February 2018: University hopefuls get to tour Cambridge

A group of our Year 11 students on a university mentoring scheme, organised by the Villiers Park Educational Trust got the chance to tour Cambridge.

As well as enjoying a tour of Cambridge University and Downham College, they were challenged to decrypt encryptions and enjoyed a ‘clip and go’ climbing experience.

Juli Nahar said: “It was really interesting to see how the university is set out and our tour guide was a student.

“I want to go to university either to study accountancy or fashion and design.”

Neve Hargreaves said: “This was my first visit to the Villiers site and we had to work in groups with students from different schools and then give a presentation at the end about cryptography.”

Neve and Tegan Jade-Dewhurst, along with students from other schools in their team, delivered the best presentation and Tegan said: “We have to do a presentation every time we go to a Villiers Park event and this helps to build up your confidence by talking about different subjects in front of other people.

“I want to go to university, possibly to study something to do with law.”

Students’ work revolved around cryptology – focusing on cyphers, encrypting and decrypting codes.