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Oxbridge application tips

Thu 4 July 2024 - 13:19

By UCAS in UCAS advice

The early UCAS deadline for Oxbridge applications is fast approaching. For those of you who are considering applying to these universities, work will now be well underway regarding your personal statements, academic portfolio and finding suitable references. Representing yourself through so few words is one of the biggest challenges you will have faced throughout your sixth form experience so far, hence it is natural to feel overwhelmed and a little stressed by it all. Fear not – whilst the deadline is approaching, there is still more than enough time for you to complete everything necessary. It’s all in your approach.
 
As far as your personal statement goes, make sure that you have a clear structure as you read over everything. If someone were skim reading this, would they be able to pick out your key ideas from the topic sentences at the beginning of paragraphs? Is there an interesting range and evident fluency to your writing?...

How to write a personal statement

Thu 11 July 2024 - 13:09

By Robyn in First year

A personal statement is what sets up an accurate portrayal of your character to universities. It’s one of the most important things you need to do, and it’s one of the things that your application relies on, but it’s not too difficult to make it perfect.
 
You don’t need to pour every single thing that’s on your mind into those 4000 characters, but it’s a good way of discussing where you are in your knowledge of your subject, where you want to take that knowledge and any past experiences you have had. And believe me, when you’re passionate about a subject, 47 lines is not enough to tell them everything.
 
A few tips for what to write about include:
 
Why you chose to apply for that particular course.
Write about your...

My first week at uni

Thu 4 July 2024 - 10:09

By Robyn in First year

I've successfully survived my first week at uni, and I'm absolutely exhausted from it. The first day was lovely and calm, when the people on my course and the tutors just sat in the main teaching room. We got free reign of the biscuits and the tea and coffee making facilities and we got to chat to everyone, figure out where we were all at and who specialised in what kind of photography. (Also we kind of figured out who our competitions were - which isn't a healthy business relationship). We got a long lunch, got lost a lot around the uni and found where we were meant to be. In the second half of the day, we all piled into the studio in a massive circle in alphabetical order to start the dreaded task of icebreakers and the 'name game'. 
 
The name game was the most brutal thing I think I've ever been through. It went from each lecturer, each one introducing themselves and then the people that...

Student Hall Survival Guide

Wed 17 July 2024 - 13:07

By Lowri in First year

Hi! I’m Lowri, I am in my first year of University and have just moved into student halls. Now everyone has told you that when you first become a student and live in halls it’s going to be so much fun, and that you’ll meet loads of people and go out socialising all the time. BUT they never really tell you the things you’ll face and experiences you’ll have when you move in. So, I’ve made a small list of things you’ll come across while living in accommodation.
 
1. Noise
Obviously when you first move into your new accommodation you also come face to face with fresher’s week. This means lots of fresher’s events and parties. Now, if like me you have moved in right next to the student union, there WILL be noise. Sometimes you may even be the one making the noise. A lot of halls do have curfews on loud noise e.g. 12am all music must be turned off. But if there is loud noise happening after this time, your...

The First Weeks of Uni as a Mature Student

Thu 20 June 2024 - 10:11

By Jack in Mature students


Call it cliché, but the time spent between getting an unconditional offer and actually starting university has flown by. Suddenly, I’m back into the education system after four years away, getting up earlier than I’d like to, and trying to find my way around a campus in Treforest that looks deceptively small, yet is larger than you’d think!
 
My name is Jack. It’s a pleasure to meet you! I guess you could call me a fresher, although I was probably the most boring fresher you could ever meet. As a mature student, I found most of my time during fresher’s week taken over by work. So, unfortunately for me, I missed many benefits the university had to offer, such as the fresher’s fayre.
 
 I’m twenty-two, and I’m only now starting my degree in university. I left college back in 2013, deciding to embark on a career in media. But after three years of working a job where there was very little progress...

The dos and don’ts of differentiation – Rachel Orr

Wed 3 July 2024 - 11:26

By Rachel Orr in Teacher Training

What is differentiation?

The education dictionary defines it as this: Differentiated instruction is the way in which a teacher anticipates and responds to a variety of students' needs in the classroom. To meet students' needs, teachers differentiate by modifying the content (what is being taught), the process (how it is taught) and the product (how students demonstrate their learning).

I always say to student teachers, established teachers, and TAs when they are working with groups – what difference are you going to make to these children’s learning because of your input working with them? If the adult is simply keeping children on task or under control, is the learning right for these kids?

I like to associate differentiation with shoes:

  • If we walk around in ill fitting shoes that are uncomfortable, too big or too small we will struggle to learn.
  • When our shoes are too big we have not yet...

Personal statements: quick-fire questions answered!

Tue 27 July 2021 - 14:44

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Got a question about writing your personal statement? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’re often asked about this section of the application, and chances are your question will be one we’ve heard from other students. Check out the answers to five of the most frequently asked questions below – they're all from admissions staff at universities and colleges (the people who spend their time reading personal statements!)

1. When should I start?
  • "As soon as you can! Give yourself time to write it properly. Your first draft alone could take you a whole day to write." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University. 
  • "Set yourself a schedule. It will take longer than you think to write your personal statement and it is important that you allow time to review your work several times...

Tips for trainee teachers – Helen Lambourne

Tue 18 June 2024 - 11:45

By Helen Lambourne in Teacher Training

Teaching is incredibly rewarding but the training is tough. This is what I learnt on my training course:

1. Use your mentors

They are the most valuable asset you will have when you are training, so utilise them! Ask them if you are stuck on a lesson idea, not sure about the scheme of work, want to check you are marking assessments correctly or struggling with the workload. They've been teaching longer than you and would have gone through the exact same process and problems as you. So, you are definitely not alone when you are training.

2. Make friends with the other trainees

Other trainees are another useful asset. They are going through exact same thing as you at the exact same time. If you're lucky, you might be placed in a school with another trainee. Make friends with them. Try to have catch up sessions with them.  Bounce ideas off them and vice versa. I am still friends with one of the trainees from my host...

Five Reasons To Study Abroad

Fri 12 April 2019 - 11:14

By Charlotte Stevenson in First year

Since I've moved away from the UK for a semester, there are lots of things which I both did and didn't expect in my new home. Living in the Netherlands is quite different from life at uni as I know it back in England, but this is an incredibly positive thing for many reasons.

So far on my journey I have learnt everything from how the Dutch swear in illnesses to the fact that I am always going to need to keep up on my reading with the standard 100 pages assigned every day. I've learnt that this is a city which stays afloat literally (with the help of specialised foundations buried deep in the earth) as well as metaphorically. This is a place of hard work, of determination and of freedom. The atmosphere is charged with something which makes me want to remain motivated enough to become the best version of myself there is. And it provides me with just enough joie de vivre that I don't spend all of my time in doors with my books.

For those of you considering a study...

Join the revolution: evidence-based teaching

Wed 3 July 2024 - 13:39

By UCAS in Teacher Training

For centuries teachers have taught the way they themselves were taught, or followed fads, fashions, and government initiatives. But this is changing. Over the last few decades researchers have rigorously trialled hundreds of thousands of teaching methods in real classrooms with real teachers. Some teaching methods, have been found to almost double the rate at which students learn.

As a consequence, teachers are taking back control of their own practice, and improving students’ achievements markedly. Why not come and join this revolution, transform the teaching profession, and make a huge difference to your students’ life chances?

Here’s just one of many methods that have done really well in classroom trials. Why do you think is it so effective?  Students are warned of the process before they start.

  • Students answer questions and put their name on their work.
  • They hand these in, and you give them out to other students...

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