On Wednesday 17th March we held our virtual Higher Education Evening for all the Lower Sixth students and their parents. This very much marked the first stage in the university applications process, a meeting in which students felt empowered, asked questions of professionals, and received advice about how to start thinking about where and what they wish to study at undergraduate level.

A GSA Autumn 2020 survey highlighted how students should be asking searching questions about how universities address mental health issues and their furthering of socialisation strategies in lockdown scenarios, making sure that facilities remain accessible to all.

570,000 young people were placed in higher education last year from 730,000 applications. I urged all LVI students to take advantage of the Easter and Summer holidays by working on making themselves an attractive all-rounder. Advice reiterated by our professional guests was to:

  • subscribe to specialist journals and magazines
  • attend academic lectures
  • join school clubs
  • become a Society President
  • sign up to a MOOC
  • watch a Ted Talk
  • watch Channel 4 news at 7pm
  • read the broadsheets
  • show evidence of cultural awareness, social skills, a comprehension of current affairs
  • embark on charity projects and volunteering
  • get work experience if it is available
  • enrol in summer schools
  • sign up for taster courses
  • arrange university site visits

At the Higher Education Evening this year we were joined by Andy Long from the University of Bath, Alice Stonehouse from King’s College, London and Katie Mountford from Jesus College, Cambridge. Students posed questions ranging from the specific – What makes a successful Oxbridge candidate and what are the typical A level grades achieved by students who receive offers from Oxford / Cambridge? – to the more general – How important is the Personal Statement in an application? We learned of the significance of the EPQ, how deferred entries are regarded, and how to make super-curricular activities really count in a Personal Statement.

Andy, Alice, and Katie reiterated the importance of individual experience and student motivation, the unique input a student can make in their Personal Statement and the benefit of reflection and research at this early stage. Emotional maturity and intellectual curiosity are regarded as major currencies in universities applications. All LVI students were strongly advised to keep a Personal Statement Journal in which they record experiences and activities, including extra and super-curricular events and any reading material.

On Friday 11th June, our UCAS Day, all LVI will be off timetable for the whole day, listening to professional advice and pooling initial ideas for the Personal Statement and well as learning how to activate and then make the most of the online UCAS application. Breakout sessions will address Art Schools, American applications, STEAM degrees and Gap Years. We will be welcoming university admissions expert Jane Marshall for a talk and a workshop centred on the Personal Statement. Fostering resilience and the promotion of sound mental health and wellbeing will be major topics this year; our aim is to make every Lower Sixth student feel empowered and excited about their futures. Opening accounts next week with Unifrog will enable the browsing of university destinations, course options, entry requirements and required subjects ahead of finalising decisions as they enter the Upper Sixth in September. My thanks to Matt Morley and Carole Kinnear for their invaluable help setting up this event; thanks also to colleagues Ms Williams and Ms Lewis. Finally, a big thank you to our guests from Bath, King’s, and Cambridge.

From September 2021 personnel in charge of HE will be changing:

Ms Emma Williams – Director of Higher Education (currently Dr de Bono)
Ms Jane Melchers – STEAM degree expert (currently Mr Ward)
Mr Edgar Bettridge – American and European university expert (currently Dr de Bono)
Ms Kristina Lewis remains in charge of Oxbridge applications and the EPQ

Dr Francesca de Bono
Director of Higher Education and Deputy Head of Sixth Form