The Aspire programmes

Our two Aspire programmes are for young people attending Liverpool schools, designed to help them to maximise their potential and make successful applications to top universities. Working with our partner schools, we identify able and talented pupils from Liverpool to benefit from our programmes of encouragement, support and intellectual preparation to make successful applications to Oxford and Cambridge and other top universities - in this country and abroad. 

Aspire brings together pupils and students from each partner school into two structured programmes of Oxbridge preparation, which includes raising aspiration, building confidence, intellectual formation and application and interview preparation. The Aspire programmes are open to nominated students taught at Liverpool partner schools. 

Our Yr10 Programme is called 'Inspire'. The Yr12 Programme is called 'Reaching Higher'. 

The students accepted onto the Reaching Higher programme will be high attainers – they will ordinarily have achieved 5 GCSEs at grades 9, 8 or 7. In the case of students hoping to study Medicine, they will ideally have achieved 8 GCSEs at grades 9, 8 or 7.

Both the Inspire  and Reaching Higher programmes focus on intellectual, cultural and social development - irrespective of personal or economic barriers. The programmes include:

• A tailored series of seminars, Oxbridge-style tutorials, visits to both universities and guest speaker events.
• Advice on choosing the right degree subject, university and college
• Individual support with personal statement, UCAS form, SAQ statement and other materials  
• Structured Oxbridge interview practice, test preparation sessions and revision workshops
• One-on-one mentoring