Malvern College on thinking beyond Oxbridge

Keith Metcalfe, Head of Malvern College, discusses why schools need to broaden their outlook and think beyond Oxbridge to help students find the right match for their aspirations

As Head of a boarding school with a long history, and a number of international schools within the group, it’s maybe not surprising that wherever I go in the world I meet alumni – more often than not, entirely by chance.

Recently, returning from an international trip, I commented that I love the fact that Malvernians seem to be the type of people who believe they can ‘go anywhere, do anything’. One of the central tenets to our purpose is to instil in our pupils the skills and confidence to make a positive impact on the world they go out into.

A recent alumnus just qualified as a BA pilot, making six pilots in total that we know of (not including those in the Armed Forces). He’s a great example of somebody who aimed high – literally – and determinedly followed his own path, rather than the more traditional route of an elite university followed by a highly paid job in professional services.

Reading the histories of my school, its perception of success appears far too closely linked to just two universities. Even in the days when Oxbridge seemed the preserve of public school pupils, it was always a small minority who went on to these institutions. The vast majority did not and, of those I have met, they seem to have unfailingly led successful and fulfilling lives.

“What sets apart a truly great school is its ability to do all that it can to support and encourage a wide variety of routes to success”

The UK, indeed the world, has many brilliant further and higher education options, and it’s time we began to value them. I increasingly see teenagers much more inclined to look beyond the traditional view of the epitome of academic excellence who are willing and able to go after the things that matter to them. This generation is extremely discerning about picking the right option for them: the right subject, a specific style of teaching, an institution that values wellbeing, somewhere that provides relevant work experience or can open the right doors.

To secure a place at an elite UK university is a huge achievement and remains highly competitive. For some this is exactly the right path but for others, including many who are perfectly capable of securing a place, it is not where they would choose to be or, quite honestly, where they would thrive. It’s why I believe what sets apart a truly great school is its ability to do all that it can to support and encourage a wide variety of routes to success. Great schools also know their pupils well, so the support is there to make the most of their hard work and give them options.

Within the UK, there are 22 world-leading, research-led universities in the Russell Group alone, offering outstanding prospects. And why stop there? We’ve seen an increase in US applications from Malvern pupils and now have a member of staff dedicated to supporting pupils through the American application process (and one for Europe). While Oxbridge may focus on academic rigour, Ivy League institutions like Yale, Harvard and Princeton combine this with sporting excellence and enhanced support through scholarships.

I will soon attend my 30 years since matriculation at a Cambridge college and am greatly looking forward to re-engaging with old friends. Many are extremely successful and eminent in their fields. However, I’m not sure how many of us have really ‘gone anywhere, done anything’ in the way that I see from our young people today.

When we tell young people the sky’s the limit, we really need to mean it. As schools we do that by broadening our own measures of success.  

Malvern College malverncollege.org.uk

Further reading: Inspiring future ecologists through education