Teachers find Cambridge “accessible and welcoming”

“Some 85 per cent of our sixth-formers go on to university and we want to encourage even more of them to apply to Russell Group universities including Cambridge,” said Ms Shaw, Deputy Head of Sixth Form at Wath Comprehensive School in Rotherham.

“Some of our potentially high-achieving students may not have quite enough confidence in their abilities. They tend to think that other students – such as those from private schools or more affluent backgrounds– will have a better chance of getting in to a place like Cambridge.

“I can now reassure our students that this simply isn’t true and that the Cambridge admissions process sets out to be fair, with the Colleges’ pool system being just one example. I will also be able to tell them that Cambridge students come from a whole range of backgrounds – and 55 per cent come from state schools.”

Run by six School Liaison Officers who together work for 11 Cambridge Colleges, and focused on those Colleges’ link areas, the Target Teachers event attracted 25 participants from all over the country. They ranged from senior teachers through to careers advisers working for Connexions and coordinators of regional Aimhigher programmes.

The two-day programme covered all aspects of the admissions process, including how to advise students on writing personal statements and how to prepare for interviews, as well as recent changes such as the abolition of the separate Cambridge Application Form (CAF).

Participants had dinner at Emmanuel College, met a number of Admissions Tutors, and were taken on tours of some of the Colleges and other University sites including the Zoology Department and the Law Faculty.

Sue Raftery (pictured left), Careers Adviser at Connexions in Surrey, came to the conference with Caroline Ellis (right), Head of Careers and Work-related Learning at Hinchley Wood School in Esher.

“This was the first experience of Cambridge University for both of us and we found the whole atmosphere lovely – so welcoming and accessible. It’s made us feel much more confident about encouraging our pupils to come and look around and attend open days. This should lead more of them to think about applying,” said Ms Raftery.

“Having attended the conference, we will be able to give our students up-to-date information about Cambridge’s generous bursary system, the wonderful resources, such as libraries, and the individual support that’s available to them.”

The information sessions were hosted by King’s College. Catherine Dougherty, Schools’ Liaison Officer for King’s said, “We were delighted to welcome such a wide range of teachers and advisers from across the country. The feedback we received suggests that the small group nature of the event is a good way of introducing staff to the University for the first time as well as keeping those who are more familiar up-to-date.”

A comment that summed up the feedback received read: “A wonderful welcome and very illuminating – everyone helpful and I learnt a lot which will help me and all University applicants at school. Thank you.”

The Target Teachers conference now runs twice a year and is organised by Catherine Dougherty (King’s College), Selina Hawkins (Christ’s, Jesus and Homerton Colleges), Rachael Morris (Clare College), Jessica Royles (Downing College), Hanna Weibye (Pembroke and St Catharine’s Colleges) and Subo Wijeyeratne (Emmanuel and Fitzwilliam Colleges and New Hall).