Nearly 40 students from ethnic minority backgrounds took part in a summer school at Cambridge University last week, organised by GEEMA – the Group to Encourage Ethnic Minority Applications.

Chosen from more than 250 applications all the students came from families with no history of higher education, with parents in non-professional occupations and from schools where 60 per cent of pupils, or fewer, gain five A-Cs at GCSE.

For David Ansah, a student from the AMR Church of England Academy in Camberwell, London, who is keen to study maths and sciences, the week was an eye-opener. “I honestly thought that only posh people went to Cambridge, people of a certain type,” he said. “But I now realise that I have as good a chance as anyone of getting in here – as long as I work hard – and I certainly intend to apply.”

Sean Maguire, a student from St Ignatius College, a Roman Catholic Comprehensive for boys in Enfield, said, “The week has been great. I am interested in a range of subjects, including biology and ecology, and will definitely apply here.”

The students spent the week at St. John's College and undertook a number of activities designed to give them a stimulating taste of life as a first-year undergraduate at Cambridge.

Richard Partington, admissions tutor at Sidney Sussex, said, “I gave a lecture on Scottish independence going back 1,000 years and was delighted to find the students extremely informed and enthusiastic.”

On the final day of the summer school, Baroness Sandip Verma, the Conservative spokesperson for Innovation, Universities and Skills, handed out certificates to the students and encouraged them to work hard and aim high.

Mel Rouse, the GEEMA co-ordinator, said, “As ever the quality of the students was exceptionally high. It is fascinating to see students grow in confidence over the week and to watch some of their negative perceptions of Cambridge disappear.”

Six undergraduates helped out on the week, including Tom Chigbo, a first year Geography student at St. John's. “It is important to involve undergraduates from ethnic minorities as the students can relate to us and talk freely. The week is hard work for the students, but also good fun and people seem to make lots of friends.”

Since GEEMA was set up in 1989, the percentage intake of home students who classify themselves as non-white grew from 5.5 per cent in 1990 to 14.2 per cent in 2006.

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