Our year 9 and 10 learners were visited by Gwyneth Hamad, an Outreach Officer from Cambridge University, for a masterclass exploring the opportunities in higher education.    

The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university founded in 1209. Among the many accomplished alumni and affiliates, Cambridge University has 121 Nobel Prize Laureates, 47 Heads of State, 210 Olympic medallists. 

Our visitor led discussions with our learners about their future aspirations and the benefits of going to university. They discussed social benefits, such as meeting new people and gaining independence, as well as vocational benefits, such as networking opportunities and being better qualified for high level industries.

Gwyneth then talked about the variety different courses at universities- ranging from Anglo Saxon Norse and Celtic to Fashion Merchandise Managing- and the different career prospects they can offer. Learners were intrigued to find out about the specific subjects and interests that they can one day specialise in.  

Our visitor also explored the different teaching methods that universities offer such as field trips, lab sessions, lectures, seminars and independent study. She also spoke about ‘Supervisions’, a special teaching method offered at Cambridge University, which is a small working group that meet weekly to work closely with a university supervisor.  

This masterclass was interactive and engaging throughout, offering an informed perspective on higher education and inspiring curiosity among our learners. As our year 9 and 10 learners move closer to their GCSE’s, sessions such as these are vital in supporting learners to make more informed decisions about future subject and vocational choices. 

Thanks to Gwyneth for delivering such a valuable session!