Friends’ pupils excel at Open University courses

SIX Friends’ Sixth Formers have successfully completed short courses of degree level study online with the Open University through the OU Young Applicants in Schools Scheme.

This is the third year that pupils from Friends’ have taken part in the scheme.

Ben McNeilly, who hopes to study Medicine next year, completed the course ‘Molecules, Medicines and Drugs’.

Ben said the programme, which he took over the summer holidays, had ‘furthered my knowledge of the area and has helped both with Biology and Chemistry this year’.

Another potential medical student is Mark Gilmore, who followed the course ‘Empire of the Microbes’ to enhance his scientific knowledge. Michael Parker also chose ‘Empire of the Microbes’ and said that ‘taking time to study independently in my spare time will be good preparation for the style of studying at university’.

Amy Broddle successfully completed the course ‘Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis’. Amy says that the course has ‘really helped me in A level Biology and has strengthened my university application’. Amy has applied to study Law at university and is considering specialising in environmental law.

Andrew Scott, who has applied to study Biology at university next year, chose the module ‘Darwin and Evolution’.

To complete the programme of study Andrew had to carry out a practical survey and use statistics to represent his results. Andrew commented: “I feel sure this experience will be of benefit in my studies in the future.”

Matthew Patterson selected ‘Inside Nuclear Energy’. Matthew, who has an offer from St Catherine’s College, Oxford, to study Physics, summed up the value of the Young Applicants in Schools programme: “Taking this Open University course not only helped me to go beyond my current A level studies, but gave me a new perspective on a topic which is so frequently in the news. During my time studying Nuclear Energy, I developed my time management skills as I had to fit the course around my school work and also discovered an interest which I am certain I will pursue at university over the next few years.”

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