Schools Liaison Officer Diary: Selwyn in Scotland

Laura Carter is Schools Liaison Officer for Selwyn College. As part of Cambridge University’s Area Links scheme, each college is responsible for developing good relationships with local schools in particular areas. One of Selwyn College’s link areas is Scotland. This is Laura’s diary of a recent schools tour.

"Over the last two weeks I have travelled over 1400 miles throughout Scotland, meeting with 600 pupils and 26 teachers from 18 different schools. The goal of the trip was to engage with students who might not otherwise have any with Cambridge University, and to raise their aspirations towards aiming as high as they possibly can.

Some of the students I met were quite young, in years S3-S4 (ages14-16). I talked with them about the idea of university, the benefits of being a graduate of a top institution like Cambridge, and how to make informed subject choices in the coming years. With the older S5 groups (aged 16-17), I focused more on how Oxford and Cambridge work differently to other universities, the application and process, and how to submit a competitive application.

On the first morning in Glasgow at Shawlands Academy , I think I was the least exciting visitor since Channel 4 were also in school to the students about their thoughts on Scottish independence. With this debate dominating the news during my visit, I can gladly say that I was warmly welcomed north of the border and my message was very positively received in all of the schools I visited! Another highlight of my time in Glasgow was a visit to Springburn Academy. This school has an average progression rate to Higher Education of less than 25%. The school is exploring ways in which they can raise this figure, in particular through starting to encourage the more able students at an early age. I spoke to the top achieving pupils in S4, who were all bright and interested in what I had to say.

My next visit was to Earlston High School , just off the A68 in the Scottish Borders and well on the way to Northumbria. 51% of their school leavers typically progress to Higher Education, and many cross the border due to their closer proximity to universities in the north of England. At Earlston I met with 18 S4 and S5 pupils who had the potential to achieve 5 A’s in their upcoming Higher exams. This is a typical level of achievement for candidates who apply to Cambridge with Scottish qualifications. We talked about the teaching system at Cambridge, notably how supervisions are beneficial and are different to what you might experience at other institutions. Another student asked if your college choice affects how and what you are taught within your course, which allowed me to explain the college system further and the moderation element of the Winter Pool within the Cambridge admissions process.

At Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline I think the students were both surprised and pleased when I explained to them that mock s had been filmed and were available for them to watch on the admissions section of the Cambridge University website, and on the CUSU Alternative Prospectus Website. The Depute Rector at Queen Anne explained to me that this was the first time they had chosen to introduce university guidance this early for some of the pupils,  but that they would ’definitely do so again in future years’.

I was pleased to receive an invitation from Crieff High School. Schools in more rural areas can’t always get to Open Days or other university events so I enjoy bringing Cambridge to them. I spoke to S3 and S4 pupils, giving them a general introduction to university. They asked loads of great questions, mostly about what university is like and the sorts of things to consider when choosing a university. Some of the fourth years also had specific questions about Cambridge itself. The teacher present, Calum MacFarlane, said ’I was glad that the pupils were made to feel at ease and questions were encouraged’.

One of the last stops on my tour was to Banchory Academy, about 30 minutes north west of Aberdeen. I spoke to a mixture of S4 and S5 pupils, the group listened patiently to my presentation but then came up with a brilliant array of questions. They asked about everything from choosing a college, to how teaching is organised in Cambridge between the colleges and faculties.

Students stayed behind at the end to ask me specific questions about how many people are taken on the Medicine course each year, and whether it is possible to specialise in Scottish Law with a Law degree from Cambridge. I talked through the student finance system and how loans are taken out and paid back through the Student Awards Agency Scotland, as well as the extra support available to lower income families in the form of the Cambridge Bursary. I was delighted to find that those students with realistic grades and the potential to apply, did not seem deterred by the rise in tuition fees, the distance from home and the financial considerations that come with this. They really seemed to understand that university would be an investment in their future, and a manageable and worthwhile one at that.

Reflecting on the trip since I got back to Cambridge, I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with Scottish schools, having met so many engaged students who made the most of the chance to talk to someone in person about their choices in the future. I am really looking forward to my next event in Scotland, which will be a series of more formally structured half day ’Cambridge Information Seminars’ for students and teachers, held in Glasgow and Edinburgh in March. These seminars are being run jointly by Pembroke and Selwyn Colleges. With the Colleges’ Admissions Tutors present, students and teachers will be given the opportunity to ask more in depth questions about how applications are assessed, and how best to prepare candidates for applying.