STUDENTS have been given a head start in planning for education after school.
University might be more than two years away for those in Year 11 at Trinity Academy, in Thorne, but the school has a strong record of students achieving sought-after places at top institutions by considering their futures early.
They were also encouraged to aspire to some of the country’s top universities at an information evening attended by representatives from Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds and Hull.
"Thinking about university can be daunting when there is so much information available. As an academy with a sixth form we start the process early so that students in Year 12 in particular have plenty of time to consider their options," explained Mark Stockey, associate director of sixth form at Trinity Academy.
"It's all about the students making the right choices for them as individuals, and we advise and support them throughout the process. We help them get their applications in early too so that by the turn of the year they can focus on exams without the added pressure of thinking about their next step.
"We also encourage Year 11 students to start thinking about university and the courses they might want to consider in the future," added Mr Stockey.
At the information evening, students and parents were given an overview of financing a degree and the different kinds of funding available by Nicola Beech, undergraduate HE finance officer at Hull University.
Helen Brooks, access and admissions administrator at Oxford University, teamed up with Emma Smith, schools liaison officer at Cambridge University, to dispel some of the myths around competitive universities.
Emma, who went to a state school in Halifax, said: "A lot of people get worried that Oxbridge universities are full of really posh people and that they won’t fit in. I wasn't going to apply because I didn't think it would be for me, but I did and somehow I got an offer and the grades to go to Cambridge. I have never felt like I didn't fit in and loved it so much that I'm now selling it to other students.
"People fear that they will be writing lots of essays and won't have much free time but there are loads of different societies and you can have a great social life. There is also a lot of support from tutors, mentors and counsellors, and a lot of money in funds to help you financially."
The guests encouraged Trinity students to do as much deep research as they could into the content, structure and assessment of courses, to find out the different entry requirements and what universities are looking for in candidates.
Helen added: "It's never too early to start thinking about what you're interested in. I recommend talking out loud about your subject to friends and family and developing your opinions and arguments. Every applicant is assessed individually and the tutors use all sorts of data and information to build up a picture of you."