Thanks a million for college scholarships

Cumberland Community School has helped students secure scholarships to top independent schools totalling nearly a million pounds.

A remarkable 12 students – dubbed the ‘dynamic dozen’ – have been offered all expenses paid places to fee-paying sixth forms including Mount Kelly in Devon, where fees are just over £60k per year, and Wellington College, where fees are £84k. Both establishments took four students each.

Other private schools to offer places include University College School, Hampstead, who have offered two students places, and Forest School in Essex. Each student had to go through a rigorous selection process which included extrance exams and interviews at the schools, often online due to covid. 

They were supported through the process by the Prestigious Colleges programme, aimed at getting students into fee-paying schools. Each student is assigned a mentor who helps with the applications, entrance exams and interviews, overseen by the Prestigious Colleges team.

Headteacher Omar Deria says they will get more students next year:

“We had seven last year, now we have 12. Next year we are aiming for 20. That would mean one in 10 students at our school will be leaving East London for some of the top fee-paying schools in the country on all expenses-paid scholarships.

This programme is a game changer for this part of Newham. Anyone who attends this school can aspire to truly life-changing oppurtunities."

The Community Schools Trust which runs The Cumberland School has helped over 60 students win scholarships to fee-paying sixth forms including four who have attended Eton.