Twelve Year 8 students from the College travelled to Norwich as part of the College’s ‘Brilliant Club’ programme. The students were given a number of tasks which, if completed, allowed them to ‘graduate’.

All twelve students graduated with half of the students graduating with first class honours for the work that they conducted on the day under the supervision of University of Cambridge PhD tutor, Emma Hildyard.

Tanya Batchford, a science teacher at Ely College, said: “It is really important to the College that we provide wider opportunities for our students and encourage them to have high aspirations. This programme, in conjunction with UEA, is brilliant as it allows us to inspire some of those students who had previously not considered university as a career option.

“It has been a pleasure watching them grow in confidence, particularly those who were hesitant but then graduated with a first class honours later that day. The confidence and skills that the students developed during the day will be invaluable as they continue their education.”

The scholars programme aims to give students a taste of what to expect from the top universities in the country. The students got to work in small groups with their PhD tutor, who guided them through the project which was beyond what is usually expected of their age range. The students successfully completed math problems usually set for Year 11 students.

The students were also able to experience day-to-day university life within the programme, visiting the university’s halls of residence and touring the campus.

To find out more about the opportunities available for students at Ely College, please visit www.elycollege.com