THERE may be 54 further education colleges in London but Ysanne Harding chooses to commute to The Ridgeway School, in Wroughton.

The 17-year-old makes the 96-mile journey from her home in Wanstead, east London to the school every Sunday evening and then travels home on Fridays.

And Ysanne, who is studying maths, further maths, physics, politics and ethics and IT AS-levels, says once she got used to seeing green fields and cows she soon decided this was the place for her.

"I was at a private school for girls in Essex but they didn't have a sixth form," said Ysanne.

"It was really small, there were only 17 girls in my year group.

"When I decided to look around at colleges I didn't see anywhere that I really wanted to go and nowhere seemed to offer the A-levels in the right blocks so that I could study all of the subjects I wanted.

"My dad went to Ridgeway years ago and said it was a really good school, so he suggested we come down and have a look.

"When I looked around the school I really liked it. I thought moving away from London would be a good change and everything was changing at home anyway with my mum working full time, sister going off to uni and my younger brother starting school.

"My friends in London didn't think I would actually go through with the move, but they were wrong."

Ysanne's family have friends in Wroughton and they said she could stay with them during the week.

Before settling into school Ysanne had to get used to the two-hour journey she faced every week.

"It's not too bad, she said. "It takes me about two hours, about half the journey is on the tube just getting across to Paddington."

But there were also some shocks in store for the student when she got to school.

"There were some real changes for me when I started here," said Ysanne.

"I had only been to school with girls before but I found myself in an IT class with just 10 boys.

"It was weird to begin with but I soon got used to it and I think it's nice to have a mix of people in classes."

She added: "Ridgeway is a great school, the sciences are all really well equipped and the teachers like us to do lots of experiments and go out on trips.

"In London teachers didn't go out of their way to talk to students but here all of the teachers say hi as they walk along the corridors."

And it wasn't just the new school environment that Ysanne had to get used to.

"When I woke up on the first morning all I could see out of my bedroom window was a green field and cows, I couldn't believe it, it was so different to home.

"But I really like the way of life here. I know there probably are the same risks and dangers but it just feels safer and more relaxed."

Ysanne is hoping to study engineering at university but afterwards she says she does not think she'll return to London even though she says she would miss the shops.

"I don't want my children to grow up in a big city, now I've seen what it's like here. I think this sort of environment is much better for children," she said.

The Head of physics, Phil Bevan, is trilled Ysanne chose the school.

"We are delighted such an intelligent student chose the school, she is a great role model," he said.