University Support

During the Lower Sixth, all students will be provided with sessions on interview skills by members of the Futures Team.

In addition, students can benefit from the School’s extensive list of external contacts in every field, on whom the School can draw for interview practice.  This gives students a unique opportunity to put into practice and hone those skills developed in the Futures Programme in as realistic a context as possible.

Individual specialist preparation support is also available to all students, regardless of their chosen route of study and Advanced Tutorial Groups help students prepare for the most competitive university courses at the UK’s top tier of universities.The groups meet weekly, and students are encouraged to lead discussions on a range of current and thought-provoking topics.

There are three separate groups:

Medics Advanced Tutorial Group – for those applying to medical courses, including veterinary medicine and dentistry;

Oxbridge Advanced Tutorial Group – for those applying to study other courses at top-tier universities, including Oxbridge. Students considering Oxford or Cambridge also benefit from tailored preparation, including residential visits to both universities, where they stay in college accommodation and gain first-hand experience of academic life at these world-renowned institutions;

Engineering Advanced Tutorial Group – for prospective Engineers.

Sessions cover the intricacies of the application process, preparation for admissions tests and interviews, and making effective use of open days. Those whose courses will contain a heavy mathematical component are given extra support to prepare them for interviews, assessments, and STEP examinations where required.

Sifting through the multitude of courses and institutions available to students can be a daunting process. Thankfully, UCAS (the University and Colleges Admissions Service) and Unifrog have developed a set of tools to make the process easier to navigate. UCAS Hub and Unifrog not only provide information and guidance on university courses, but also on apprenticeships and going into employment. They provide tools to search for and record preferred courses, find answers to any questions students have about the university application process and even start building their Personal Statement. There are also sections on special offers available to prospective students and forthcoming events such as online careers fairs and higher education conferences, which can help them make timely decisions regarding their future. Students can also use Unifrog to search for apprenticeship vacancies. online courses and recommended reading, listening or viewing relating to a range of career paths and academic directions.