More sixth formers supported by STEM SMART - Cambridge ̽��ֱ��'s pioneering widening participation programme

sb726 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 07:22:39 +0000

17-month course offers state school sixth formers enhanced learning and encouragement from Cambridge academics and students.

Vice-Chancellor gives evidence to ̽��ֱ��Times Education Commission

Anonymous — Fri, 13 May 2022 08:22:44 +0000

Professor Toope’s evidence focused on the higher education sector’s role in raising attainment in schools and sixth-form colleges, widening participation, and exploring different approaches to university examinations and assessment.

His submission to the inquiry, particularly around widening participation, generated discussion in the media and saw some commentators suggest the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge is discriminating against pupils from independent and grammar schools. This suggestion misrepresented the Vice-Chancellor’s comments. Professor Toope's response was published by the Telegraph:

“ ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge does not and would not discriminate against pupils from any type of school and does not use any quotas when making admissions decisions.

“Universities like Cambridge have been challenged by successive governments to reflect wider society by drawing students from all backgrounds. Unlike our great independent and grammar schools, many comprehensives have no tradition of sending pupils to places like Cambridge with the result that many of their pupils never consider applying. It is those pupils that the country’s leading universities are now trying to reach.

“This does mean that a greater number of applicants from a wider range of backgrounds will be considered for broadly the same number of places. But the most high achieving pupils from independent and grammar schools will still find a welcome at Cambridge, along with those from the comprehensive sector.”

During his submission to the inquiry, the Vice-Chancellor focused on the work universities are doing to share best practice to raise attainment and aspirations in schools.

Professor Toope cited the ̽��ֱ��’s recently launched Cambridge Foundation Year and STEM SMART programmes as examples of how Cambridge is working to reach talented but educationally disadvantaged students who might not otherwise consider applying to Cambridge, or other top universities. He also highlighted the huge success of more established Cambridge outreach programmes like NRICH and Isaac Physics, as well as Cambridge’s pioneering efforts to widen participation in postgraduate education - including a collaboration with colleagues at Oxford, using a grant from the Office for Students, to develop new admissions practices and systems to help transform selection processes.

New approaches to assessment at Cambridge were also discussed by Professor Toope. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has world-leading pedagogical expertise and all decisions are based on delivering the most effective examinations. Along with other universities, some of our examinations - where the primary aim is to assess a student’s analytical, critical and problem solving skills - are now 'open book' and completed online. When detailed knowledge retention or mathematical skills are being tested, we continue to use the traditional format of in-person exams. We are in the first year of a three-year trial and data from ongoing evaluation will ensure standards remain as high as they always have been.

̽��ֱ��Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen J Toope, this month gave evidence to ̽��ֱ��Times Education Commission, which was set up in May 2021 to examine the future of education following the COVID-19 crisis, declining social mobility, advances in technology, and the changing nature of work.

Universities like Cambridge have been challenged by successive governments to reflect wider society by drawing students from all backgrounds.

Professor Stephen J Toope, Vice-Chancellor

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Isaac Physics

More sixth formers supported by STEM SMART - Cambridge ̽��ֱ��'s pioneering widening participation programme

Vice-Chancellor gives evidence to ̽��ֱ��Times Education Commission