A RECORD number of sixth form students in Barrow are setting their sights on Oxbridge and other leading universities.

A bumper cohort of high-flying students have been encouraged to consider applying to Oxford, Cambridge and other leading universities as they start at Barrow Sixth Form College. Some 54 students – the highest number yet – have joined the Honours programme at the Rating Lane campus after achieving top grades in their GCSEs at school. The students are from schools including St Bernard’s, Dowdales, Walney, Furness Academy and the college’s partner school Chetwynde. Jake Warren, who completed his GCSEs at Furness Academy, is aiming for a science degree in chemistry or biology and is considering applying to Oxbridge universities. He said: "The Honours programme is really good, it’s useful and gives us a bit of an advantage to have those extra opportunities in our studies.

"I didn’t really know what Oxford or Cambridge was all about so now I have got a bit of a better idea of the layout and the concept. Beforehand I wasn’t really thinking of applying because I might not get in but I’m definitely going to apply.” Fleur Wood and Jessica Brockbanks both joined sixth form from St Bernard’s School. Fleur, who aims to study a degree in veterinary medicine at Cambridge University, said: “It is nice to know that we are being given opportunities that not everyone else gets to try to help us achieve places at the top universities.” Jessica, who hopes to study a degree in marine biology, added: “It’s good that we are getting some guidance on how to get to the higher-level universities that might seem a bit scary to go to. The session was really informative and helped me see a bit more clearly what is expected at Cambridge and Oxford.” Assistant Head of Sixth Form Helen Rastelli, who runs the Honours programme, said it was now in its fifth year. “We are delighted to have so many students on our programme this year. It will provide extra challenge to them to achieve their very best and mentoring in a subject they love and want to learn more about. “Our Honours students develop key skills needed for university such as independent learning, research and report writing. It’s a chance to study without boundaries because they can learn beyond the course specification.”