Oxford trip

In September Baroness Amos organised an exclusive trip to Oxford Universities for twenty AMOS students interested in attending an Oxbridge University.

Wayne Gouro and Kwabena Osei, AMOS Oxford undergraduates accompanied the students to Oxford. The students visited, University College, St Johns College, St Catherine’s College, and Merton College.

Law and language

A workshop hosted by Professor Nicholas Perkins, Associate Professor of English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University and Polly Walton – a Parliamentary Counsel, at the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, focussed on the power of legal language (specifically acts of the Westminster Parliament) and the power of language more generally to act in the world. Students got to understand what goes into drafting legislation and discuss some of their own proposed laws which they were asked to draft prior to the session as part of an interactive exercise. They also discussed different routes into the law profession, including the Government Legal Profession. I learnt about how language is used in enactments of law. Language is formed very carefully but can still be interpreted differently. I learnt that even if an individual doesn’t directly study law there are still ways to get into law.

Online personal statements

The Amos Bursary is making the most of technology to provide opportunities for the students. This year we partnered with Causeway Education for the benefit of our students’ university applications. All Year 12 students had access to and were trained in how to prepare their university personal statements using an online portal. Antonia said, ‘considering how significant the personal statement (PS) is for Oxbridge applications and other top institutions, I was extremely nervous about the PS to say the least. However, with the use of the OSCAR platform my nerves were eased due to the simplified process that increased my understanding of what top universities were looking for. In particular, the example paragraph was undoubtedly helpful in providing an insight into the mistakes frequently made on personal statements and how to differentiate yourself from others. Overall, I would definitely promote OSCAR to everyone as it truly helps in creating a standout personal statement.’

Antonia Oni, 2021 Cohort – Associate

Assessment training sessions

Each year the Amos Bursary holds assessment centre training for students. The sessions are supported by AMOS alumni and corporate representatives to make sure the experience is as real as possible. This year JP Morgan were the corporate supporters. One of the students said: “During the interview preparation session with JP Morgan, I received praise from one of my mentors and he acknowledged my increased participation in discussions. It really boosted my confidence as I felt that my efforts to improve myself were noticed.