Gifted scientists are celebrating success after 'graduating' from a prestigious academic course as members of The Brilliant Club.
The Brilliant Club is a national award-winning non-profit organisation that aims to widen access to top universities for outstanding pupils.
Twelve talented scientists from Year 8 were selected to take part in the programme following a tough selection process and given the opportunity to work with PhD university tutor, Olusola Olayufi, on an assignment called “Understanding Viral Infections: is the Ebola Virus the next pandemic?”.
As part of the programme the students visited Aston University and attended six tutorials before being set a 1,500-word assignment which was graded using university terminology.
All 12 students passed the assignment with a 1st or 2:1 grade and were then invited to celebrate their success at a graduation ceremony at the University of Nottingham.
Teacher Ms Buckley, who has led the school’s Brilliant Club project, said: “The Brilliant Club works in collaboration with a number of universities to give pupils in none selective state schools a taste of university life and encourage aspiration to apply to the exclusive Russell Group universities.
"This is the third group of pupils who have been chosen to be part of The Brilliant Club from Highfields and they had a great experience. We are very proud that all 12 of them passed the assignment and 'graduated'.
"One student commented that attending the graduation ceremony at the University of Nottingham with his new friends had been the highlight of the whole process for him."
