High-achieving pupils from state schools all over the North West will be spending the day learning about the University of Cambridge this Friday at an event based at Goodison Park, home of Everton Football Club.

A total of 350 year-11 pupils will be guests of Magdalene College, which works with schools in the North West and has teamed up with Everton FC to make an impact on gifted and talented youngsters from 50 schools, spanning an area that stretches from Blackpool to Conway.

The pupils and their teachers will be given an introduction to Cambridge, meet current undergraduates from Cambridge over lunch, and will have two university-style mini-lectures – one on the aerodynamics of a spinning football and the other on English.

As an extra bonus, pupils will get small group tours of Everton FC’s home ground and will have a chance to meet Everton coach, Andy Spence, as part of a day aiming to raise aspirations and highlight opportunities for achievement.

Up to 20 Cambridge undergraduates, some of them from state schools in the North West, will be travelling to Liverpool to meet the year-11 pupils. They include Melissa Conboy, who went to King David High School in Liverpool and is now in her second year studying history at Sidney Sussex College.

“It's great that so many pupils will be coming to find out more about Cambridge. No-one should feel too daunted to apply to Cambridge. Although academic life at Cambridge is challenging, the environment is friendly, supportive and lively,” said Melissa.

“I’ll be telling the pupils and teachers I meet at Goodison Park: don't believe the stereotypes, talk to people who are experiencing Cambridge for themselves. If your teachers say you are good enough to apply, go for it!”

Brendan Burchell, Admissions Tutor at Magdalene College, said: “More than half of Cambridge students are from state schools, but we don’t have as many from the North West as we should. By giving some of the brightest pupils from the region the chance to meet some of our students, we will show them that Cambridge students come from all kinds of backgrounds.”

The programme for pupils at Goodison Park will include a discussion on the pros and cons of studying at a local university or at Cambridge.

Studying at Cambridge can work out as less expensive than studying at many other universities. Students pay rents in term-time only and terms are short - and they incur no travel costs while they are here. On top of that they have access to the extensive Cambridge Bursary Scheme for financial support.

In a move to bring its admissions system in line with other universities, Cambridge has scrapped its separate application form and from now on applicants will apply to Cambridge online through UCAS. The deadline for applications remains as October 15.

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