An Oldham secondary school has welcomed visitors from Eton College.

E-ACT The Oldham Academy North in Oldham welcomed members of Eton Connect to the academy this month to discuss supporting student aspiration and ambition. 

Year 7 and 11 students took part in a student voice session with the Eton College representatives on Thursday, October 5.

The aim of the session was for pupils to find out more about the lives the Eton students lead and what their experiences are with their own learning journeys.

The boys-only Eton College, founded in the 1400s, boasts alumni including Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister; George Orwell, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, as well as Princes William and Harry.

Recently, plans to launch a new Eton-backed sixth form in Oldham were revealed, though they weren’t without controversy – with some Oldham residents calling the plans a ‘kick in the teeth’.

Fees for the prestigious school are a whopping £49,998 for the 2023/24 academic year – more than twice the median annual salary for someone living in Oldham.

Eton College is a registered charity, meaning it enjoys a tax discount. The school received a total income of more than £100 million in the last financial year, according to the Charity Commission.

Eton Connect says it aims to work in partnership with schools for the benefit of children and teachers through research, digital resources, summer schools, visits and events.

The college works with numerous state schools on activities of mutual benefit as part of the ‘Eton Connect’ programme. 

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Eton has also offered free self-study EtonX courses as a response to the Coronavirus pandemic, which has been taken up by more than 1,000 state-maintained schools in the UK. 

The college says it encourages students and staff to engage ‘very actively’ through service to their local communities.

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Jessica Giraud, headteacher at E-ACT The Oldham Academy North, said: “At The Oldham Academy North, we want all our students to succeed and to realise their full potential and it was great for our students to take part in this session with the visitors from Eton. 

“I am extremely proud of all those who attended, as they answered some very complex questions about their aspirations and future plans.”

Tom Campbell, chief executive of E-ACT said: “I was delighted to hear that The Oldham Academy North is working closely with Eton Connect. 

“We want all our students to dream big when it comes to their future and partnerships like this can only help to inspire them.”