Last October, Homerton welcomed its first cohort of five students to the University's new Foundation Year programme. All five students have now been offered a place for the next academic year here at Cambridge, and Homerton is looking forward to meeting the next five students with offers to take part in the landmark programme.
The first cohort of Foundation Year students were celebrated at an event last week. Foundation Year Director Dr Alex Pryce hosted the evening, welcoming students, Directors of Studies, donors and guests. Guest speaker Josie Rourke (Olivier Award-winning director for stage, film and theatre) talked about education and grasping opportunities.
Director of Studies for Homerton’s Foundation Year students, Dr Georgie Horrell, was inspired by the event: ‘What a wonderful celebration of diversity and widening participation. Our Foundation Year students are extraordinary, talented young people who have been selected for a fabulous opportunity - one that they have grasped with enthusiasm and energy. Hats off to the students and to the excellent FY team for developing and running this groundbreaking programme.’
Homerton is one of 13 Colleges participating in the scheme. Free and fully funded by a landmark donation, the Cambridge Foundation Year admits around 50 students each year and is aimed at engaging an entirely new stream of applicants who have been prevented from reaching their full potential by their circumstances. This includes students with experience of the care system, estrangement from parents, low levels of household income, and schools with little history of sending students to highly selective universities. Their selection has taken into account their educational background and contextualised their achievements, recognising that circumstances and opportunity should not be a barrier to future academic success.
The programme’s engaging and challenging curriculum will prepare students for further study at Cambridge, or another top university.
For more information visit: www.foundationyear.cam.ac.uk - and listen on this video to Homerton FY student Dami joining others from across the University to explain the experience of the Foundation Year.
