the d’overbroeck’s oxbridge programme · highly selective course ranked as one of the best in...

The d’Overbroeck’s Oxbridge Programme

2 - d’Overbroeck’s Oxbridge Programme

ContentsArchitecture 3

Art 3

Biology 4

Chemistry 4

Classics 5

Computer Science 5

Economics 5

English 6

Geography 6

History 6

History of Art 7

Law 7

Maths 8

Modern Foreign Languages 8

Music 8

Philosophy 9

Physics 10

Politics 10

Psychology 11

Sociology - HSPS 11

Oxbridge Students Jamie Jackson Jessel

Year left: 2017

Achievements: An outstanding debater. Jamie also gave a brilliant leaving speech at the Sheldonian Theatre at our End of Year celebration event

Has a place to read History at St Hughs, University of Oxford

Jimin Li

Year left: 2016

Achievements: Jimin was selected by the Royal Society of Chemistry to represent the UK team for the International Chemistry Olympiad which took place in Georgia in 2016.

After d’Overbroeck’s: Jimin is now reading Natural Sciences at St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge

Elena Zanchini di Castiglionchio

Year left: 2015

Achievements: Elena completed an Extended Project Qualification on Natural Selection vs Genetic Engineering as well as her A levels.

As one of our scholars Elena was an exceptional student academically but was also a key member of Sixth Form life getting involved in many activities such as the Winter Concerts.

After d’Overbroeck’s: Elena is now reading Biochemistry at the University of Oxford.


ArchitectureYou can study architecture at Cambridge University. It is a small and highly selective course ranked as one of the best in the UK. (UCL claim to be better!) Entry is by portfolio interview. Assume you need high A Level grades. (Maths, Physics and Art are probably the best but architecture is wide ranging and Cambridge may be interested in a broader range of A levels – check with them.)

The Cambridge course is very creative. We encourage students to work on their Art, develop ideas in sketchbooks and through to finished 2D and 3D work. Evidence of drawing from observation is encouraged.

An awareness of architectural history and contemporary architecture is something we aim to develop in our Oxbridge sessions. Visit buildings, join art and history of art trips, read relevant texts, look at architectural magazines and websites, watch documentaries about architects etc.. Developing your own ideas about the role of architects and architecture is important.

Work experience is also useful in preparation for Cambridge interviews (as for any other application for architecture). We will help you find architects to contact with a view to gaining work experience.

We will help you prepare your portfolio and prepare you for interviews.

ArtYou can study Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Art which is part of Oxford University. The course is ranked top in the UK for Fine Art. Intake is highly selective (only 30 students a year).

Entry is by portfolio interview. Good A levels are required.

You can apply direct from A level if your portfolio is strong enough, otherwise we advise you take an Art Foundation course first. Ruskin run Open Days during the year (usually October & June) and hold a degree show in June at their Cowley Road studios which we advise you attend.


BiologyCommon to Oxbridge/Medics/Vets/Dentists

A wide range of events happen in these sessions. For example,

Presentations on scientific (and ethical topics).Essays set as homework.Group discussions.Reading and analysing scientific papers.Multiple choice question practice to prepare for the British Biology Olympiad (Upper Sixth).Invited speakers to tell you about their subjects.Guidance about university courses.

ChemistryThis group is relevant for Chemistry/Biochemistry/Materials at Oxford and Natural Sciences at Cambridge. The Chemistry Oxbridge sessions are designed to help students feel more comfortable with the A level specification while at the same time helping them to extend and apply what they know to a wide range of university-level topics and scenarios.

Being able to talk about and explain the basics of the subject is a must for success in an Oxbridge application, as is reading around the subject as widely as possible. This year students have presented on both areas of interest and new chemical processes, and have also attempted Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and Olympiad questions which are a real test of how to apply knowledge to unfamiliar contexts and reaction schemes.

Students who are prepared to start joining up the different areas of chemistry and other sciences will find these sessions enjoyable and stimulating!

Anna Yamschikova

Year left: 2015

Achievements: Fund raising events and Dance Club performances as well as the Math Olympiad Club

After d’Overbroeck’s: Anna also worked as an Intern for Google. She’s currently reading Computer Science at the University of Oxford.


ClassicsWe look at

The options, ranging from straight Classics to possible combinations (Classics & English, Classics & Modern Languages, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History etc)The difference between Oxford and Cambridge Classics coursesEntry and the requirements of Oxford/Cambridge entranceWhich colleges to apply toWider readingIn depth discussions on selected topicsPreparation for the interviewEssays and the language aptitude test – how to tackle these.

Computer ScienceThe field of Computer Science can change so fast, or so slow, depending on which area you are interested in - as such the content of the Oxbridge course varies wildly depending on what the cohort want. It’s shaped by you!

In the first few weeks we will explore some of these in shallow detail - Allowing you to research the ones you are interested in on your own. We will then go onto: learning several niche programming languages, hardware projects, Artificial Intelligence, attempt to bug fix open source software, group game projects, version control and anything else everyone demands. If you already have passion for something, feel free to lead a session in this! I will be on the look-out for interesting talks, visits and academic speakers, also.

EconomicsThe plan is to explore a variety of real-world and theoretical issues from beyond the remit of the A level and to try to develop critical thinking skills. This year we have looked at, amongst other things:

To what extent is it possible or desirable to measure the value of human lifeHow to win an iterated prisoners’ dilemmaRisk – what this means and why we take them.The trouble with statisticsRationality vs super-rationalityThe applications of calculus to economic theory

People who want to think and to have their assumptions challenged will enjoy it!


EnglishOxbridge sessions for English will be devoted to the enjoyable task of broadening and developing the students’ literary interests and to gaining an overview of the history of English Literature.

We will study some key literary movements (e.g. Romanticism, Modernism, the Metaphysicals) and also use the ‘A’ Level texts as a springboard for study of related texts (so Frankenstein could prove a convenient point of departure for Paradise Lost, and Doctor Faustus might lead to a session on The Tempest).

Students will be asked to give presentations on key texts, and we will also practice close reading skills as these will be a prerequisite when preparing for the Admissions Test that candidates for Oxford and Cambridge are required to sit.

There will be a preliminary meeting before the end of term, and fortnightly sessions will begin in earnest in week 1 of the spring term.

GeographyThe department policy is to create a place for personal exploration in the field of geography and environmental sciences. We will encourage students to work on their geography diaries and to share the articles that they find individually, through presentations and through follow on discussions the student will then delve deeper into geographical theories and events. The scope of these will be vast and fluid depending on the cohort that are with the department at the time. It may be geopolitics that forms a focus one week and then seismic events and the possibilities of mitigation the next. We will also look at more unusual maps and graphs visuals and try to decipher their meaning. Written work will be set as appropriate to extend and stretch.

HistoryHistory Oxbridge aims to both deepen and widen your historical understanding. The ability to show that you have an interest in History beyond what is simply on the syllabus is crucial to a successful Oxbridge application. With this in mind, much of the content will be driven by your specific areas of interest.

We will help you to explore various theories in History through examining competing interpretations of a range of historical events and suggest wider reading to help stretch and extend your understanding. We will also help you to prepare for the HAT/HAA (History Aptitude Tests/ History Admission Assessment) and for interviews. You will be expected to undertake wider reading both in preparation for and as consolidation after these sessions.


History of ArtYou can study History of Art at either Oxford or Cambridge. Their courses are slightly different so check details of course content. (Cambridge is more established and traditional; Oxford’s is a newer course reflecting a slightly more philosophical approach to the subject.)

Assume you need high grades at A level to be offered an interview. You don’t have to have studied HoA at A level but clearly you must show compelling reasons for choosing the course!

Oxbridge sessions will focus on visual analysis of artworks and the contextual and philosophical aspects of the subject. Students will be advised and supported in their reading and encouraged to visit as many museums and galleries as possible.

We will help you with your selection of Oxbridge colleges and run mock interviews in preparation for Oxbridge interviews.

(Two recent students have been offered interviews at Cambridge with one being offered a place.

LawNone of you will already be studying Law, since we don’t offer the A level. Some will know more about Law in general terms than others.

The initial aim of the Oxbridge sessions is threefold:

To give you a sense of the scope of Law, and of the structure of the English legal system.

To give you a taste of a range of the various subjects that form the core of any UK Law degree, namely:

CriminalTortContractEquity & TrustsLandConstitutional & Administrative lawEuropean Union(maybe) some jurisprudence (philosophy of law).

To get you reading – statute, case law, and some secondary reading – and gaining some experience of what studying Law is really like.

As time progresses we can start to look more at LNAT (which you need to take if you are applying to Oxford) and the Cambridge’s Law admissions test; also personal statements, interviews, etc.

Jake Rose

Year left: 2017

Achievements: An outstanding debater. Jamie also gave a brilliant leaving speech at the Sheldonian Theatre End of Year celebration event.

After d’Overbroeck’s: Has a place to read History at Sidney Sussex, university of Cambridge.


MathsThe group is for students wanting maths enrichment, as well as those planning to study maths or a maths related degree at university including computer science, economics, engineering, or physics.

You will be assigned a new problem set to attempt before every session. At the session, you will be expected to present some of your solutions on the board, explaining your thinking in a clear manner. You will have time to collaborate with other students. Our goal is to develop your ability to communicate your ideas in a mathematically elegant and rigorous way.

Modern Foreign LanguagesThe Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) programme is for students aiming to study a language at Oxford, Cambridge or in other universities offering more traditional language courses. Typically, these courses focus mainly on literature, which is only a marginal part of the A level course. A level equips students with skills to study literature, but only requires the study of one book. The MFL programme guides students in choosing, reading and discussing more books, which will help towards a stronger application. Students should not worry about their current level of proficiency in the language, as the study of literature can be done in English (which is what happens in most traditional MFL university courses). The MFL programme can also cover an introduction to linguistics, and preparation for entrance exams, as well as some targeted speaking practice.

MusicThe Oxbridge Music programme is held fortnightly and follows the tutorial format (with essays/reading handed in prior to meetings). The mainstay of the reading, as suggested by the Music Faculty at Oxford, comes from: An Introduction to Music Studies, ed. J.P.E Harper-Scott and Kim Sampson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009). Topics covered include: the sociology and psychology of music; music aesthetics and critical theory; opera; popular music; film music; jazz and so much more! Sessions will also focus on honing analytical skills and exposing you to as much music as possible.


PhilosophyThe courses at Oxford and Cambridge differ:

At Oxford, Philosophy is part of a huge number of courses, where hundreds and hundreds of students read Philosophy, always (at undergraduate level) alongside something else. Courses include: PPE, Maths and Philosophy, Computer Science and Philosophy, Physics and Philosophy, Philosophy and Theology, Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics, Classics, Philosophy and Modern Languages. The Oxford Philosophy faculty is – by miles – the largest in the country and its postgraduate B.Phil. course the most demanding and heavily oversubscribed Philosophy course in the world.

At Cambridge, about 50 people per year do a Philosophy-only undergraduate degree (and a tiny little bit of Philosophy appears in a funny little course called Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion).

If this is starting to look like an argument to you, that’s a good sign. Maybe you can supply the conclusion. More seriously: Incredibly, most applicants for courses involving Philosophy - even at our premier universities - have little or no idea what the subject is. (But you can bet that their Mum told them she thought they’d be good at it.) Don’t be like them.

If you already do Philosophy A-level, then you need in your Oxbridge application to persuade tutors that you are the kind of person who reads and thinks more widely than the limits of the A-level course. If (like the majority of applicants) you don’t do Philosophy A-level, then you will need in your Oxbridge application to persuade tutors that you have taken sensible steps to find out about Philosophy and that you have some aptitude for it.

There is no point at all in reading descriptions of what Philosophy is and what philosophers do. The only worthwhile project involves doing some actual Philosophy. If is not to be a waste of time, it needs to be structured and sustained. I am therefore offering a course in a non-A-level subject called the Philosophy of Death. It will involve quite a lot of video, a lot of discussion, some reading and probably a bit of writing. It’s a deliberately broad subject, overlapping with various different areas of Philosophy (Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics, Ethics, and more); there are excellent online and other resources. And it’s a fascinating subject that applicants from other schools won’t have thought about.

This should give you a proper taste of the subject if you lack one already. Whatever your experience of the subject, it should give you something different to say in your application – something that shows you have done more, and thought more. It will give you some things to say that you have read and what you thought about them – all valuable material for application and interview.

Alec Bandy

Year left: 2016

Achievements: Achieved A* in Economics, A* Maths, A in Philosophy and A in Politics.

After d’Overbroeck’s: Alec is now reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at University of Oxford


PhysicsPhysics Oxbridge starts as pure extension - looking at interesting bits of equipment and discussing the Physics involved in them, before trying some challenging problems and developing problem solving skills.

As the year progresses I will start asking you to do some research and presentation. During the Spring term we will link Oxbridge sessions to preparing for and taking part in the Physics Olympiad, and then towards the end of the spring term we’ll start to chew on more difficult, mathematical problems using STEP papers and old Oxford entrance exams.

At the end of the year we’ll start to think about the new entrance exams, which will be the focus of our sessions in year 13.

PoliticsThe aim of Oxbridge Politics is to encourage you to develop your own interests and to explore them. It is students with genuine interest and insight who can prosper at University. As such, the content of our fortnightly sessions will be influenced by you.

We have often started by examining some political ideologies (in the past we have looked at liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism and feminism but there are many more to appreciate). We have also covered issues in political philosophy such as the role of tolerance, freedom of expressions and the idea of utilitarianism. In addition, we often covered aspects of International Relations.

Students also complete their own independent reading, complete presentations and discuss the ideas of others. As the course goes on we will focus our attentions on entrance exam and interview preparation, where possible making use of former students who have been successful in their Oxbridge applications. You should also be making the most of outside talks, especially at Oxford University.


PsychologyOur Psychology group is about stretching you outside of the confines of the Specification of A Level Psychology, and may include discussing research papers, presenting articles to one another or even, as our group last year did, presenting an assembly on both primary and secondary research to students at years 7-11! If you’re serious about Oxbridge, you need to be self-motivated, and as such, it will be you and your interests that guide our sessions, so be prepared to get involved!

Sociology - HSPSThe sociology department delve into the significant contribution key sociologists have made in understanding human behaviour. Starting with C Wright Mills, we will explore the ‘sociological imagination’ in terms of locating the individual in a historical, social and political context. From here we will explore a range of classic studies cutting across a range of different cultures and then contrast these with contemporary perspectives that have emerged in the past few decades.

Whilst we will be exploring core themes, such as identity, social structure, culture, power, inequality, we will also be developing your practical application of theory to the real world and even on Mars! (all will be revealed). The format of the sessions will be varied, such as lectures, discussions, analysis of academic research articles and guest speakers. Throughout the course we will be providing you with the necessary essay skills to prepare you for the HSPS (Human, Social and Political Sciences) assessments at Cambridge University. Our course will provide you with a social, cultural and political awareness but also the opportunity to engage in thought processes far from the everyday classroom. The course is also designed with a level of flexibility enabling you to explore specific areas of interest in depth.

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the d’overbroeck’s oxbridge programme · highly selective course ranked as one of the best in...

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