DOZENS of pupils will be handpicked for Oxford and Cambridge university coaching in a bid to boost the number of graduates in Swindon.

Starting next month 60 pupils will be selected from four secondary schools and New College to receive one-to-one mentoring and tutoring.

A charity is offering the programme to help Year 10 and Year 12 teenagers at Churchfields School, St Joseph’s Catholic College, Greendown School and Commonweal School get into the country’s top 20 universities.

Swindon is one of only two towns chosen by the Villiers Park Educational Trust to run the Scholars’ Programme.

Greendown headteacher Clive Zimmerman said: “Without a university in the town it’s natural that many youngsters with the talent to go to university don’t consider it.

“This project is going to take a group of very able students and hopefully give them the drive and ambition to aim for top universities.

“There are also benefits for the whole school as the Villiers Park Trust will be sharing their knowledge and strategies on how to get the best from gifted and talented pupils.

“This will affect many more pupils beyond those selected for the more intensive part of the scheme.

“As there are only two places in the country where this project is running (Hastings and Swindon) we are very lucky to be part of this.”

Students who have been identified as gifted are being picked by schools for the three-year programme.

The Scholars Programme aims to work with teenagers who would never consider going to university and are without a family tradition of higher education.

Swindon Ten Learning Network co-ordinator Jim Robbins said: “Compared to other places Swindon doesn’t have a great record of people going into higher education. Villiers Park Trust feels Swindon is a place with a lot of people who have the skills to go to university “I’m delighted that Swindon has been offered the opportunity to get such great, targeted support for those students who need it to help them reach their potential.

“Going to university can play a massive role in helping people to achieve their potential, and anything that we can do to break down the barriers that exist which can stop people going on to reach their goals has to be a good thing.

“Potential students in the town are already disadvantaged as we don’t have a university in Swindon, we need to work to open up opportunities to our young people.”

The Scholars’ Programme will also offer residential courses, personal progression plans and preparation for university applications.