Truro and Penwith College’s support for students with high aspirations has ensured that its Oxbridge offers are among the highest in Cornwall and have exceeded the national average once again, with one in four students receiving an offer for Oxford or Cambridge rather than the average of one in six.
The offer holders come from across Cornwall and demonstrate the wide variety of academic strengths amongst the Truro College cohort, as they are going on to study subjects such as Engineering, Music, Biology, Mathematics, Languages and a variety of Humanities subjects.
Zelah Anjari, from Penzance, received an offer to study French and Beginner’s Russian at the University of Oxford. She was delighted to share the news with her loved ones: “My first thought was to tell my family who had been supporting me throughout the whole process! Then I mostly felt relieved that the work I had put in had paid off. It was a really happy moment.
“The more I learnt about French and Russian throughout the application process, the more passionate I became about them, so it will be interesting to finally be able to properly study them with like-minded students and tutors. I’m also equally inspired and daunted about the challenging nature of learning Russian from scratch.”
Ronan Prendergast, from Newquay, has received an offer to study Ancient and Modern History at the University of Oxford and found the specialist Oxbridge Tutors at Truro College particularly helpful: “The College allowed me to access an Oxbridge Tutor, who effectively answered all my questions before I even asked them!
“One of the things I’m really looking forward to about Oxford is the number of resources I’ll be able to access in relation to my course. I think Oxford is one of the best places to study History.”
Tom Edwards, from Truro, is part of the College’s Accelerate Programme, a bespoke programme of STEM study for academically minded A Level students. He has now received an offer to study Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. He has enjoyed the opportunities that the Accelerate Programme has offered him: “Last year, I got to go to Geneva and visit CERN, as well as trips up to Sailsbury and other similar places for the UKROC and CANSAT competitions.
“I’m looking forward to the ability to explore my subject, Mathematics, more in depth with people who may provide different perspectives and insights due to different educational and personal backgrounds.”
Truro and Penwith College offers exceptional specialist support including the Oxbridge Academy, which assists students with their personal statements and interviews, the Academic Academy, which allows students to learn more about the world around them from a wide variety of guest speakers and lectures and the Accelerate Programme, which provides support for ambitious STEM students who are aiming for highly competitive HE places.
Truro and Penwith College’s Oxbridge Co-ordinator Chris Hatch is very proud of his students’ achievements: “We’re incredibly proud of our Oxbridge offer-holders. Their success shows their talent and commitment, along with the many opportunities we offer, such as our annual Cambridge trip, subject-focused super-curricular activities, the Academic Academy, and the Accelerate Programme, amongst many others.
“Through the Oxbridge Academy and our dedicated specialist mentors, students receive tailored support for personal statements, interviews, and academic development across all subjects. It’s been inspiring to watch them take advantage of these opportunities, and we’re delighted to celebrate all they’ve achieved.”
