Year 10 Oxford University Trip
On Wednesday 10th May, 47 of our Year 10 students set out for a day at St Hugh’s College in Oxford. This is an important trip to help raise the student’s aspirations to study at a top university. Although the traffic there was terrible, the beautiful grounds of St Hugh’s and the helpful advice from the university staff made the journey more than worth the while.
Our guide, Ms Lena Sorochina, was able to give the students a lot of information about studying in a collegiate university such as Oxford or Cambridge. They learned how different courses were structured and the nature of the application process. The DGGS students asked many questions about university life, such as the different societies that are available, how finance worked for courses, and about the diversity of the students at a top university such as Oxford.
Three young undergraduates soon joined us for a Q&A session, including one student from Dartford named Ben, whose sister was a former DGGS student.
The students split into two halves for a tour around the College led by the undergraduates, with particular highlights being the well-kept gardens, the library with its thousands of books and quiet work spaces, and the relaxation room, replete with sofas, a big TV, board games, and even computer games consoles. Around the walls were many photos and paintings celebrating past alumni of the College, including the Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison who gave her life for women’s votes in 1913.
Finally, we walked into the Oxford city centre to board our coach, appreciating the beautiful old buildings of the city, before a much shorter journey home. Many thanks to all the staff who organised the trip and accompanied us on the day to make the experience possible.