Derbyshire care leaver says hard work led to law student dream

Massa worked full-time at Taco Bell to support herself

A care leaver has said hard work led to her dream of becoming a law student.

Massa Horsepool, 19, from Shirebrook, Derbyshire, balanced her studies with living alone after becoming estranged from her parents.

Footage of the former pupil at Vision West Nottinghamshire College in Mansfield receiving her A-level results received almost 380,000 views when it was shared on Facebook.

She is now studying at The University of Law in Nottingham.

Ms Horsepool, who worked full-time at Taco Bell to support herself, attained an A in criminology and Cs in law and psychology.

Massa continues to work at the restaurant, alongside her studies

She said her path to success had not been easy.

She said: "It is hard but if you want something and you work hard enough, you can get it.

"I mean, look at me. I've not come from the best background but I kind of just got my cards and dealt them in the way that I wanted to."

Ms Horsepool went into foster care just before her 10th birthday and said she had spent three years with an "amazing foster family."

She said: "I think I was too young to fully understand what the situation was.

"But as soon I entered my foster home my foster parents welcomed me with with open arms.

"They were amazing."

Massa says her foster family were amazing

Six months into her degree, Ms Horsepool said she is enjoying her studies and continues to work in the restaurant to support herself.

"I've made some really good friends here," she said. "I've enjoyed it."

She said she was hoping to become a barrister and explore a career in corporate law.

"I've always been told I'm good at arguing so I thought I'd make a profession out of it," she said.

"I like how things have reason behind them essentially."

Helen Avis, campus dean at The University of Law, said: "Massa's story, I think, is amazing.

"I hope it inspires other young people out there, whether they're from a care experience, estranged, from a traveller community or from a family where nobody has gone to university.

"I hope it encourages them to see that actually higher education can still be for them."