I’ve got a degree from Oxford and barely wear any make-up

LUCY STUCHFIELD, 25, is a teacher and has a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University. She lives in Felsted, Essex, with her boyfriend, also a teacher. She says: I’m The polar opposite of the essex Girl stereotype despite being born and bred in the county. you’re more likely to find me playing or watching hockey or cricket than clothes shopping, I barely wear make-up and I’ve been told that I’m very well-spoken.

my father is a vicar, having retired from working on the stock market in the City ten years ago, my mother is a magistrate and I was educated at the same private boarding school where I now teach.

When TOWIe first aired nine years ago I was studying for my GCSes, and my friends and I were very aware of the stereotype it perpetuated of people from essex. But I was probably slightly sheltered from the stigma being at boarding school. At university there was a diverse mix of students from different socio- economic and cultural backgrounds. yet some still were surprised that I could come from essex and be so academic. It surprises me that the stereotypes still exist because they’re not just purely an essex phenomenon. I’m open-minded enough to understand that we all have things that are important to us and for some women, that might mean hair extensions and expensive handbags.

The flipside of the essex Girl debate for me is seeing pupils in school who maybe do fit the stereotype to look at, but who are really bright and aspirational. They balance their love of clothes and make-up with being intelligent and ambitious, and I hope we can support them fully in achieving their goals — and banishing this stereotype for good.