Twenty-seven sixteen to seventeen year old students from Tavistock College have taken part in the annual trip to London to raise their aspirations and help them prepare to make applications to some of the most competitive universities in the country.
“The Aspire trip,” said James O’Connell, Head of Sixth Form, “aims to provide some of our most academically able Year 12 students with some enriching, cultural and knowledge broadening experiences to give them confidence and an edge when they come to apply to competitive, higher education institutions later this year.”
The trip, made possible by the generous financial support of the College’s Trustees, involved the students being given a guided tour of the Houses or Parliament, seeing the Houses of Commons and Lords in action, viewing real cases being heard at the Old Bailey, advisory talks and tours of Imperial College and University College London, a theatre trip to ‘Shakespeare in Love’, opportunities to tour the Natural History, Science and British Museums, as well as the Tate Modern and other galleries, and also a tour of the Google offices in London.
Year 12 student, Conner Kearey, commented: “The trip let me immerse myself in the culture and historic intrigue that London has to offer. This was not least due to the fact our accommodation was right under the shadow of St Paul’s cathedral, within which we saw the tomb of both Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.”
Joel Gilhespy said: “I feel that I have gained confidence from this trip. As well as this, from the trip to University College London, I learnt much more about the application process and how different courses can have very different requirements, and how to tailor my application accordingly.”
For Freya Chambers, “The visit to the Houses of Parliament was a particular highlight for me; viewing the proceedings in the House of Commons from the public gallery is something few people are able to experience and was fascinating.”
