Bearwood College students have received two of the much coveted Unconditional Offers from Birmingham 
University.
In an unprecedented move, the University, part of the elite Russell Group, is offering 1,000 places to students to join 12 of its courses in the Autumn, without the requirement to achieve any A-level grades.
Kathryn Langford-Holt Odenwalder, Joint Head of Sixth Form at Bearwood with responsibility for this year’s UCAS applications, is delighted.
“Bearwood scholars have received 2 Unconditional Offers when there are only 1,000 available for the whole 2013 intake; that’s an unbelievable success rate!”. Mrs Langford-Holt Odenwalder attributes the success to the opportunities available at Bearwood for personal development beyond the curriculum.
Sporting, musical, dramatic, social, and extra-curricular pursuits combined with excellent academic programme and superb UCAS application support give Bearwood students the edge. “We work individually with each student to help them create the strongest personal statement possible; one that brings together all the strands of their involvement in College life.”
Comments Mrs Langford-Holt Odenwalder “There are so many interesting things to do here, so many ways to get involved, that our students have plenty to write on their forms and they do stand out from the crowd.”
Professor David Eastwood, Vice Chancellor at Birmingham University, told The Telegraph that making unconditional offers is aimed at “attracting the best possible students to a highly-selective university”.
The 12 courses that between them have been allowed to make unconditional offers as part of the pilot programme are; classics, maths, modern languages, philosophy, sociology, economics, materials engineering, political science, accounting and finance, business management, international relations, and European politics, society and economics.
Bearwood Upper Sixth Formers Ciaran Cresswell and Cameron Spence applied to Birmingham to study French & Italian and Philosophy respectively and were overwhelmed to receive unconditional offers. Cameron received his first, “ I just couldn’t believe it,” he said, “it was such a shock.
A really good one though! It’s going to be my first choice now, it’s brilliant to have the pressure taken away from the exams.” And when the second Bearwood success arrived, Ciaran was amazed, “I didn’t believe it; first Cameron and now me!” he said, “It’s incredible that one school should have two Unconditional Offers from one of the country’s top universities.”
Professor Eastwood does not foresee issues with students coasting towards their exams once they have received their unconditional offers. “Their A-levels will be with them for the rest of their lives, “he told The Telegraph “Their future employers will be very interested in them.”.
For information on joining Bearwood College Sixth Form in September 2013 and getting the best out of your A-level experience, please contact the Registrar on 0118 974 8300 or email registrar@bearwoodcollege.co.uk.