As part of our commitment to providing excellent progression opportunities, we were delighted to welcome Shelby Holmes, Senior Outreach Officer at New College, Oxford, to our sixth form to introduce New College's Step-Up programme to over 60 of our Year 12 students.
The Step-Up programme is designed to inspire and support students in making a competitive application to Oxford. As a sustained-contact scheme, it provides regular interaction with New College’s Outreach team over two years. This ongoing support guides students through the stages of the university application process, making the prospect of attending Oxford both approachable and attainable.
We have identified over 100 students from our Year 12 cohort who have the ability to progress to Oxford, most of whom have already taken advantage of this five-step programme.
Step 1 is an introductory session about universities and challenges students' existing perceptions of the University of Oxford.
Step 2 is hosted at New College. Students have the chance to tour the facilities, meet current students and academics, and have a session on their current and future options.
Step 3 is all about understanding the application process, students will get a real sense of what is expected from successful candidates.
Step 4 helps students make a start on their personal statements, analysing existing statements to see what works well, what doesn't, and the kind of activities they could be doing to further their own subject interests.
Step 5 introduces students to Oxford interviews, informing them about the process and helping them prepare.
We’re proud to be the only Sixth Form College in the North East participating in this impactful programme, and we look forward to working closely with New College Oxford to support our students over the next two years.
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