York College students to study at University of Cambridge

The quartet have been dubbed “York College’s Fab Four” following their success on the college’s access to higher education in humanities course for adults aged 19 or over.

Kierran Horsfield, 29, Poppy Jeavons, 22, Maurice Cooper, 22, and Isaac Lees, 20, have achieved distinction grades throughout the nine-month, full-time diploma.

The course allows students to choose to specialise in two of the three subject options: English literature, history or law.

One of two additional smaller units – politics: theory and Concepts or analysing short stories – is also selected.

Maurice Cooper (Image: Supplied)

Kierran and Maurice have accepted offers to study history at the University of Cambridge’s St Edmund’s College.

Poppy will be studying English Literature at Cambridge’s Wolfson College, while Isaac will study history and politics at Hughes Hall.

For Maurice, who left school six years ago without any GCSEs after being placed in a pupil referral unit from the age of 14, he will enrol at one of the world’s most renowned educational institutions.

He suffered from drink and drug addictions as a teenager but has been clean from both for almost four years.

St Edmund’s College (Image: Supplied)

Maurice said it had been a “big journey” to get to where he is now. “I didn’t think I would go to uni, because I didn’t have any GCSEs,” he said.

“It’s quite rare that someone doesn’t have any at all and I remember the day that my former classmates got their GCSEs and just feeling awful. Back then, I just thought I was too stupid for education.

“I did my GCSEs last year, though, and got a nine in English Literature. So after that, I had something in writing that suggested I wasn’t.

“Now, I’m going to Cambridge and I couldn’t have done it any other way than on an access course.

“I’ve never lived outside of York before and I’m from Acomb, so going from Acomb to Cambridge is going to be a change!”

‘I’ve finally got my happy ending’

Like Maurice, Poppy has an autism diagnosis and has finally prevailed in education after dropping out of her A Level studies three times due to a highly challenging set of circumstances. These included the death of a family friend she was living with during the Covid pandemic, a spell homeless and health issues.

Poppy Jeavons (Image: Supplied)

Poppy thanked her York College English literature tutor Alison Willis for supporting her, which she believes was crucial in ensuring her latest return to education had a “happy ending”.

“I had some issues in January when I got really ill and had to miss a few weeks. I thought everything was happening again and I might have to drop out, but Alison stopped that from happening,” Poppy said.

“She kept messaging me and sending me work, so I could still get my assignments done, even though I was in hospital. Now, I’ve finally got my happy ending!”

Kierran Horsfield (Image: Supplied)

Kierran, meanwhile, returned to education at York College more than a decade on from what he called the “absolutely catastrophic” experience of receiving four U (unclassified) AS Level grades at the age of 17.

He decided to give up his job as a support worker for people with brain injuries and autism-based learning difficulties to pursue a university education.

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Kierran now dreams of becoming a medieval historian. “I want to throw myself fully into history and die with like nine degrees and two University Challenge trophies!” he said.

“Before I came back to York College last summer, the only evidence I had of academic achievement was four Us at AS Level, so I was terrified handing in my first essay, but my tutors have been there 100 per cent of the way for 100 per cent of the time.”

Isaac Lees (Image: Supplied)

Isaac travelled to York College from Sheffield for the access course to fulfil his Oxbridge ambitions after his choice of A Level science subjects saw him fall short of the results required.

“I think I needed more guidance with my choices at school because I didn’t even do History GCSE and, now, I’m going to be studying it at Cambridge!” Isaac said.

“I’m very, very grateful for the standard of teaching I’ve had at York College.”