Eighteen sixth form students from Peterborough have been accepted onto a prestigious higher education scheme run by Cambridge University. 

The sixth-form students from Jack Hunt School, part of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust, successfully applied for their places via the University’s HE+ Programme.

Committed to widening participation to higher education, HE+ is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and its Colleges, which work with groups of state schools and colleges across 19 regions in the UK.

Dr Ian Young, CEO of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust said: “This excellent news follows Jack Hunt School’s recent ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection. The students were selected based on their strong academic potential, as part of this programme of widening participation run by Cambridge.”

The University has worked with around 30,000 students since the programme was established a decade ago. In the 2021-22 academic year, more than 4,000 Year 12 students from over 170 schools and colleges participated in the initiative.

Conor George, Assistant Head of Sixth Form at Jack Hunt School said: “As part of the HE+ course, students will be able to access online resources, webinars and seminars on over 30 subjects ranging from Archaeology, Architecture, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Law, Medicine and Philosophy from the University of Cambridge.

“We are very proud to have so many representatives from Jack Hunt School, some of them aspire to work in fields of accountancy, computer science, law, palaeontology and more. Yet this experience could provide them with the spark and enthusiasm to pursue any discipline that may catch their attention undertaking the course.”

One sixth form student who was accepted onto the programme said: “I am really excited to gain a real understanding of university life, from lectures to the experiences of living in accommodation. Alongside this I look forward to grasping what exactly makes an outstanding personal statement that is deeply unique and ambitious.”