Aspire Programme
The Maynard Aspire programme is a new enrichment initiative for students in Upper 5 (Year 11) and the Sixth Form who are willing to go beyond the classroom door as they make decisions about their future career paths. Support for application to the most competitive courses at universities such as Oxbridge, Medical or Veterinary School will be part of the programme. Most of the activities will take place in the daily pastoral slot and there will be evening talks from visiting speakers and away days at the weekends.
The Aspire Academy
In the Upper 5 (Year 11), students can apply to join the Aspire Academy. Successful applicants will typically be achieving at the top of the ability range and be ready to develop their skills in a wider context. The Academy is split into several modules throughout the year, including 'Who do you think you are?', where students draw up an action plan for the future, looking at their skills, interests and attributes and how these match with the requirements for courses at the most competitive universities.
Aspire Plus
In the Sixth Form, students will take part in 'Aspire Plus' where they will continue to develop their interests and skills with a wide range of activities. The first unit of Aspire Plus is 'Ten things to do before you complete your UCAS application', which includes among other action points:
- Entering an essay competition such as the Christopher Tower Poetry Competition at Christ Church College, Oxford, to extend and improve their skills
- Getting some work experience or doing voluntary work - university courses, in particular Medicine and Veterinary Science, expect students to demonstrate that they understand the nature of the work they will undertake.
- Taking advantage of the extracurricular activities within the school, to demonstrate teamwork and determination
Aspire Plus aims to help students decide exactly what they want for their future, and how to achieve that future.
The Aspire programme was launched in early September 2011, when Oxbridge student Tom Ouldridge came in to talk to the girls about what life is really like at Oxford. Click here to read more about Tom's visit
