A record 70% of Oxford University’s undergraduates next year will come from state schools. Five years ago state school applicants to Oxford received just 56% of undergraduate offers and 43% went to those educated at independent schools, despite a substantial imbalance in the numbers applying. The university found itself regularly criticised for ignoring well-qualified, state-educated students, especially from black or disadvantaged backgrounds. Target Oxbridge – a diversity recruitment programme which has the author Zadie Smith as a patron – says it has helped a record number of British students of black heritage gain places at Oxford and Cambridge. Naomi Kellman, one of its founders, said: “We started with just six students in 2012, and so it is amazing to see the programme now supporting over 70 black British students to secure Oxbridge offers.”
*The Guardian
Parley
Middle English parlai speech, probably from Middle French parlee, from Medieval Latin parabolare, from Late Latin parabola speech, parable
First Known Use: 1580*
“Parley” is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or points in dispute or other matters; mutual discourse.
The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb “to speak”.
Beginning in the High Middle Ages with the expansion of monarchs, a parley, or “talk”, was a meeting held between kings and their Chief Retainers. Parleys were part of the many changes in Europe, especially regarding governments. These meetings can be attributed to the formation of parliaments, which are derived from a similar root, parliamentum, simply meaning “talking”.**
Act V Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Drum. Enter BRUTUS, CASSIUS, and their Army; LUCILIUS, TITINIUS, MESSALA, and others
BRUTUS: They stand, and would have parley.
*Merriam-Webster
**Wikipedia (from Webster)
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