More than 120 bright pupils from sixth forms across Norfolk and north Suffolk have seen their chances of winning places at some of the UK's top universities boosted by five days of intensive tuition at a private school.
The Norwich School ran its 14th annual Norfolk University Access Summer School last week, with students travelling from as far as King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Thetford to receive advice on university applications, and help with their chosen subjects.
The event is funded by the Ogden Trust, two Norwich School alumni, and Norwich School, and included speakers from Harvard University and the UEA, as well
as Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, and Marina Prentoulis, a spokesman for Greek governing party Syriza, who flew in from Athens in the middle of the financial crisis to talk about the politics of protest.
Will Croston, who ran the summer school day-to-day, said: 'The purpose is to encourage people to make use to the talents they so obviously have, and make them feel that it's possible to aim for the very best universities.
'A lot of people get directed down certain alleyways and they are not aware there are all these options out there.'
The course includes follow up help for students, with Mr Croston giving advice by email and Facebook, offering to read through their personal statements before they submit them as part of university applications, and offering mock interviews.
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