Students win prestigious summer school places

Emily Hedley, Paul Haworth, Rhiann Canavan

Two Rochdale Sixth Form College students will be heading for The University of Oxford this summer after securing hard-won places on a week-long summer school, designed to offer potential undergraduates a taste of university life.

Emily Hedley and Rhiann Canavan, both former pupils of Whitworth High School, were among 750 Year 12 students to be accepted onto the University’s UNIQ Summer School programme, which generated 3,400 applications.

As well as following an intensive academic programme, devised by the University tutors to give an idea of what it might be like to study at Oxford, the students will also take part in admissions sessions, which include workshops on interviews and CVs, alumni events and social activities.

Emily, who will be studying Biology during her week at the University, and Rhiann, who will be attending a course on Physics, are both thrilled to be taking part. Emily comments: “To have been selected from such a huge number of applicants is really exciting and we’re both looking forward to the experience. While we know it will be academically challenging, we’re expecting it to be fun too and can’t wait to find out more about the University and get a chance to really experience life in college.”

Both girls applied for the UNIQ Summer School having undertaken Rochdale Sixth Form College’s Honours Programme, which is designed to stretch the most academically gifted students and help them achieve their full potential through dedicated support and teaching; and the provision of additional events, lectures and courses.

Paul Haworth, Teacher of English Literature and Leader of the Honours Programme at Rochdale Sixth Form College, said: “Being accepted onto the Summer School is a massive achievement and we’re all hugely proud of Emily and Rhiann. They are very talented students and winning these places is a testament not only to their excellent results at GCSE, but also to the commitment and energies that they have put into their AS Level studies thus far.

“This will be a great opportunity for them to discover more about life at Oxford and should give them a real insight into one of the world’s most prestigious universities. We hope that, along with several of their fellow Honours Programme students, Emily and Rhiann will go on to apply to Oxbridge in the Autumn and we have every confidence to think that they will be very strong candidates.”