Easter Residentials 2026

Over the Easter holidays, Magdalene hosted its annual residentials for students from our link areas of Merseyside, the Isle of Man, and North Wales.

Seren Residential

Magdalene collaborated with Churchill College to host students from across Wales who are part of the Seren Academy. Students applied to specific streams, with Magdalene hosting History and Archaeology; Theology and Philosophy; Medicine; and Engineering, whilst Churchill hosted streams in Law; Human, Social, and Political Sciences; and English. Students at both Colleges came together for meals and evening activities. Whilst they were here, they took part in many academic and social activities aimed at helping them learn more about living and studying at the University of Cambridge.

Our Admissions Tutor for Outreach, Dr Sara Caputo (2019), hosted a History lecture and offered application guidance. Students on the Humanities streams also attended lectures in Theology, Philosophy, and Classics, as well as visits to the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. We are very grateful to Dr Alexander Bryan (2023), Dr John Patterson (1984), and Dr Ankur Barua for delivering these lectures.

The Medicine stream visited the Department of Genetics and ran their own experiments, as well as attending lectures from two Magdalene PhD students on topics in Public Health and Immunity. A Magdalene medicine student, Jacob, also delivered a session on the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and Medicine interviews.

For the Engineering stream, students received a lecture from a PhD student and attended tours and workshops at both the Engineering and Chemical Engineering faculties. Dr Zach Bond (2012) ran an interview and Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) session for students on this stream to help prepare them for the competitive admissions process.

We are proud to say that of the Seren Residential attendees, 56% met at least one of the University of Cambridge’s Widening Participation criteria:

• 36% would be the first in their family to go to university
• 44% are eligible for Free School Meals or Pupil Premium

Magdalene Residential

We also welcomed 46 Year 12 students from across Merseyside and the Isle of Man, representing 22 different schools. They were selected from a pool of over 200 applicants.

The students were divided into three streams, Arts and Humanities, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences, based on A Level subjects and their preferences.

The Arts and Humanities stream received a History lecture and admissions guidance from Dr Sara Caputo (2019) and visited the Fitzwilliam Museum. They also had subject taster lectures from Dr Simon Ravenscroft (2018) and Ms Niamh Bridson Hubbard (2016) on Theology and HSPS, respectively. In addition, they attended workshops at the University Library and the English Department, as well as several tours of other Colleges.

The Life Sciences stream received lectures from two Magdalene PhD students and visited the Department of Genetics. They also took part in a session to help them prepare for the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). The stream attended a Psychology lecture on the neurobiology of stress and a workshop at the Whipple Museum.

The Physical Sciences stream attended workshops and classes at the Departments of Engineering and Chemical Engineering, led by Magdalene’s Dr Rich Roebuck (1994) and Dr Zach Bond (2012). They also took part in an ESAT and Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) preparation session and a Physical Sciences interview session, during which students had many questions. Alongside a Maths problem-solving session led by Dr Maria Ivan (2023), students visited the Institute of Astronomy. They observed the Sun and Venus through a telescope, attended a lecture supporting their Physics A Level studies, and took part in a departmental tour.

We are pleased to report that of the Magdalene Residential attendees, 70% met at least one of the University of Cambridge’s Widening Participation criteria:

• 37% would be the first in their family to go to university
• 26% are eligible for Free School Meals or Pupil Premium
• 37% identify as belonging to an ethnic minority
• 55% live in an area of high deprivation, IMD 1 and 2

Students completed pre- and post-residential surveys to assess the programme's impact. One notable result was that 100% said they understood what it would be like to study at a university like Cambridge, compared to 29% at the beginning of the week.

Across both residentials, students took part in social activities that offered a glimpse of College life. These included a punting tour and a formal dinner.

We would like to extend our thanks to all the academics, PhD students, and Department and College staff who provided teaching and tours. We are also grateful to the Magdalene conferencing, catering, and housekeeping teams for their support.

We would also like to thank the staff at Ballakermeen School for accompanying the Isle of Man students and for their enthusiasm throughout the residential. Finally, we are very grateful to the Seren staff for their assistance in planning and delivering the Seren Residential.

By Ms Tess Bottomley, Schools Liaison Officer