualities we can promote. It is essential to appreciate, tolerate and celebrate each other’s differences in order to achieve a peaceful and progressive society. My own global travels, including trips to Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, have made me recognise that not all cities share the Dubai vision of harmonious living. I am committed to learning more about how societies coexist in an increasingly globalised world and my study of Geography at A-level and a desire to take courses in Globalization and Geopolitics at university will help me achieve this.

• Baseball is my passion! I represented the United Arab Emirates as Team Captain at the Little League World Series qualifiers in Korea. I also competed in numerous international tournaments. Baseball has given me valuable skills such as cooperation and humility.


• I enjoy helping people and have found volunteering as a coach for the Dubai Challengers, a group of young disabled baseball players in Dubai, incredibly rewarding. Through my weekly sessions I teach them basic baseball skills and assist them with their coordination and mobility.


• As a keen golfer and committed member of the school soccer and basketball teams for the past eleven years, I value the skills I have acquired such as cooperation, teamwork, honesty and sportsmanship. These qualities guide me in my everyday life both on and off the playing field.


• Guitar is a skill that requires a great deal of patience, perseverance and concentration. Having played the guitar for over eleven years, and part of a guitar ensemble for six, I have acquired a deep appreciation for music and performance which has helped me in my A level drama.


• As elected Captain of my school house, Chichester, I was responsible for organising and partaking in a range of events from sports, music and quizzes to debating and public speaking. I pride myself on my ability to work as a team and bring out the best in others.

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One of my school’s mottos is ‘Work Hard Play Hard’ and I believe I embody these sentiments fully. While I enjoy all of my A level subjects, my true passion is sport which is integral to my wellbeing. Although I thoroughly enjoy individual sports such as golf and tennis, which test my personal resolve and skill level, I love being part of a team, sharing the successes and failures of competitive sport with my teammates.

I have been playing baseball for as long as I can remember and I hope that one day I will be able to turn my academic qualifications into a career in the field of professional sport. Like mastering any skill, playing sport at a high level requires focus, commitment and determination. Through the inevitable frustrations that come with any competitive sport, I have learnt to be more resilient and treat losses as an opportunity to reflect on what went wrong to avoid making the same mistakes again.

Being Captain of my baseball team is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I believe in leading by example and am always the first person on the field and the last one to leave practice. Team success comes from a shared sense of purpose and a good team works well together. I pride myself on my ability to motivate a team, encouraging them when necessary and celebrating individual strengths.

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to share my passion for baseball with a group of children with Special Needs. Each child has unique physical or mental challenges but their zest for life and determination is inspiring; I learn as much from them as they do from me. I initially volunteered my time as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award (D of E ) but found the experience so rewarding that I still continue to run weekly sessions years after completing my D of E. Discovering innovative ways to teach baseball skills has been fun but I have found that the key to effective practices is clear communication.

 I was diagnosed with dysgraphia aged 8, but I have never let it hold me back. I believe this is why I am the determined person I am today. I overcome all obstacles with a driving force that helps my teammates no matter what sport is it. Dysgraphia can be frustrating at times but it has also taught me to persevere with what is important and recognise how I learn best. I am extremely proud of the A I achieved in my English GCSE as well as the A* I earned in English Literature. The coursework element of both my Drama and Geography programmes has helped prepare me for university-structured dissertations. I also attend weekly Geography TopUp sessions which allow me to explore Geographical concerns beyond the limitations of the course