This article was created in collaboration with De Montfort University (DMU) to celebrate our partnership, where DMU PhD and early-career researchers deliver The Scholars Programme in state schools across Leicestershire and the UK.
Muhammad Zafer dreams of becoming a brain surgeon.
Having dissected a lamb’s heart in science at primary school, he was inspired to understand how the body works, and the brain in particular.
Now, three years later, Muhammad is one of 14 Year 9 students at Rushey Mead Academy taking time out of their normal lessons to work with Keisha Patel, a PhD student at De Montfort University (DMU) Leicester, where they explore the neurological similarities between humans and fruit flies.
“It’s fascinating how something so small can be linked to human diseases,” Muhammad said. “It’s really mind-boggling but I am enjoying it.”
DMU Researcher Keisha Patel and Scholars Programme student Muhammad Zafer during a tutorial
Keisha’s research at DMU focuses on using fruit flies to investigate genes potentially associated with autism in humans, as fruit flies share similar genetic neural pathways with us. She also wants to study the fruit fly genes to understand if there is a connection between sleep disturbances and circadian disruptions in relation to neurodegenerative diseases.
Across a session a week for seven weeks, she is going into Rushey Mead to teach the children more about her neuroscience research, which has come about through a partnership between DMU and The Brilliant Club.
Through our Scholars Programme, we work with universities to place their early career researchers and PhD students into state schools to give Key Stage 2 – 5 students from less advantaged backgrounds the opportunity to engage with university-level topics outside the national curriculum.
Our aim is that time with active university researchers will inspire more students from less advantaged backgrounds to continue into higher education and apply for competitive universities, as a key route to social mobility.
This is the first academic term that DMU has partnered with us. Keisha is part of our community of more than 1,000 researchers who deliver The Scholars Programme across the UK. She feels her time working in Rushey Mead is having a positive impact:
“I think it’s important to allow students to understand what real research actually involves.
“I believe that they are taught lots of topics in science in school, but there’s often a gap between the science taught in school and real research. Coming in kind of bridges the gap and shows them what is achievable through higher education.”
Rushey Mead Year 9 students using their Scholars Programme handbooks
Since starting the programme in 2011, we’ve seen the impact that students learning about university research can have on their attainment.
Rushey Mead Academy, based in Leicester’s city centre, has been working with us for the last decade and has seen first-hand the positive impact working with the charity can have.
This year, history teacher and Assistant Pupil Premium Champion, Matthew Large, is leading the initiative on the school’s side, working with the Pupil Premium system to select less advantaged students with a high-achieving grade in science. He said:
“I think it provides these students with an opportunity to increase their ambition and their self-worth, and show them that they are capable of university.
“Having a PhD tutor gives them access to a more specific aspect of their study that goes beyond their curriculum. They get to interact with an expert who has the latest research and build a personal connection with a university.”
DMU Researcher Keisha Patel helping a Scholars Programme student
Back in the classroom, attention turns to the next activity, where the children have to map out a neurological pathway by picking a driver and responder card.
Much like his classmate Muhammad, Jai Patel has always been keen on science and wants to pursue the subject in university.
Time with Keisha has allowed him to get a better understanding of how science affects so many things in everyday life, and while he doesn’t know what scientific discipline he wants to study just yet, it’s inspired him to think more about what he wants to do in the future.
“When Miss Patel first told us how fruit flies are genetically similar to humans, we just couldn’t believe it. But it’s true and she’s showing us her research to back it up.
“It’s like an experience of what you can pick at university. It’s got me thinking, this is just one subject but there are so many different areas and things at university, it’s quite exciting.”
Bhakti Makwana, another student on the programme, said:
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to be this good in science, and I’m really, really honoured that they chose me to be in The Brilliant Club, because I never believed in myself before.
“She [Keisha] really helps me when I’m struggling with a few questions or long words that are confusing me. She takes the time to go into more detail and I really appreciate that because I get to learn more about it than I would on the surface.”
Rushey Mead Scholars Programme student Jai Patel
As the session comes to an end, it’s clear that all the students who have taken part are keen to go on and study at university – even if Keisha’s passion for science hasn’t inspired everyone to pick the subject.
“I want to study law,” Chayasurya Pandya says just before the bell for break goes. “I think it’s really interesting because we get to do lots of work in the lessons and get exposed to new things like neuroscience, but I really like the idea of law.”
“They often say it’s like a fun science lesson”, Keisha laughs, “so I’m doing something to make science enjoyable.”
“I enjoy teaching them a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I love the lab and love my research but then also I enjoy the aspects of getting students in and teaching them what we do in the lab. Maybe I’ll be a lecturer/researcher.”
Adam Joseph-Kerr, a senior programme officer at The Brilliant Club, helps the researchers prepare their curriculum and ensure they are ready for the classroom.
He has been working with researchers like Keisha across the Midlands for the past three years and feels young people can broaden their understanding of what’s achievable at university by working with PhD tutors. He said:
“Schools obviously have a vested interest in making sure that all of their pupils have the best opportunities to progress to university.
“We know that there’s still work to be done on university access, but we’ve found that working with tutors to deliver programmes with pupils outside of the core curriculum can be a great way to develop their confidence and knowledge, helping make university possible.”
After the children at Rushey Mead have completed their course with Keisha, they will travel to a university in the new year, meet up with other pupils who completed The Scholars Programme and explore the facilities on offer before having their own graduation ceremony.
If you’re interested in running The Scholars Programme in your school, school staff can make an enquiry to find out more about how the programme can benefit your students.