Students from deprived east London borough win private college scholarships worth £1million Rachael Burford
Students at a London academy in one of the most deprived areas in the country have won scholarships worth nearly £1million to top independent schools.
A dozen high achieving pupils from Cumberland School in Plaistow have been offered all expenses paid places to fee paying sixth forms, including to Francis Holland in Chelsea where alumni include Senna Miller, Jemima Khan and Cara Delevingne.
Mount Kelly in Devon and Wellington College are taking four students each, while others will be attending University College School, Hampstead and Forest School in Essex.
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Headteacher Omar Deria said: “We have absolutely no worries about our students’ academic ability but the social environment they are entering may be wholly unfamiliar.
“This isn’t about changing who they are or the way they act. It’s about making sure they are as confident as they can be during interviews and at their new schools.
“We want to level the playing field and give our students every chance to compete with those who have come from wealthier backgrounds.
“The skills they learn won’t just help them in their new schools, but later in life as well. They’re learning little things, such as what fork to use at a fancy dinner, as well as how to what’s expected at job and university interviews. I’ve picked up a few tips myself.”