Brilliant students take lessons in university life
Thirty-six pupils from Ipswich and Ealing visited Jesus College to kickstart a six week university-style teaching programme organised by educational charity, The Brilliant Club.
The Brilliant Club recruits and trains PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to help students from non-selective state schools to develop the knowledge, skills and ambition they need to secure places at highly selective universities.
The year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students and their teachers were welcomed by Jesus College and The Brilliant Club before meeting their tutor, a PhD researcher, for the first time. Split into two groups, each student will experience their first university-style tutorial as well as an inspiring tour of Jesus College, whose members have included three Nobel Prize-winners. Both groups will also come together for an informal, confidence-building discussion about what university study is and why they might want to apply.
Leela Paul, a teacher from Northolt High School said: “Our students might not normally have come somewhere like Jesus College. This visit with the Brilliant Club is a fantastic opportunity for the students to see something different; it has already encouraged them to raise their aspirations. We want them to know it is possible for them to study somewhere like Cambridge.”
Daniel, a year 10 Copleston High School student continued: “The Brilliant Club is an exceptional opportunity that I have been picked for. I have already changed my previous views that only private school students can get into the main universities. I was excited to hear how many students at Cambridge studied at state schools!”
Dr Mary Henes, The Brilliant Club’s Regional Director for London, said: “Our Scholars Programmes start with a visit to a highly selective university, at which our pupils meet undergraduates, tour the campus, hear from representatives of the university, and enjoy their first tutorial with their PhD Tutor. These tutorials aim to get our pupils as close as possible to a university experience - studying with a researcher, in small groups, at a highly selective university - at the very start of the programme. After this, the PhD tutors will visit the school to deliver tutorials. We look forward to seeing pupils at another university in September to receive their certificates, and to congratulate them on their achievement in completing the programme and the challenging final assignment."
Ed Penn, Schools Liaison Officer at Jesus College, said: “We run events throughout the year to encourage the best students to apply from across the UK, regardless of school, financial, racial or religious background. Schools and prospective students are always welcome to visit. I enjoy showing them the sports and social spaces – university is about more than just studying.”
Cambridge University and its Colleges run hundreds of events each year to widen access to the University and to higher education in general.
