Blatch Students Selected to Take Part in Universify Programme

Blatchington Mill is delighted to share that two of our year 10 students have been selected to take part in Universify, a programme that supports students from non-traditional backgrounds to feel empowered and excited by their future in education.

The programme consists of three components: a summer school, which takes places at Jesus College, Oxford in August 2020; monthly coaching sessions via Skype throughout the academic year; and an Easter residential revision weekend in 2021.

The summer school, providing it can go ahead, will involve a combination of academic classes, sessions on university admissions and university life, academic coaching sessions, a group project, and a range of social activities. The academic classes will cover a range of subjects to improve students’ knowledge and critical thinking, providing students with an insight into the depth and level of undergraduate subject knowledge. University admissions and student life sessions aim to further students’ understanding of highly selective universities, their environment and how to get there. Meanwhile, social and cultural activities provide students with the chance to experience everything Oxford has to offer and shows what student life entails outside of academic commitments.

Despite the current situation surrounding Covid-19, we’re really hopeful that it will be safe enough for our students to take part in this experience in August. However, the programme is about much more than just the summer school - and you can find out more information about the full experience in this video!

The Universify programme has proved itself to have a number of positive impacts on student outcomes and has been in operation since the 2016-17 academic year, with a number of students from the programme’s first cohort now attending selective universities such as Imperial College, King’s College and the University of Oxford. In the short term, the programme has also encouraged students to make the most of their secondary education, with 86% of teachers agreeing that Universify benefitted participants’ GCSE attainment.

This is an incredible opportunity for our two year 10 students who are taking part and we’re so excited to hear all about their experience and see what they can achieve as a result of the programme. Congratulations, Micael and Mohsin!