University hosts Easter master-classes for talented York pupils
Posted on 5 April 2006
The 36 gifted and talented pupils will also learn about student life in workshops and activities, led by undergraduate student ambassadors and Nik Miller, Widening Participation Officer in the University's Admissions and Schools' Liaison Office."This is a great opportunity for these school students. Not only will the sessions help to enhance their understanding of biology or literature, but they will, hopefully, open the door to higher education to many local young people," said Nik, who has organised the event.
In the Biology master-classes, the pupils will carry out a laboratory-based exploration of the best ways to kill harmful bacteria, and later present their findings.
In the English master-classes, they will visit the Borthwick Institute for Archives on the Heslington campus, where they will explore early 19th-century literature. Slavery will be one of the themes of the sessions, with the students working with some original transcripts from slaves.
The sessions ... will, hopefully, open the door to higher education to many local young people
Nik Miller
The Master-classes, led by academics in the University's Departments of Biology and English and Related Literature and secondary school teachers, have been organised in partnership with City of York Council. The Council has helped to target teaching staff in schools as well as providing funding for the event.
Tricia Ellison, Senior Advisor in Education for City of York Council, added: "We are delighted to be working with the University on this venture. It offers such exciting opportunities to able youngsters at a key point in the development of their aspirations"
The master-classes represent a powerful partnership between the University, the Local Education Authority and schools in York, and another exciting development in this long-standing relationship.
Notes to editors:
- The Department of English and Related Literature at the University of York was rated as 'excellent' in the Higher Education Funding Council's assessment of teaching quality and in the last Research Assessment Exercise it was one of six departments of English in Britain to score the highest possible research rating of 5*A. The Times Good University Guide 2006 ranks the Department as the second best in the UK.
- The Department of Biology at York is one of the country's leading centres for research and teaching across the entire spectrum of the biological sciences. Its international research programmes attract £8 million per year of external funding, employ nearly 300 scientists and were rated 5 in the last Research Assessment Exercise. In 2002, it moved into new £25 million laboratories funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under the Joint Infrastructure Fund programme, with additional support from Yorkshire Cancer Research.