More than 100 students and teachers found out more about studying for language degrees during an Italian Masterclass Day at the University of Cambridge.

Eleven state schools attended the event, which was organised by Pembroke and St. Catharine’s Colleges and the Department of Italian.

Laura McGarty, Pembroke and St. Catharine’s Colleges’ Schools Liaison Officer, said: “All the students were studying at least one language to GCSE level – but none of them spoke Italian. This event gave them the chance to find out more about opportunities that all language degrees offer, including Italian, which they may never have considered before.

“The event also helped them discover what life is like as a student at the University of Cambridge with tours around Churchill, Fitzwilliam, Murray Edwards and Robinson Colleges.

“It also helped the teachers to understand more about the options available for their students.”

She added: “We hope more of these year 11 students will now consider taking their studies to a higher level and be the language undergraduates of the future.”

Pembroke and St. Catharine’s Colleges liaise with schools and colleges in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Suffolk, Rutland and Southwark through the University of Cambridge’s Area Links Scheme. The Colleges have worked with 750 secondary school students this term to raise their aspirations and aim for university degrees.

Schools attending this latest event included Orwell High School in Felixstowe, Denbigh High School in Luton and St Ivo School in Cambridgeshire.

To find out more about the Area Links Scheme go to http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/arealinks/

Schools at the Masterclass were:
Rawlins Community College, Loughborough, Leicestershire
St. Ivo School, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
Hind Leys College, Shepshed, Leicestershire
Sandy Upper School, Sandy, Bedfordshire
Thomas Mills High School, Framlingham, Suffolk
Long Field School, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Orwell High School, Felixstowe, Suffolk
Sharnbrook Upper School, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire
County Upper School, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk
Denbigh High School, Luton, Bedfordshire
Ilford County High School, Ilford, Essex

Image credit: Ezu from Flickr

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