Supporting A-level students

Free revision sessions for local A-level students sitting their Chemistry and Physics exams have been run by the University.

All students from Cardiff's inner-city state schools were given the opportunity to come to the University to help them prepare for their exams and sit practice papers.

The initial revision sessions are part of master classes comprising three days of support, including two days of solid revision followed by a visit day to the University. As well as revision opportunities, students also receive advice on what to do after the exam, including university applications and the careers are available to them in their chosen subjects. The pupils also get to meet academic staff, their potential future lecturers, and get a flavour of what university life is like.

Louise Gray, Widening Access Manager at Cardiff University's Centre for Lifelong Learning, said: "We offer a wide range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at Cardiff University and we are looking for more applications from talented young people. The revision sessions have been devised to increase the attainment in these subjects and ultimately raise the number of students interested in applying to university."

Susan Miles, Lecturer in Physics/Quality and Operational Manager at Cardiff and Vale College, provided the tutoring for the students on the Physics revision sessions. She said: "The AS students greatly benefited from the intensive revision days at the University. They provided a valuable opportunity for students to prepare for their January exams and hopefully they'll get some excellent results. It was a fantastic experience for the students to work in a university setting for the day. Many of the students will be applying to University next year and I'm sure they'll be encouraged by this. Cardiff University is a popular choice for many of our students, after their College courses. Cardiff and Vale College has strong links with the University which we hope to strengthen."

Lauren Powell, one of the students who attended the Physics revision session, said: "It allowed other students and myself the opportunity to place ourselves within a calm environment where we're capable of studying and revising along with our peers. I give nothing but praise to those involved, and many thanks to those who gave up their personnel free time to aid us in the final preparations towards our exams."

The University is planning more revision sessions in the run up to the summer exams.