1. Sixth Form at Gosforth Academy
Higher Education Evening
June 2019

2. Gosforth Academy Sixth Form
Create your future!

3. Purpose of this Evening
Meeting those involved.
Tutors, employers, HE providers.
Options Available to Year 13 Students.
The UCAS System.
GA Support for Students.
How Parents can Help.
Key Dates.

4. Progression Options for Year 13 Students:
University in the UK and abroad.
Conservatoires.
Degree Apprenticeships.
College/Foundation Degree/Technical and Vocational Learning.
Gap Year/Volunteering.
Apprenticeship.
Employment with Training.
Employment.

5. Benefits of University:
Improved qualifications in a competitive labour market.
Employment prospects and earnings.
Personal development.
New experience – friends/independence/ confidence/responsibility.
Broadens interests/skills/knowledge/awareness.
Live away from home.
It can be great fun.

6. University – Why it may not be suitable:
Cost and significant debt – more on this later.
Prevents immediate entry to paid employment.
Separation from close friends/Family.
Some students need a temporary/permanent break from studying
Grades for a target degree/university may be unlikely.
No job/salary guarantees.

7. UCAS - Making the Application:
Apply is the UCAS online application system.
Every applicant has six sections
to complete:
Personal details
Student finance (UK/EU)
Choices
Education
Employment
Personal statement.
Grades access the process, other sections achieve offers.
Once a student submits their application, the reference is added and it is sent to UCAS who passes it on to the university.
To register with Apply takes 10 minutes, then the applicant is able to log in and out of their form as much as they want to before completing it. To register they will need the school/college BUZZ word: Aladdin1
Personal details – information about the applicant, nationality, nominated access (if parents wish to help and talk to UCAS or uni’s directly) and how we contact them. A section alongside this is additional information – ethnicity, care, parents’ background questions – remind parents that not all information will be used to make decisions, some is used for statistical purposes.
Student finance – if filled in we’ll remind students to apply for this and pre-populate some fields in their application with data from Apply.
Choices – students can make five choices. The exception is where students can only make four choices for medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine/science courses, although the remaining choice(s) can be used for any other subject. Students can also only apply to study one course at either Oxford and Cambridge – not both.
Education - is the area where most errors take place so take care eg know which BTEC you’re taking.
Employment – can be marked blank, and it is paid employment only.
Students send form to school/college they then send it to UCAS after the reference and checking. UCAS sends it to universities within hours.
Remind about mandatory fields, many are not so you don’t need to fill them in, and the ‘?’ contains help text for each box.

8. UCAS – Personal Statement:
Personal statements are vital, students should include:
Academic achievements, past and present.
Interests (passion) in the chosen subject area – work experience.
Knowledge of the subject and enthusiasm to go beyond the syllabus.
What they enjoy about studying.
Details of their independent study skills.
Extra-curricular activities undertaken.
The questions universities and colleges will ask:
Have they chosen the right subject for the right reasons?
Do they have a range of interests and skills?
Does the personal statement confirm their interest in the subject?
Have they studied independently?
Are they motivated and committed?
Personal statements should stand out – tutors receive 200 per week!
Interest/commitment (“passion”)
Qualifications
GCSE –actual
AS – actual (at the moment)
A2 –predictions
Personal statement
Reference
Relevant work experience; work shadowing.
Part-time employment.
University visits, open-days, summer schools, student shadowing.
Awards, rewards, certificates, commendations.
Evidence of key skills.
Personal experiences, qualities and attributes
If a student is applying to both dance and horticulture the personal statement will struggle to convey their commitment to both subjects.
UCAS checks all personal statements against a library of the last 5 years and against all major websites – more info on
Personal statement guides are available to help a student ask relevant questions, plan their timetable for writing the personal statement and include or exclude the correct information – these are downloadable from
Write it early:
You will need to write a few drafts
Get someone to read through it
Apply has NO SPELL CHECK facility!

9. Support for Students at GA – before the application:
Guest speakers.
Group tutorials offering advice and a chance to complete sections of the application.
One-to-one support and advice.
Specific support for Oxbridge/Medicine/Vet and other specialist applications.
Higher Education Evening and UCAS Convention.
Progression Week and Open Days.
Work Experience and progression notices.

10. Support for Students at GA– Progression Activities
Engineering in Education Scheme
Reece Scholarship
Nuffield Foundation Projects
NHS Work Experience
Nursing Placements
Medlink
Mini Med School
Vet link
NE1 Virgin Money
Student Shadowing

11. Support for Students at GA– Community Work
Peer Mentoring Programme
Maths/English/Science
Reading Mentoring
Effort Mentoring
Behaviour Mentoring
Volunteering
Science teaching scheme
Duke of Edinburgh
Hoppings School
National Citizens Service

12. Support for Students at GA – during the application:
UCAS Checking:
Tutors assist students with completion of UCAS applications and write reference.
Learning Manager checks UCAS application.
Director of Sixth Form checks application.
Application sent to UCAS.
Students are sent offers or invited to interview.

13. Internal Deadlines at GA:
15th October 2019 – UCAS Deadline (Oxbridge, Medicine and Dentistry Applications).
15th January 2020 – UCAS Deadline (Most Courses/ Applications).
Internal Deadlines set by the Sixth Form team to stagger the UCAS Process:
Early Entry Friday 20th September.
Wave 1 Friday 27th September.
Wave 2 Friday 11th October.
Wave 3 Friday 25th October.
Wave 4 Friday 15th November.
Wave 5 Friday 29th November.

14. Offers and UCAS Points:
A Level Grade:
BTEC Grade:
UCAS Points: A*
Distinction* 56 A
Distinction 48 B 40 C
Merit 32 D 24 E
Pass 16

15. Research to Complete: Websites – UCAS, individual Universities.
University Prospectus.
University Open days.
Student shadowing Opportunities.
Work Experience required for some degrees.
Progression Manager – Mr Stephenson
Advice from Tutor or Learning Managers.
Parental advice and experience.
Higher Education Conferences.
Professional bodies.

16. Application factors to consider:
Every institution will apply criteria for entry. Entry requirements will depend on the demand for the course, and may change from year to year.
Courses with the same title are not necessarily the same. Course subject options, flexibility and combinations may differ.
Applications can be made for different types of courses (but care needs to be taken).
Assessment can be by exams, dissertations, practical work experience, projects etc.
Finance – course fees, travel, living costs.

17. How can Parents support the process?
Sign up to the monthly UCAS Parents Newsletter.
Read the 2019 UCAS Parent Guide – copies available today.
Visit:
Offer to attend open days with them, you may have a different perspective.
Financial assistance – with railway tickets.
Try to remain impartial.
Don’t book holidays at key times.

19. Gosforth Academy Sixth Form
Create your future!