A SELECT group of 12 students from Haygrove School have participated in a project called the Scholars Programme run by the Brilliant Club, a charity set up to increase the number of students from different backgrounds progressing to highly-selective universities. 

The Scholars Programme was delivered by a PhD tutor from a local university and the students studied a ‘super-curricular’ topic related to the PhD tutor’s area of expertise, which this year was contemporary poetry. 

Each student had to complete a university-style essay of 2,000 words which was quite a challenge as they had not had to write such a long piece of work before.

However, the students all felt a huge sense of achievement when their essays were complete.

Before the lockdown, the students enjoyed visits to the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter to experience what the environment was like. 

During these visits the students toured the campus and met with current undergraduate students plus, the chance to experience a graduation ceremony of their own where four of the Haygrove students were awarded a First. 

“Taking part in this programme has really boosted students’ confidence and resilience," said assistant headteacher Louise Gregg.

"The work they have had to do has encouraged them to work to the best of their ability, enabled them to learn new things and given them an insight into different universities and what options they will have in the future.”