22 Aug 08

Sixth form students from the east end of London have experienced a week in the life of an Oxford undergraduate this summer – living in college, doing research in the libraries and writing essays for a tutorial.

Twelve students from Brooke House and Newham sixth form colleges spent a week at Pembroke College at the start of August. Fellows of the college ran workshops and the sixth formers were mentored by current Pembroke undergraduates as they worked throughout the week to complete their essays.

Sixth former Sarah-Jane Melvin felt they were made to study hard during their stay and said: ‘My week at Oxford was amazing; it completely changed my views of Oxford and its students. We had to work really hard but spending a week away with friends more than made up for it. We met some great people and produced some great work. I will always remember my time at Pembroke.’

The students worked on essays on a wide range of topics, including the use of iconography by Tudor monarchs, Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw and witchcraft in early modern communities. At the end of the week, after the final tutorials, two students were named as Scholar and Exhibitioner and presented with prizes at a ceremony at the college.

Yvonne Mwiza from Brooke House received her certificate and Pembroke hoodie from Dr Linda Flores, a Japanese tutor at the college, in recognition of being named Scholar and Shakeela Khanom from Newham Sixth Form College said: ‘It was the first time we could actually feel like proper students. The pressure felt like how we imagined it!’ after being given the title of Exhibitioner following her week’s work.

Mehwish Shabbir said she gained valuable information and skills from her visit: ‘I got an insight into what university life is going to be like… writing the essay given by the tutors was useful and we got a taste of how students are given work. The feedback from the tutors was beneficial as I got advice on how to improve my essay and how to construct an essay. It is an experience that will never be forgotten.’

Junior Common Room (JCR) Access Officer at Pembroke, Nikki Zywina, thought the week was successful: ‘It was very rewarding to see the work produced by each student after five challenging days, as well as to be told by a few students that they are now considering an Oxford application but were not at the start of the week.’

The residential course was organised by Dr Peter Claus, a history lecturer at Pembroke, and Rebecca Wilson, who is responsible for Admissions and Access at the college. The summer school is one of a number of initiatives planned by Pembroke and Brooke House Sixth Form College. They hope to encourage students to apply to Oxford and other research intensive universities, and aim to help prepare young people for success at A-level and undergraduate study.

Initial projects will also work towards widening students’ and parents’ understanding of the opportunities offered by studying humanities and other non-vocational subjects at university. Dr Claus said: ‘This intervention will help students (and their parents) first to consider, then to apply, and eventually, perhaps, to access the very best educational opportunities, while considering subject options that are mistakenly believed to have little use in finding paid work after taking a degree.’ It is hoped that the scheme will be opened up to other disciplines in the future.

Three teachers from the sixth form colleges accompanied the students to Oxford and both Pembroke and Brooke House aim to encourage staff development through their links, using Pembroke’s strengths in Economics and Management.

When I first got the call that I had been selected to take part in this residential I was really flattered. I was told I was considered someone who will benefit from the experience and guess what?’, said sixth former Richardson Davies. ‘I gained from almost every second of it. The undergraduates and postgraduates were super helpful, inspiring and down to earth.'