‘We want to show our students that ambitious goals can be achieved’ – Head of Year 7 on school visit to Cambridge University

Students from Goresbrook School

Every pupil at a new secondary school based in a deprived part of London visited Cambridge University to find out more about life as a student.

Only around five per cent of school leavers in Barking and Dagenham go on to study at university, but Goresbrook School based in the borough is determined that its pupils will know how to ‘make their dreams a reality’.

Newnham College, the women’s college at the heart of Cambridge University, welcomed the entire Year 7 cohort from the school on Wednesday, February 1.

Pupils at the school, which opened in September 2016, were given guided tours by current Cambridge students, enjoyed group problem-solving activities, and found out more about applying to university before they explored the historic city.

James Morris, Head of Year, said: “Our vision is that every single one of our students should get the chance to go to a top university. We were delighted to bring them to Newnham College in Cambridge to show them the dream so they have something to aim for. We want to show them that ambitious goals can be achieved.”

Goresbrook School Secondary opened in September 2016 in a brand new state-of-the-art building and 120 pupils are enrolled at the school.

Tayha Alderman, 12, one of the students who visited Newnham, said: “I really want to go to university, there are a lot of different subjects to study and I think it is really cool here at Newnham in Cambridge.”

Eminent former students of Newnham College include broadcaster Clare Balding, actor Emma Thompson, Olympic gold medallist Anna Watkins and Rupa Huq the MP for Ealing Central and Acton.

The visit was just one of hundreds of outreach initiatives and events are run each year both in Cambridge and in schools and colleges across the UK to widen participation to higher education.