Five Strode College A Level students are delighted to have made it through the highly competitive selection process to gain places at the University of Oxford starting this coming September. Rhea Score, Hazel Peters, Rosie Harvey, Ruby Austen, and Emma Davies. All five students participated in Strode’s Aspire programme which is specially designed to give their most academically gifted students opportunities to develop skills and knowledge that will help them achieve their ambitions.
Rhea Score from Othery and former Huish Episcopi Academy pupil received an unconditional place to read History of Art at St Peter’s College, she is currently studying on the Art Foundation course at Strode and said
“I’m so excited, it’s such a wonderful opportunity and I can’t wait to make the most of it! It was a very intense process, but I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I took the chance.”
Hazel Peters from Shepton Mallet and former Whitstone School pupil has been offered a place to read Law at Worcester. Hazel currently studies A Level Philosophy, Ethics & Religion, English Literature and Law, and has also been invited to participate in the Oxford opportunity scheme, which invites talented offer holders to take part in online sessions and a residential before the course begins. Hazel commented
“I am overjoyed at the fact that I have a place to study Law at Oxford University; when I first began studying at Strode College I felt that such an opportunity was out of my reach, but with the help of my tutors and Student Support I was able to feel more confident in both my studies and application.”
Rosie Harvey currently studies A Level Maths, Chemistry and Physics, and has an offer to read Materials Science at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. She commented,
“I am delighted to have received an offer after a challenging yet enjoyable interview, for which my tutor helped me to prepare.” Rosie joined Strode College from Bruton School for Girls and is a Shepton Mallet resident. A Level student Ruby Austen, who studies A Level Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology, has a conditional offer for a Master’s degree in Biology (MBiol) at St Anne’s College. She was over the moon when she saw that she had a place and that all the hard work during the application process had paid off, commenting “I still can’t believe I have been accepted, applying was the best decision I’ve ever made!.”
Ruby lives in Yeovil and is a former Ansford Academy pupil.
Emma Davies is an A Level student studying English Language, Psychology and Maths, and received an offer to read Experimental Psychology at Lady Margaret Hall. She said
“I am ecstatic to be welcomed into the Oxford community and glad that I was able to communicate my passion for Psychology to the university. I drafted my personal statement a seemingly infinite amount of times, with the help of my tutors at Strode, and tried to show how I would fit in well with the curriculum there and the future of Psychology. For the interviews, I had a practice one with Aspire that really helped me get to know what to expect with an Oxford interview.”
Emma formerly attended Crispin School and is a Moorlinch resident.
All Strode students with high GCSE grades are invited to be a part of the College’s Aspire programme, which provides a range of activities to stretch students academically and personally and to boost their chances of success when making applications for competitive university courses or other progression routes. The current first year Aspire students are now taking part in sessions to help with gathering evidence of ‘super-curricular’ activities, such as wider reading, work experience and independent project work. The successes of this year’s Oxbridge applicants will inspire first years and future cohorts to aim high!