INTRODUCTIONS
Mrs Cahillane (Head of Year 12)
Fiona Cook – The University of Nottingham (Student Recruitment Outreach Officer)
Chloe Jones (Higher Education & Oxbridge coordinator)
Alex Elbourn (Head of Student Futures) Year 13 pupils
HEARING FROM THE STUDENTS Subject
choices
Top tips for putting together a strong UCAS application
Super-curricular activity advice and inspiration
Using Unifrog
Choosing your course & University
Post-16 Widening Participation & Outreach
Fiona Cook
Which statement(s) are true?
We have a total of 5 campuses We have 25,000 students You can learn to fly, glide, or skydive as a student
We are a member of the Russel Group of Universities The oldest book in our libraries was printed in 1756 We have a Virtual Reality studio ~47,500 worldwide ~37,200 in Nottingham Printed in 1494 in Venice!
Aims of the session
Have an awareness of your post-18 options
Identify what to look for when choosing your course
Understand how to choose your university
Why go to University?
• Essential for some professions
• Gain an internationally recognised qualification
• Become an expert in a particular field
• Challenge yourself
• Invest in your future
What are your options?
• Over 31,000 courses offered in UK
• Degree apprenticeship options
• Over 300 UK providers
• Variety of institution types
• Options overseas
Overview of UCAS cycle
Research Book open days Apply via UCAS* Interview*
Offers made Select choices Results day Start University!
*you may be required to sit additional admissions tests, and/or interviews for certain courses
Qualification levels
Post 18 qualifications
Foundation
Apprenticeship
HND/HNC Bachelors
Masters
Choosing your course
Research Tools
League Tables: The Guardian The Complete University Guide
UCAS Hub Find your apprenticeship(g ov.uk)
QS World Rankings
Paper prospectuses
Online prospectuses
Independent websites -Discover Uni -Uni Buddy
Single/Joint honours Integrated master
Interests & skills
Considering a course
Careers
Year abroad
Year in Industry/Placement opportunities
How many courses related to…?
1,653 2,177 1,390 1,143 1,605 3,749
52 64 54
Biology case study
No. of courses on UCAS: 1,605 Biology Case Study
Interested in: Biology
Animal or Marine biology
Biochemistry
Environmental Biology
English Case Study
English case study
Interested in: English
No. of courses on UCAS: 1,653
Related courses:
Creative writing
English & Drama
Linguistics or Languages
1. University of Glasgow
2. University of Edinburgh
3. University of Liverpool
4. University of Nottingham
*Rankings from The Complete University
5. University of
Celtic and Anglo Saxon Studies
Contemporar y Circus and Physical Theatre
Equine Behaviour and Welfare Herbology
Brewing & Distilling
Surf Science PaleoVeterinary Science Outdoor and Adventure Education
Bee Keeping & Apiculture
Science
Egyptology & Ancient History
Ethical Hacking & Cybersecurit y Golf management
Spot the difference
BA History
Study from 500 CE to the present
Modules on Viking and European history
50/50 coursework / exam weighting
Fieldtrips to historic sites
Year abroad
Modern facilities with a small museum on site
BA History
Facilities themselves are a historic site
Famous guest lecturers
90% coursework / 10% exams
Study from 500 BC to the present
Modules on US and African history
Integrated Masters
Things to consider
Modules
Contact time
Assessment
Cohort size
Study abroad/industry placements
Choosing your university
Facilities
Student Life
What to consider when choosing your university?
Study Abroad
City/ Campus
Graduate destinations
Do they have placements as part of the course? What links to industry do they have?
What is their careers service like, do they run careers fairs and events?
What are graduate outcomes for that university?
When thinking about Student Life, consider…
Students’ Union Clubs, Societies Sport
Student Radio, Theatre, TV
Community or Volunteering
Student services and support
Next steps
Start research early
UCAS Hub online & exhibitions
Book Open Days
Speak to careers advisors and school staff
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
• All students enrolled on Unifrog (recording Skills and trying MOOCs)
• Completing quizzes / psychometric testing. This has created an individual 'report'.
• Recording of activities / skills in preparation for personal statement.
• Exploration of universities / apprentic eships & gap years.
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
Careers Library
• Over 1000 career profiles
• Presents information from a range of sources, including local and national LMI
• Includes qualifications and skills needed, interviews with industry professionals and labour market information
• Explores progression opportunities and what a working week really looks like
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
UK Universities
•Students can enter subject of interest and projected grades to see all relevant university courses available in the UK
•Rank and filter opportunities by factors like hours of lectures, price of accommodation and graduate job rates
•Get direct links to university information pages, with impartial information on courses and institutions
•Save unlimited shortlists to refer
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
Apprenticeships
•Students can find live apprenticeship vacancies
•Vacancies are updated daily
•Rank and filter opportunities by factors like distance from home, weekly wage and application deadlines
•Direct link to the ‘apply’ page
•Each apprenticeship vacancy includes practical information about the opportunity, employer and training
•Save unlimited shortlists to refer
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
Special Opportunities
•Includes £5 million-worth of grants, bursaries, scholarships, contextual offers and extracurricular activities
•These can be filtered by circumstances or characteristics, depending on the access requirements of the opportunity
•Includes direct links for applying
•Unlimited shortlists can be created and referred back to
SUPPORTING STUDENT FUTURES IN PSHE
Parent Sign up
Scan this QR code or go to www.unifrog.org/student and click ‘Sign in for the first time’.
You’ll be asked for some details and a Sign up Code. This is what you need:
After signing up, log into Unifrog using your email address and password via the student sign-in page!
Unifrog – comprehensive platform with example personal statement, search tools
UCAS subject contacts –support with personal statement feedback using Unifrog
Admissions test preparation day – May 2025 (outside agency Oxbridge Applications)
Oxbridge, STEM, Medicine and related, Law mentors
Student Futures event –opportunity to network for work experience
Personal statement
writing workshop (2 hours) – June 2025subject teachers supporting the start of the process
Critical thinking and discussion skills session –Tuesday lunchtimes with Mrs Jones
Oxford trip – seeing inside colleges, meeting a current student, touring the Bodleian library
Work experience week –23rd – 27th June 2025 (in person, virtual or using time to complete MOOCS, write personal statement and visit universities)
Student Futures TEAM –regular posts relating to open days, online lectures, taster days, webinars, online work experience, super-curricular recommendations such as MOOCS, wider reading, podcasts
Support international applications – US, Australasia, Europe –support with common app registration and SATS, ACTS as well as linking pupils with sports agencies
Student Futures newsletter – twice each term
Higher Education supports PSHE sessions in the first term of Year 13 with personal statement writing
PHSE programme looking at post 18 choices –finance etc
Joyce Grenfell Programme
STUDENT FUTURES AT CLAREMONT
Student Futures Hub and one-to-one meetings
STUDENT FUTURES YEAR 12 TEAM
APPRENTICESHIPS AND DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS
• Students can apply to UCAS and an unlimited number of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships
• A degree apprenticeship is a fully funded degree, through which you are a full-time employee of a company who is given time off to study to achieve a degree simultaneously – minimum 4 years (your employer is responsible for paying for your studies)
TOP TIPS
• Use this evening to network – organise work experience placement (23 – 27 June)
• Go to the talks on offer this evening – ask questions
• Make a plan for visiting universities – open days and self-guided tours (opendays.com)
• Attend the inspire lectures on offer in school
• Consider apprenticeships and sign up to alerts
• Attend Critical thinking and discussion skills – Tuesday 1.40pm Physics 1
• Attend lunchtime clubs e.g. Medical Society / Set up your own – initiative is key
• Research courses on Unifrog and ucas.com – create a document
• Use the summer holiday of Year 12 – 13 to visit universities and write a first draft of personal statement
• If your course requires an admissions test, use the summer to practise, practise, practise!
• Submit your application by October half term to maximise your offers
• Refer to the Higher Education booklet (sent before Christmas)
