On Friday 25th March, a group of Year 9 pupils attended an online webinar hosted by the University of Nottingham. This event was their introductory session for their place in the Brilliant Club. This is an academic tutorial programme, which will be led by a PHD post graduate tutor. 

The webinar informed pupils of the outline of their project, which will involve them attending tutorials to study at an advanced level the area of their PhD tutor’s area of research expertise - ‘The Age of Modern Disease: Bacterial Biofilms, a chronic Infection and Medical Innovation.’  As you might imagine, the level of study is set high to really challenge and develop pupils' thinking, learning and study skills.
Pupils also learnt about University life when current students described the application process, what it is like to study at university, as well as the wider opportunities such as the clubs and associations, and accommodation options. Pupils were looking forward to working with their course tutor and exploring the university style learning in the tutorials.
 
The pupils have recently had their first tutorial session and we are keen to find out how their work develops. Their tutor Gareth, who is a medical microbiologist working as a postdoctoral research fellow in antimicrobial therapies within the department of pharmaceutics at the UCL School of Pharmacy, was pleased with the interest and enthusiasm shown by the pupils involved.