Slaughters launches scheme to help state-school kids' social mobility
Slaughter and May has teamed up with an inner-city school in a bid to help give students a better chance of winning places at top universities.
The magic circle firm has launched a social mobility project for Central Foundation Boys’ School in Islington, with the firm funding weekly one-to-one tutorials, after-school workshops and career insight events.
It has committed to fund the project for at least three years from the start of this year.
The firm said the initiative, known as the Key Project, was designed to “help motivated students get into top universities by enhancing their academic achievements, confidence, articulacy and career aspirations”.
As part of the scheme, students will be guided through university application processes and helped with university visits and interview training, with Slaughters partners, associates and support staff involved. The firm will also fund a full-time on-site programme manager.
The scheme, in partnership with The Access Project, an educational charity, will give places to 40 pupils at the school in the first year, with this figure rising to at least 80 by 2013.
Slaughters was one of 23 firms that last year signed up to the Prime social mobility initiative, which required member firms to provide at least 30-35 hours of work experience and offer at least as many work experience places annually as it does training contracts (14 September 2011).
Readers' comments (8)
Anonymous | 8-Mar-2012 12:50 pm
What about the girls?
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Anonymous | 8-Mar-2012 1:08 pm
This is an excellent idea. Rather than campaigning to level down the entry process - which hitherto is commonplace amongst social pressure groups - Slaughters are helping educate state pupils into becoming more astute as to the workings of the application process. Social mobility is great providing that it brings the bottom up and not pulling the top down. Init?
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Anonymous | 8-Mar-2012 3:38 pm
"state school kids " as opposed to 2public school children". Your journalism is a class riled as this patronising idea.
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Anonymous | 8-Mar-2012 4:30 pm
The Lawyer iz down with the kids, init.
Ridiculous heading.
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georgiana | 8-Mar-2012 8:32 pm
Anonymous, you do know that "public school children" means those who go to a private school right?!
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Anonymous | 8-Mar-2012 10:31 pm
Can't help but think that if law firms in general cared about improving social mobility they would not ask what school you went to or for your A level results, which only exist to get you into university. Rather, they should concentrate on your university results and your work experience.
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Carrie | 9-Mar-2012 2:32 pm
I do find myself agreeing with @Anonymous 8-Mar in that where you go to school shouldn't matter and neither should A-Levels to a greater extent as mine were not that much more challenging than at GCSE level - and I did Psychology, English, History and Law so not exactly so-called "mickey mouse" subjects looked down on so heavily by so many. However I would also suggest more of an emphasis on interviews as surely the only things which should matter in getting that elusive and coveted TC are what your degree result is and how enthusiastic you are for theat firm/area of practice, both of which show better in interviews than in cold, clinical application forms. I would also suggest, though I may get shouted down for this, that where you go shouldn't matter either as I currently attent Law School at a certain former polytechnic meaning I have seen the sheer volume of snobbery about the institution, even though the main reason I chose this University over others was one to help care for my very ill Nan and second because I honestly though the childish "my school is more prestigious than yours" mentality was dying out so it wouldn't harm my legal chances. The only things which should matter, as I said before, are enthusiasm (as shown by work experience and in interview) and intelligence (illustrated by degree classification and any assessment centre tests as appropriate).
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P Edant | 14-Mar-2012 3:12 pm
Carrie, I would suggest more of an emphasis on proper punctuation and spelling.
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