University college outreach course rolled out to more schools

Lucy Cavendish students hope the course will encourage more state school pupils to apply to Oxbridge

A Cambridge University college has been rolling out a programme aimed at helping comprehensive school pupils apply for Oxbridge.

Sixth formers from Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School, Stevenage, are among those taking the online course set up by Lucy Cavendish College.

One student said it had highlighted how within reach Oxbridge could be.

The academic enrichment programme is run in 180 schools, college president Prof Dame Madeleine Atkins said.

The college set up the course because "we were founded to open the Cambridge door to young people of exceptional talent who would not otherwise have thought of Cambridge or the other harder to get into universities," she said.

It focussed on students living in difficult or deprived areas with little history of pupils going on to Oxbridge or Russell Group universities, she added.

The aim was to make sure students got the grades of which they were capable and also knew how to make a competitive college application.

Annabel, 16, said the "uni applications session" was "really useful".

Lilia, 17, said: "It's such a big jump to university, it helps us understand what it is like to get there and how to get there.

"I don't know anyone who went [to Oxbridge], it just seems quite a big thing to get into, but I'm confident I'll get into a Russell Group university."

Lucy Cavendish is the first Cambridge University college to admit more than 90% comprehensive educated first years.

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The enrichment course also works with teachers to help them improve the academic performance of their sixth formers.

Lucy Cavendish was founded in 1965, initially as a graduate college for mature women. It now takes undergraduates and all ages and genders

Isabella, 16, said schools like hers do not have the funding to have teachers to specialise in certain subjects.

"People get put off applying from comprehensive schools to aim for those high universities, because it just seems the private school kids are just going to get it... but I feel like that's not the case it is just lack of confidence."

Hayley Hilson, outreach officer for Lucy Cavendish College, said: "A lot of schools we work with especially following the pandemic, are struggling to be able to find the resources to support their very top achievers."

It was named after Lucy Caroline Cavendish, a pioneer of women's education

Across Cambridge University, about 72% of students come from state schools, compared to 68% at Oxford University.

Meanwhile, a third of Durham University Students were privately educated and other Russell Group universities such as Edinburgh, Exeter and Imperial all admitted more private school pupils than Oxbridge.

Ms Atkins said: "Our students have not got in through a back door, they have outstanding A'level grades and they are outstanding.

"Cambridge, Oxford and other harder to get into universities, these are the places for people from state schools who have the academic potential and ambition and determination to make a go for it - there is nothing in their way."