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Celebrating 14 Year 9 students as they graduate from unique university access programme 

We are very proud of our Year 9 students who graduated from The Scholars Programme, a national university access programme.

Our Year 9 students were encouraged to think and work independently across seven tutorials with a subject expert PhD researcher. During the programme, they learnt about "Are All People Persons? An Anthropology of Personhood" and then completed a challenging final essay which was given a university-level grade. 

The Scholars Programme, run by UK-wide university access charity The Brilliant Club, supports students aged 8-18 to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to progress to the country’s most competitive universities and succeed once there. 

By bringing together two communities – PhD researchers and students – who might otherwise never interact with each other, young people can study innovative and inspiring topics that very few people have ever covered. 

The Scholars Programme has enabled our students to learn beyond the core curriculum and helped them to develop key skills for university and later in life, such as critical thinking. 

Beyond their graduation, these students have lots more to look forward to because the programme has proven impact on university progression rates. For the sixth year running, independent UCAS evaluation has found that Scholars Programme graduates are significantly more likely to progress to a competitive university compared with students from similar backgrounds (56% vs. 37%). 

Anne-Marie Canning MBE, CEO at The Brilliant Club, congratulated the students on their achievements: 

“Congratulations to these outstanding students as they graduate from The Scholars Programme. They join a community of over 110,000 young people who have taken part in The Brilliant Club since 2011.  

“Completing their final assignments was no doubt challenging, but it has shown that these students have a passion for learning and the knowledge to produce university-style work already. I hope they use these new skills throughout their education and continue their fantastic work.”   

 

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29th January

Year 8 Swimmers Make Waves at County Championships

We are delighted to announce that two of our Year 8 pupils, Sam C and Grace F, have achieved significant success in the pool, qualifying for and competing at the prestigious County Swimming Championships. Qualification for Counties is a major milestone in the swimming world. To be eligible, swimmers must achieve strict published qualifying times and rank within the top 25 competitors in their age group across the entire county. Both students have demonstrated exceptional talent to reach this elite standard. Sam has secured his place in an incredible variety of events, demonstrating his versatility across both sprints and long-distance endurance races. Representing Berkhamsted Swim Club, Sam will be competing at the Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre in St Albans throughout January. His comprehensive schedule includes: Freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m Butterfly: 50m, 100m, and 200m Individual Medley: 100m, 200m, and 400m Matching this high standard of performance is Grace F, who represents the U13 age group. Grace has already secured a fantastic 9th place ranking in the county for the 100m breaststroke. Beyond this individual success, Grace is a dedicated member of Ricky Swim Club and a vital part of the SCD team, regularly representing the school in the Herts League. Reaching this level requires a sustained and high level of commitment. Over the past eight months, both swimmers have balanced intense training schedules and regular licensed galas alongside their academic studies. Their success is a testament not only to their athletic ability but also to their discipline and excellent time management. Please join us in congratulating Grace on her top10 ranking and wis