Students set to shine

Eight Year 12 students have been selected to take part in the Brilliant Club project this year. The project aims to widen access for outstanding students in non-selective state schools to the UK’s most selective universities. The eight students are Thomas Burgess-Mackay, Ashleigh Fraser, Hannah Hodgson, Liam McCarthy, Roan Cappleman, Nick Chapman, Usha Rai and Cristina Vaidos.

Our launch trip, to St Chad’s College, Durham University, included a tour of the college with a current undergraduate, a visit to the cathedral, a study skills session and the students’ first tutorial with their PhD tutor, Hannah Martin from Northumbria University. The project is entitled ‘Riot, rebellion and the racialisation of disorder: rethinking traditional historical narratives’. Hannah has since been to visit the Sixth Form to deliver further university-style tutorials.

While at St Chad’s College, the students met with ex-student Ben Rainbow who is in his 3^rd year there studying Computer Science. They were able to hear first-hand what it is like to study at Durham University. The meeting was made all the more special as Ben also completed a similar Brilliant Club project when he was at Richmond School and Sixth Form College.