Year 13 students, Ferdinand Anyaeriuba and Davis Stengert, have increased their chances of gaining a place at one of the Oxbridge universities by being accepted onto The Homerton College Design Programme run by the University of Cambridge’s Homerton College.
Aimed at Year 12 students, the residential programme took place between the 22-24 August 2024 and is based on conducting research around the themes of ‘Health and Social Care’ or ‘Sustainability’. Participating teams were given the task of devising a project based on one of the two themes and submitting this to the programme’s judging panel for grading. To be eligible, students will have studied at state schools in the past and gained a ‘highly commended’ judgement for their project submission.
Ferdinand and Davis formed a Xaverian College team and developed a project around the use of a medical drone that delivers supplies during natural disasters. The team’s project was well-received, and both students were invited to attend the residential, to produce a poster and present the details of the project to participants and undergraduate students, as well as a conference on the second day.
Ferdinand, formerly of Our Lady & St John RC High School in Blackburn and studying A Levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics at Xaverian said: “I got involved because I saw it as a good opportunity to apply the knowledge I’d learnt from my A Levels into something I’m passionate about that I can present to world-class professors. We also had talks with admissions tutors, who explained the different things they are looking for in an applicant, and current undergraduate students who gave us advice on how we should approach Year 13 to ensure we keep on top of work and manage our work/life balance. They also gave us different ways to approach writing our personal statements, preparing for admissions tests, and tips to ensure we achieve our predicted grades.”
Former pupil of Wright Robinson College, Davis, following A Levels in Business, Computer Science and Mathematics, commented on his experience on the residential: “I would strongly encourage other participants to take part in similar initiatives because this has been very enlightening and such a wonderful experience. Going to the event and speaking with world-class experts in their fields, and students who were once in my position, is an opportunity you can’t get anywhere else.”
Homerton College commented: “We are very proud of all the students who took part in our Design Programme from across the country. Well done to Ferdinand Anyaeriuba and his team whose project was highly commended by our team of markers. We wish them all the very best for their future endeavours.”
Both students have bright futures ahead of them, and both are applying to Oxbridge this year, with Ferdinand applying for a Degree in Engineering at the University of Cambridge and Davis a Degree in Computer Science at the University of Oxford. Ferdinand commented: “We are both focusing on securing the best grades possible next year to open up as many opportunities for ourselves as possible. The thing I’m most looking forward to is growing with the people around me, both academically and as a person. College is more than just A Levels and I’ve come to appreciate the journey of growing more as a person and I look forward to seeing who I’ll become in a year’s time.”
Head of Lower Sixth and UCAS and Oxbridge Coordinator, Jenny Ayres, commented: “The students are both following the College’s Oxbridge Programme which provides students with a head start when it comes to applying to both Oxbridge universities. Ferdinand and Davis have really been proactive in researching and taking part in the programme, and this will pay dividends when the time comes to submit their applications. Both students have performed brilliantly on the residential, and it’s activities such as these that give applicants the advantage they need to ensure they stand out and are successful in gaining an offer.”