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Four graduates of the Wheeler Programme will head off to university this term, while another has found a place in the army.
Molly Cairns, a student at Farnborough Sixth Form College, is going to the University of Manchester to study for a degree in psychology, having gained A levels in philosophy, psychology and business studies.
Xander Payne, from Archbishop McGrath School in Bridgend, Wales, has got a place at Bath University, also to study psychology, having gained A levels in criminology, maths, French, and psychology.
Rachael Smith, from Reading College, has been accepted into the BAEd Primary Education with QTS course at the University of Reading.
Jamie Lee, from St Crispin’s School in Wokingham, has started his army training, where he will study cyber security and counter espionage. Thanks to strong A level grades, he will also be invited to apply for officer training.
Lauren Slade, from Brakenhale School, Bracknell, will study creative writing at Sussex University, having gained A levels in English literature, art, and a BTEC in drama.
Lauren said: “A massive thank you to Miss Carpenter and the art department at Wellington College.
“I am so grateful for all their help with my coursework, and to the whole Wheeler Programme team for being very supportive.”
Sue Parker, head of the Wheeler Programme, said: “It has been a privilege to get to know these students over the last five years. They and the other students in their year had a tough time with their schooling being so badly interrupted by Covid, but they showed great resilience and a determination to succeed despite the circumstances.
“We wish all of them the best of luck this month as they settle into new environments and we know they will carry on achieving great results and doing great things.”
Established in 2017, the Wheeler Programme is a fully-funded educational programme for around 100 selected state school pupils.
Students are selected in Year 9 and the programme helps support them until their graduation at the end of Year 13.
The Class of 2023 are the third group to graduate from the Wheeler Programme. Three other cohorts are currently enjoying the programme and recruitment has now begun for a new cohort.
