The Brilliant Club
The Scholars Programme (The Brilliant Club) is an opportunity for outstanding students to gain the knowledge, skills and ambition to help them secure places at top universities. Students work with a PhD tutor, someone studying for their third degree and who is a world class researcher. They have five university-style tutorials studying a super-curricular topic related to the PhD tutor’s area of expertise.
Last year, our students worked with Dr Lucy Splarn from the University of Kent on her area of expertise, medieval pilgrim souvenirs of St Thomas Becket and this year students are working with Dr Toju Ogbe from King’s College, London on his research into the culture of leadership. The Brilliant Club is designed to give students a university experience and includes a trip to a highly selective university at a ‘graduation’ event.
Students apply to take part in the programme. They do not have to be sure that they want to go to university but should have an interest in finding out more about it. The programme suits students who are curious about learning new things, are prepared to commit to the programme and have the potential to go on and study at a top university.
The programme has a social mobility focus and 60% of students taking part must meet the criteria below:
- having no parental history of higher education in the UK
- being in receipt of Pupil Premium (free school meals) at school
- residing in a postcode which qualifies under deprivation data.
Overall, the Brilliant Club is an incredible opportunity to stretch yourself academically and experience university-style teaching.