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 James Westhead reports for BBC News"Top universities will provide summer school places for gifted pupils"  real 28k |
University scheme for inner city pupils
 Many pupils do not consider going to university |
Details of a scheme to invite bright inner city pupils to summer schools at top universities to encourage them to enter higher education were announced on Tuesday.
The government is concerned that some bright pupils are not being urged to continue their studies after leaving school.
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Education Secretary, David Blunkett, unveiled plans for a summer school network during a visit to a school in Camden, north London.
Under the �4m scheme, 5,000 pupils aged 16 and 17 will take week-long residential courses at universities, meeting tutors and discussing courses.
The aim is to stimulate their interest in university, and persuade them they are good enough to apply.
Sutton Trust
The scheme is one of a number of measures announced in March as part of the government's �350m Excellence in Cities initiative.
The initiative is aimed at improving standards in 450 inner city schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and Rotherham.
 The scheme will aim to stimulate pupils' interest in university |
The trust was founded in 1997, with the main objective of providing educational opportunities for academically able young people from non-privileged backgrounds.
Universities involved in the government's summer school network scheme, which will start next year, will include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, Birmingham, Sheffield, York, Nottingham, Southampton and Bristol.
Beacon schools
During their visit to La Sainte Union Convent School, Mr Blair and Mr Blunkett also revealed that another 50 schools, including La Sainte Union, are to be awarded "beacon" status.
This brings the number of beacon schools - intended to spread and share good practice and innovation - to 250.
The government aims to have 1,000 beacon schools, including at least 250 secondary schools, by 2002.
Mr Blair said: "Too many talented youngsters in inner cities have been written off as failures because of where they come from or what school they go to. They have never been given the opportunity to excel.
"Excellence in Cities is a programme for modernising our comprehensives to liberate the potential of young people through the expansion of beacon schools, specialist schools, help for gifted children as well as for those who are struggling. It will deliver excellence for the many, not the few."
Mr Blunkett said university summer schools would "help bring about a big change in the culture of many schools".
"Too many young people from inner city backgrounds believe higher education is not for them. These summer schools will help raise the aspirations of pupils, their families, schools and teachers."
Allerton Grange School, Leeds
Allfarthing Primary School, London
Boldmere Infant School, Birmingham
Cambridge School, Hammersmith and Fulham
Christ Church CE Primary School, Kensington and Chelsea
Connaught School for Girls, Waltham Forest
Eliot Bank Primary School, Lewisham
Elliott School, Wandsworth
Highbury Fields, Islington
High Storrs, Sheffield
King David High, Liverpool
King Edward VI, Birmingham
Knowsley Central Support Centre, Knowsley
Kobi Nazrul Primary School, Tower Hamlets
La Retraite RC Girls' School, Lambeth
La Sainte Union Convent School, Camden
Lyndon Green Infant School, Birmingham
Meadowhead School, Sheffield
Moselle School, Haringey
Newby First School, Bradford
North Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester
Notre Dame School, Southwark
Our Lady's Convent School, Hackney
Parliament Hill School, Camden
Piper Hill High School, Manchester
Rawmarsh Nursery School, Rotherham
Robin Hood Primary School, Birmingham
St Angela's Ursuline Convent School, Newham
St Anne's Nursery School, Kensington and Chelsea
St Benedict's RC Primary School, Leeds
St Malachy's Primary School, Liverpool
St Nicholas RC Primary School, Birmingham
St Patrick's High School, Salford
St Paul's RC High School, Greenwich
St Paul's School for Girls, Birmingham
St Sebastian's RC Junior School, Liverpool
Sion-Manning School, Kensington and Chelsea
Sir James Barrie Primary School, Wandsworth
Sir John Cass's Foundation School, City of London
Stocksbridge Junior School, Sheffield
Sudbourne Primary School, Lambeth
Swiss Cottage School, Camden
Tapton School, Sheffield
The Dean's Primary School, Salford
The John Roan School, Greenwich
Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich
Walkden High School, Salford
West Oaks School, Leeds
World's End Infant and Nursery School, Birmingham
Yerbury Primary School, Islington
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