Admissions '09: Still Selective
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Featuresp20-21 Sportsp29-32 Artsp22 Our critics round-up After an historic win in cricket, a Star of The the best events of look through the sporting annals to Inbetweeners and this summer: a nod celebrate this summer’s victory Footlights alumni to what we loved Simon Bird when the sun still on leaving shone Cambridge and going back to school Friday October 2 2009 e Independent Student Newspaper since 1947 Issue no 700 | varsity.co.uk King’s Dean Admissions ‘09: still selective found dead Varsity News Team Glasgow-born Reverend Ian Thomp- son, former Dean of King’s College Chapel, was found dead from asphyxiation in a suspected suicide at his home in Great Shelford last Thursday. Cambridgeshire police have said that they are not treating 32 32 his death as suspicious. WESTMINSTER SCHOOL HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM Mr Thompson, 50, was ordained in 1994 and spent fi ve years with the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. He became Dean of Chapel at King’s College in 2005, having previously held posts at Selwyn and Newnham Colleges. 26 24 24 24 In a statement, his widow Ann ST PAUL’S GIRLS’ NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE RAFFLES24 JUNIOR COLLEGE, spoke of the affection in which his SCHOOL SCHOOL SINGAPORE SEVENOAKS colleagues and friends held him, ETON PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE testifi ed by the hundreds of cards and messages she has received. Mr Thompson’s yearly readings at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols were familiar to millions. A Strathclyde Police source has 23 2 2 21 19 confirmed that in 2007 a report ETON QUEEN ELIZABETH’S SCHOOL, TONBRIDGE MANCHESTER GRAMMAR was submitted to the Procurator COLLEGE BARNET SCHOOL SCHOOL Fiscal in connection with “historical indecencies” allegedly committed by Mr Thompson in Ayrshire. » 1 in 3 state-educated freshers went to grammar school Scotland’s Crown Offi ce has since » 12 per cent of new students come from the top 20 secondary schools confi rmed that the late clergyman was under investigation for allega- intake came from state schools, the Dr Parks, whose tenure at the students may be put off applying, tions of sexual assault. A spokesman Beth Staton and Emma Mustich proportion of state school students is Admissions Office has seen the and so on.” said: ‘’We can confirm that the News Editors dominated by students coming from scrapping of Cambridge’s separate An impressive 70 per cent of the Procurator Fiscal in Kilmarnock successful and selective grammar Cambridge Application Form and UK’s 233 remaining grammar schools received a report on December 4 Students from non-grammar state schools, to a degree inconsonant with the attached fee, said the statistics have sent pupils to Cambridge this 2007 relating to Ian Thompson, in schools are still struggling to get national fi gures. highlighted the complexity of achiev- year, and the average grammar connection with incidents in the into Cambridge. New admissions Of all state-educated students ing equality in British education. school fresher can expect to be accom- 1980s and 1990s.” fi gures for 2009, compiled by Varsity, matriculating this week, 34 per cent “It’s very clear that a young panied by two or three classmates. On Tributes page 4 reveal a signifi cant access gap in the were educated at grammar schools. person will thrive if there’s competi- the other hand, a signifi cant minority state sector between grammar and Nationally, just 3.8 per cent of tion within the school they’re in,” he of the UK’s over 3,000 ‘mainstream’ non-grammar school students. students attend these academically told Varsity. “At grammar schools non-grammar state schools sent Mary Admissions head Geoff Parks selective institutions, which are only and independent schools there is pupils to the University, and those claimed the fi ndings are testament provided in 36 Local Authorities. an expectation of going to univer- that did sent an average of 1.7. Midgely to the fact that “selective education Of the 2,999 British-educated fresh- sity; effectively once students are The fi ndings echo those of previ- Darwin and works”. ers, just 717 (24 per cent) are from through the door they’re in a system ous years. Results for 2008, published his betrayal at Although Cambridge’s admis- non-grammar state schools, despite that will make them into a competi- in the University Reporter this sions statistics usually stress the the fact that, based on fi gures from tive applicant, and very little can go April, show that last year 33 per the hands of split between independent and the Independent Schools Council wrong. cent of applications from grammar Dawkins. ‘maintained’ schools, the new fi gures (ISC) and the Sutton Trust, such “They are limited only by their schools were successful, compared show a more complicated picture. students make up 90 per cent of the own ability, whereas at some compre- with a 25 per cent success rate for Whilst 48% per cent of this year’s national school leaving population. hensive schools there’s less support, Continued on page 5 p10 2 Friday October 2nd 2009 News Editors: Avantika Chilkoti, Emma Mustich and Beth Staton News www.varsity.co.uk [email protected] In Brief Law Professor argues for lower age of consent Speaking last week on Radio 4’s ‘Iconoclasts’ programme, law professor John Spencer, a Fellow of Selwyn College, called for the age of consent to be lowered. Spencer argued that the current age of consent criminalises “half the population”: “In theory, the paedophile offences in the Sexual Offences Act make criminals... out of normal children and young persons, for doing things that children and young persons often do, and no sane person thinks are seriously wrong.” MPs including Ann Widde- combe and David Davies have objected to the argument, as have many religious organi- sations, including some who argued that the debate should never have been aired on the BBC. » A 70-foot mural, drawn by Quentin Blake to celebrate the University’s 800th Anniversary, was unveiled at Addenbrooke’s this week. Each of the mural’s 15 panels, Judge Business one of which is shown here, depicts a different stage in the history of the University. To see more, visit www.800.cam.ac.uk. School in Abu Dhabi TOMPKINS TABLE 2009 Cambridge University’s Judge University prepares for Business School has joined forces Ranking Tompkins % potential swine flu outbreak (2008) College Score Firsts with UAE University’s College One third of Trinity 1 (3) Trinity 68.83% 33.40% of Business and Economics to students acheived firsts this 2 (2) Emmanuel 66.99% 26.20% establish and support a centre their symptoms. Anti-viral medica- year, taking the College to 3 (1) Selwyn 66.91% 26.80% for executive education in Abu Gemma Oke tion such as Tamiflu can be collected the top of the table for the 4 (4) Gonville & Caius 66.85% 26.30% first time in 11 years. Dhabi. Open enrolment will Senior Reporter at Chesterton Hospital by nominated 5 (11) St. Catharine’s 66.58% 27.10% commence in 2010 with each ‘flu friends’, who should provide 6 (10) Pembroke 66.00% 28.10% university providing customised New guidelines for students and proof of their own and the affected 7 (6) Churchill 65.48% 25.40% 8 (5) Magdalene 65.35% 23.30% programmes for students and Colleges have been prepared in student’s identity. Eight Colleges retained 9 (15) Trinity Hall 65.03% 22.90% indsutry representatives. anticipation of a second wave of A spokesperson for the University their position on the table, 10 (9) Corpus Christi 64.88% 22.00% swine flu cases as students return to told Varsity it is “likely” that more 11 dropped places, and ten 11 (7) Jesus 64.81% 21.50% Varsity at the Cambridge for the new term. antiviral collection points will be increased their standing. 12 (16) Queens’ 64.08% 23.10% Guardian Student College guides state that affected established, but that their location 13 (8) Christ’s 63.88% 23.20% Media Awards students should be quarantined and was as yet unconfirmed. 14 (20) St. John’s 63.51% 21.20% will not be admitted to hospital or He continued, “It is predicted that 15 (12) Downing 63.44% 19.70% Seven Varsity staff writers have routinely visited by a doctor or nurse we will see a significant upturn in 16 (17) Peterhouse 62.99% 23.60% 17 (19) King’s 62.24% 20.20% been shortlisted for Guardian “unless very unwell.” They should cases around the start of October 18 (13) Clare 62.18% 19.70% Student Media Awards based rely on friends for medicine and food. when students return to Colleges, in 19 (18) Robinson 62.16% 20.10% on work they did for the paper Advice for students emphasises line with the national pattern. This 20 (22) Girton 61.80% 17.30% last year. Zing Tsjeng (Emman- the importance of good hygiene is why the Swine Flu Working Group 21 (21) Fitzwilliam 61.23% 18.30% uel) and Decca Muldowney practices, and suggests that all has been meeting regularly over the Sidney Sussex suffered 22 (14) Sidney Sussex 60.75% 14.40% (King’s) were shortlisted for students purchase a personal supply summer to make sure our plans are the biggest fall this year, 23 (23) New Hall 60.30% 15.70% dropping eight places from 24 (24) Newnham 58.98% 12.20% Best Student Features Writer; of over-the-counter flu medication robust and well-communicated”. 14 to 22. former Editor Michael Stothard and a thermometer to help identify “The College system is ideal for 25 (25) Homerton 58.25% 13.10% 26 (26) Hughes Hall 56.30% 16.70% (Homerton) for Best News and alleviate symptoms of the virus.