The Brilliant Club – a charity aiming to widen access for outstanding pupils in non-selective state schools to the most selective universities around the country. Providing the chance to experience a taste of learning and life at universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, SOAS and Manchester is a way of guiding and motivating most able students towards pathways to help them fulfil their academic potential.
What is The Scholars Programme?
It is a programme that places university researchers (PhD Tutors) in schools, to give students the experience of university-style learning.
The PhD tutors taught university-style tutorials to groups of students, based around super-curricular topics designed to stretch and challenge pupils.
The programme involved a visit to one of the most selective universities in London. The visit this academic year was to SOAS university. This visit allowed our students to tour the university campus and to talk to undergraduates about their university life and experiences.
At the end of the programme, students completed a final assignment of 2500 words, which was marked in university-style with pupils receiving a 1st, 2.1, 2.2. Our student’s accomplishments were celebrated during a ‘Graduation Ceremony’ where certificates were given out.
The charity recently reported on our students’ performance this academic year across various competencies, highlighting strong results:
Competency
ICS Final Average
ICS Average Progress
National Average
National Average progress
Written Communication
64
61 %
63
26 %
Subject Knowledge
66
54 %
66
28 %
Critical Thinking
65
58 %
63
28%
These results demonstrate remarkable progress and a commitment to academic excellence, and we are incredibly proud of all our students!
Here are two quotes from the perspective of the PhD tutors commenting on our students:
Francesca Billeri at SOAS university. “I enjoyed teaching as students were very well engaged with the subjects and keen to learn a new subject and academic skills.”
John Onelum from the University of Birmingham. “ Really encouraged by the enthusiasm of the students and the school’s support to ensure the programme ran smoothly”
We are proud to announce that 21 students achieved a 1st or a 2:1 in their final assignment! Our students have shown great enthusiasm for the programme and have demonstrated high levels of engagement and academic rigor. They have gained valuable skills that will serve them well in their future studies. Particular congratulations go to the following students who all achieved the highest grade of a 1st on their assignments:
Anusha
Bilaal
David
Kyleene
Mari
Sarah
Shoime
Arissa
Elizabeth
“I believe that the Scholars Programme gave a brief insight into the way I should format my essays at university. The major part of the programme that I took was learning how to reference sources in an essay / research project.”
David
Yr 12 student and participant in The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme
“The Brillant Club Scholars Programme was an insightful experience which not only taught me about new concepts that aren’t taught in curriculums, but also how to analyse, evaluate and make my own conclusions of an unfamiliar thesis.”
Sarah
Yr 12 student and participant in The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme
