OXBRIDGE & THE RUSSELL GROUPAt Tallis, we believe every student with the potential to do so should be encouraged to apply to Oxford, Cambridge and other elite universities. We have an excellent track record for this, we'd say: we have sent well over a thousand students to university in the last five years and over 75% of our Year 13 students held offers from 'Russell Group Plus' institutions - that is, Russell Group institutions, top-10-for-subject institutions, and highly specialist single-faculty institutions such as SOAS. Over a third of our students went off to Russell Group universities, and many to Oxbridge and medical school. We think this is a good showing for a sixth form like ours.
We retain close relationships with Tallis alumni who have studied or are studying at top universities and we use those students to encourage aspiration in pupils throughout the school. We've run an extremely successful 'Russell Group' conference for Oxbridge and Russell Group applicants from across the London Borough of Greenwich every March for the last decade, and we take students to Oxbridge every year for a look round. We have extra lessons and coaching arrangements in place for STEM and medicine/dentistry/veterinary applicants, and for students who need to take STEP papers or the BMAT etc. For arts, humanities, and social science applicants, we run regular 'Thinking Aloud' sessions, designed to develop the thinking and talking skills that will be needed to excel in an Oxbridge interview. Finally, we provide bespoke support for students who have an Oxbridge or medical school interview coming up, involving mock interviews and feedback sessions. All of this is provided by our dedicated UCAS team, themselves graduates of top universities, who guide the students through the application process. Our own admissions staff have studied at Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Warwick and Manchester, and worked in London universities like UCL, Queen Mary and City, so we have sound 'in-house' knowledge of how such places work. We pride ourselves on giving tough but fair advice to every student who's in a position to apply ambitiously. In the last three years alone, every one of our students with ABB or better (and many of those with lower grades than this) who wanted to apply to a Russell Group university is now studying at one.
|
'Super-curriculars': Going beyond the curriculum
Oxbridge admissions tutors tell us that they don't want necessarily want 'rounded individuals', but applicants who can demonstrate a major passion for their chosen subject. It is therefore essential for potential applicants to go beyond their A level curriculums. You can do this by taking an aspect of your subjects you are most interested in, and exploring related topics. For instance, if you enjoyed studying UK elections in Government and Politics, why not take an interest in elections in other countries, and see how they compare? The HE+ website from the University of Cambridge is also a great resource, as it allows you to search for challenging activities, engaging videos and reflective questions related to a range of degree courses. Gonville and Caius College have their own version of this, called Caius Explore, which is also well worth a look. You can also find a range of options, organised by subject area, on the Advancing Access website, while Lectures London lets you find free to attend lectures from leading universities and institutions around London. Gresham College also host lots of informative lectures, some of which you can attend in-person in London, or watch online. And don't forgot to look out for emails and opportunities from the UCAS team and your tutors and head of year! Thinking of applying to do Medicine?Calling all potential medics! If you are thinking of pursuing a career in a medical field, you need to be on top of the latest developments in the world of medicine and the ethical issues surrounding them.
This blog from the British Medical Journal is a good place to start your search for such information. For more advanced information, you might find the Cochrane Reviews helpful. This is a large online library of medical research and trials. Though often written in highly technical language, there is always a plain language summary. One of our former students also found this Medical School application guide useful: it must have been helpful as this student now has a place to study Medicine at the University of Glasgow! |
The Russell Group
What is the "Russell Group?"
"The Russell Group represents 20 leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience for students of all backgrounds and unrivalled links with business and the public sector." That's what they say, anyway! They may not always be the "best" unis for a particular subject - especially if you want to study a newer discipline such as digital communication or a creative subject like photography - but they are generally the most prestigious unis for traditional academic subjects like history or law.
What should I do if I'm not sure about my level 3 course choices?
See Ms McGowan, either in the English Office or the Year 13 Office. She is ridiculously expert on how course picks relate to university course choices. You can also see Dr Pinkerton in the Silent Study Area office - he is ridiculously expert also!
"The Russell Group represents 20 leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience for students of all backgrounds and unrivalled links with business and the public sector." That's what they say, anyway! They may not always be the "best" unis for a particular subject - especially if you want to study a newer discipline such as digital communication or a creative subject like photography - but they are generally the most prestigious unis for traditional academic subjects like history or law.
What should I do if I'm not sure about my level 3 course choices?
See Ms McGowan, either in the English Office or the Year 13 Office. She is ridiculously expert on how course picks relate to university course choices. You can also see Dr Pinkerton in the Silent Study Area office - he is ridiculously expert also!