Year 13 Higher Education Support

Autumn Term

♦  EARLY APPLICATIONS

On the first day of the Autumn Term in Year 13, students who are going to apply for Medicine and Dentistry courses give their UKCAT scores to the Director of Sixth Form, as this helps us to advise them on strategic applications to medical/dental school. Students are also invited to arrange a meeting with the Director of Sixth Form, Head of Year or form tutor to discuss their personal statement. At the same time, Oxbridge applicants hand in a draft personal statement to the Oxbridge Coordinator, who provides one-to-one feedback. 

The school’s deadline for the completion of ‘early’ application forms is the third week of September, to enable all forms to be checked by the Director of Sixth Form and the Head Teacher before the UCAS deadline of mid-October.

Throughout the term, we run after-school sessions for Oxbridge applicants to help develop divergent thinking skills. All applicants are expected to attend these sessions.

♦  INTERVIEWS

During November we arrange mock interviews for all applicants to Oxbridge and those applying for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, along with any other student who requests one.

♦  OTHER HE APPLICATIONS

Students applying for courses other than the ones listed above, will have a similar experience, although their deadline to submit the completed UCAS form is early November.  All personal statements and references are proof-read by an experienced team, which includes members of our Senior Leadership Team.

♦  ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

A 6-month programme, giving students the opportunity to enhance the ‘soft skills’ that employers are looking for by volunteering in the local community. Students are encouraged to approach organisations that offer volunteering placements, including local charity shops, care homes and primary schools. Alternatively, they can remain in school and take part in the school mentoring programme, working with classes lower down in the school. The PwC Guide to Employability Skills  talks about the skills employers are looking for and how students can evidence these skills.

Spring Term

Students begin to get responses from universities. Once they have heard from all five that they have applied for, we encourage them to discuss their offers with their form tutor or the Sixth Form team. The deadline for most students to make their ‘firm’ (first choice) and ‘insurance’ (second choice) decision is early May.

Each week, UCAS sends the school an Applicants’ Status Report, which enables the Sixth Form team and form tutors to track and monitor the progress of each student’s application.

Summer Term and Summer Vacation

By early May, students have confirmed their Firm and Insurance choices on the UCAS system.  They also need to apply for Student Finance by the end of May.

A Level Results’ Day is the third Thursday in August and this is the date on which your university place is confirmed. You will receive notification of your university place from UCAS online but collect your A Level results in school. Parents may find the Parents' Guide to Results Day a helpful guide to clearing, adjustment and other options available.

To see what your child's typical CEIAG journey may look like whilst at Nonsuch please see our CEIAG Programme