Charles Hambro
Charles Hambro, now a successful CEO of a company with 50 employees, reflects on his time at Bruern Abbey as a pivotal moment in his educational journey. Having attended the school from 2002 to 2005 (ages 10-13), Charles describes his experience as “a turning point” that fundamentally changed his approach to learning and self-development.
Finding the Right Environment
Before Bruern Abbey, I attended multiple schools in London, struggling to find the right fit for my severe dyslexia. While my first school, Wetherby, identified my dyslexia early on, they weren’t equipped to provide the support I needed. This led to a series of transitions between specialist schools in London.
I went to a myriad of schools in London, staying one year at each of these places. These specialist schools, while well-intentioned, often held me back by being overly accommodating of my dyslexia: “It was almost coddling, where it’s okay, you’re dyslexic, so you don’t need to do that… that really set me back in terms of where I should have been.”
The Bruern Difference
What made Bruern Abbey different was their approach to learning difficulties. Rather than treating dyslexia as something that limited potential, Bruern encouraged us to work through challenges.
One of the things immediately apparent at Bruern Abbey is that I wasn’t treated in the same way as at specialist schools in London. You were just made to get on with it a bit. The overarching attitude was: ‘Yes, everyone here is dyslexic or dyspraxic or had some ADD challenge, but you can do it—get on with it.’ That made a huge difference.
This philosophy changed my mindset from seeing my dyslexia as a limitation to viewing it as simply a different way of thinking. Bruern Abbey changed my mindset in those formative years from thinking that something had happened to me and it’s different to everyone else. It was: ‘You’re unique and you think in a different way, but get on with it. That’s a great thing.’
Building Confidence Through Challenge
One of my most transformative experiences at Bruern involved chapel service. As a new student, I had to read a Bible passage in front of the entire school—an experience that went terribly wrong when stage fright left me unable to speak.
It was traumatic. I got a total phobia of public speaking and it completely knocked my confidence.
In my final year, a teacher named Mr. Hayes insisted that I try again, telling me, “If you don’t do this, you’re going to have a problem for the rest of your life.” With practice and encouragement, I delivered an excellent reading, overcoming my fear.
Everyone was just so happy for me. Two weeks ago, I was in Austin doing a keynote for an hour in front of 250 people at South by Southwest. And I track all of that back to that moment.
After the reading, Mr. Hayes revealed that he’d had a similar experience as a child but never got the chance to overcome it. He had tears in his eyes… He’d used his own experience. It was like healing himself in a way.
Embracing Differences
Today, I view my dyslexia not as a disadvantage but as an integral part of who I am. When asked if I would remove my dyslexia if I could, I respond, “Absolutely not. Don’t take away my demons, because then the angels will go too.”
I believe that the challenges of dyslexia have given me valuable skills: If you’ve been given the gifts of dyslexia, certain things in academics come very difficult, which improves your resilience muscle. That’s a very hard muscle to build if you don’t have dyslexia because things come easy. Problem-solving and workarounds—you don’t really need to build that muscle when you’re not dyslexic.
The Impact of Great Teachers
I specifically remember the profound influence of Charles Banbury, who joined the school during my time there. He was the teacher you could go to if you had a problem, but not necessarily an academic problem, just a personal development problem.
The impact of this mentorship extended well beyond my time at Bruern: I remember I went to Oxford Brookes University and did real estate, and occasionally I would go to Bruern Abbey, and he would help me with my dissertation. The stuff that he’s done is just unbelievable.
A Lasting Legacy
Looking back, I credit Bruern Abbey with setting me on the right path and giving me the confidence to succeed despite challenges. The school’s weekly boarding format, small size (around 40 boys at the time), and personalized approach all contributed to creating an environment where I could thrive.
I remain connected to Bruern and am enthusiastic about giving back, including speaking to current students about my experiences. My journey from struggling in multiple schools to becoming a confident CEO exemplifies Bruern Abbey’s mission of transforming challenges into strengths.