Burnley professor inspires students at launch of top university access programme

Former Blackburn College student, Dr Helen McCabe, who is now assistant professor in political theory at Nottingham University, spoke of her time studying at Oxford University, at the launch of the OxNet programme held at Blackburn College.

The OxNet programme is an intensive 12-month academic programme for Year 12 pupils living in the North West, North East and London, which leads to a residential at Pembroke College at Oxford University. The course involves a mixture of study days, essays, series, Easter conferences, summer schools and talks.

Students from across Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and Rossendale attended the OxNet information event, where they heard first-hand experiences of attending Oxford University and information about the prestigious OxNet programme.

Helen, originally from Woodgrove Road in Burnley, spoke to students from across East Lancashire about studying at Oxford University at the talk, along with Dr Peter Claus, an Oxford Access Fellow from Pembroke College who shared details about the OxNet programme.

Dr Helen McCabe said: “It’s really lovely to come back to Blackburn College and to see all the exciting changes. The OxNet programme provides a wonderful opportunity for students; I wish it had been available when I was a student.”

Dr Peter Claus, historian and Access Fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford said: “I’m delighted to be working with Blackburn College as a new OxNet Hub and the link schools and colleges of East Lancashire.

"We hope that the academic preparation we offer via OxNet will encourage high achievers and the most committed to apply to Pembroke, Oxford and other competitive universities, and that they are not discouraged by unwarranted myths and fears.”