Pembroke College, Oxford is expanding its successful Pem-Brooke Scheme to the North West with Ashton Sixth Form College acting as the ‘North West subject leader college’ working alongside other institutions to raise the aspirations of young people in the area.

Pem-Brooke began as a unique collaboration between Pembroke College, Oxford and Brooke House Sixth Form College in Hackney, London. The scheme aimed at broadening the social and intellectual horizons of young people in London’s East End, with a focus on improving access to competitive universities, has been so successful that the model is being replicated in the North West.

Ashton Sixth Form College, alongside the North West hub at South Cheshire College and five other main participating colleges, will be leading the ‘Pembroke North scheme’ aimed at broadening the social and intellectual horizons of students in the North West which will involve academic content delivered to students across the borough by Oxford academics.

The Pembroke Theology Centre, awarded to Ashton Sixth Form College, will take learners beyond the curriculum and offer a range of activities in concert with Pembroke College theologians and theologians from Oxford.  Students using the Theology centre, will benefit from having a dedicated room as a place for reflective study, Oxbridge style mock interviews and will be surrounded by books to create a calm and reflective atmosphere. The room will also be home to visiting academics and undergraduate students from Oxford, who will be working closely with students.

Ashton Sixth Form College Principal, Dr Janet Nevin said ‘This is an exciting partnership with Pembroke College which will help to raise student aspirations and encourage many more to apply to leading higher education institutions’.

Inspired by the work of Brooke House Sixth Form College, Ashton Sixth Form College is now also developing bespoke links with a range of universities and local schools to create subject-led Raising Aspirations programmes. These will also involve academic content delivered to students in a university setting allowing students to experience undergraduate study over a sustained period, equipping and empowering them to progress.

Dr Peter Claus (Access Fellow & Senior Research Fellow in History at Pembroke College, Oxford) said ‘Pembroke College is delighted to be working so closely with Ashton Sixth Form College and other schools and colleges across the North West region and that we hope that our efforts to lend the Oxford approach to learning and teaching will enhance student applications to Pembroke, Oxford and other competitive universities’.