The Brilliant Club
At Wrenn, we give some of our more able students the opportunity to take part in The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme.
The Brilliant Club is an award-winning, UK-based charity that aims to increase the number of students from under-represented backgrounds progressing to highly selective universities. They achieve this by mobilizing PhD students and early career researchers to deliver university-style tutoring and support to pupils in state schools.
What is the Scholars Programme?
Research shows that students from the least advantaged backgrounds have a 2 in 100 chance of going to the most competitive universities, compared with 28 in 100 for the most advantaged (UCAS Multiple Equality Measure).
The Scholars Programme gives students in secondary school the opportunity to explore higher education and build key skills to help them succeed in the next stages of their education.
Students take part in a series of seven university-style tutorials, delivered in-school by a PhD tutor throughout the course of an academic term. The tutorials are based on the tutor’s area of research expertise, so pupils explore an inspiring, supra-curricular topic whilst developing key academic skills that support their attainment across the curriculum. Students receive feedback and support from their PhD tutor to write a final assignment of 1,500-2000 words, demonstrating the subject knowledge, written communication and critical thinking skills they have developed throughout the programme.
On completion of the programme, students visit a university for a Graduation Event to celebrate their achievements and build their understanding of higher education, helping them make informed choices in the future and believe that they can succeed in university-style learning.
Impact
- Scholars Programme graduates are significantly more likely to progress to highly selective universities (UCAS Evaluation, 2023)
- Recent data shows that Scholars Programme students have higher GCSE scores than Local Authority students who have similar KS2 prior attainment.
To find out more about The Scholars Programme and its impact, take a look at The Brilliant Club website: https://thebrilliantclub.org/the-scholars-programme/for-schools/the-programme/
Quotes From Parents
“The Scholars Programme is a fantastic opportunity to experience degree level study, including mentorship.”
“The program was a great opportunity for my child. He found the work hard but interesting, and it helped him grow in independence and resilience. It boosted his confidence, encouraged him to work harder, and made him think more about his future. He was stretched academically, but always felt well supported throughout. I am really grateful he had this experience.” – year 10 parent.
“It was an excellent opportunity for children outside the normal curriculum. The pd tutor was very kind and considerate and informative.”