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Higher education

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Original poster

DD being discouraged from Cambridge by school

242 replies

quittingteacher · 29/09/2021 17:26

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone had any experience and could help guide us. My DD is predicted A*AA and we were contacted at the beginning of Y12 by her school who identified her as a potential Oxbridge candidate.

We signed up for the relevant Cambridge Spring access courses and outreach courses (we qualify as disadvantaged due to our postcode). At all of the Cambridge webinars attended, they made a point of saying that it's a myth that you need all 8s and 9s at GCSEs and to ignore this advice given by well meaning people.

My DD didn't do fantastically in her GCSEs and has only now in sixth form realised her actual potential.
Her grades were 555666677.

Anyway, now we are in Y13, her school have told her she shouldn't be applying to Oxbridge as her GCSE grades aren't strong enough. I'm really annoyed as it was the school who encouraged us to think about Oxbridge last year.

My DD has since been invited by the outreach team at Cambridge to an interview prep webinar that is specifically for those who would usually count as eligible for contextual offers elsewhere. But DD's Head of Year is adamant she is wasting her time.

My DD doesn't have her heart set on Cambridge and we know that the odds are against her getting in. But she'd like to at least have a try.

I don't want to keep encouraging her if it's completely unrealistic but I don't want to discourage her if actually, she has some chance.

If anyone has any advice, experience or insider knowledge, I'd be most grateful. Smile

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 09/10/2021 13:14

The algorithm didn't disappear at GCSE . They were given the CAG or the algorithm, whichever was higher.

mumsneedwine · 10/10/2021 09:30

But if they only gave a maximum of a 7, as that's the highest grade in previous years, and the algorithm moved that down, they'd still end up with a 7. Happened a lot in schools in some less affluent areas who traditionally don't get higher grades (due to lots of v understandable reasons).

Piggywaspushed · 10/10/2021 09:53

Yup mums, there was an obvious ceiling at DS's school of one grade 9 for business and Spanish.

At my school we were definitely only 'allowed' a certain number of grades 9 - 7 for eg English.

TizerorFizz · 10/10/2021 10:03

If a school historically got few grades higher then a 7, why would the trend be bucked so spectacularly in the last 2 years? Normally it’s difficult to argue it would be. Given the understandable reasons the DC don’t get the higher grades…….

cocavino · 10/10/2021 10:06

Of course she should apply.

TractorAndHeadphones · 10/10/2021 10:11

@Hawkins001

What makes Cambridge and Oxford e.g. Oxbridge seem the apex to aim for ? What is it about the institutions that they do better or more of compared to universities in general ?
The brand name as the UK's highest ranking universities (similar to the U.S 'Ivy League). The college system, one-on-one tutors. Additional interviews for entry add a layer of competitiveness (unlike other unis where you write a personal statement). Shorter terms and the high academic workload means that students' academic ability is unquestionable.

Nowadays I don't think there's much benefit aside from the personal prestige and perhaps alumni network. Apart from maybe specific fields like politics.

mumsneedwine · 10/10/2021 10:17

@TizerorFizz exceptional outliers in a year group. New teachers bringing in new intervention strategies. Cohorts vary massively and the system did not allow for that. One leading private school gave a student a CAG of an E for A level maths (he deserved less). He ended up with an A as algorithm said no one at his school had got an E before. Head was so angry as he deserved an E !!

grey12 · 10/10/2021 10:21

She won't be wasting her time, she'll be getting experience with interviews, dealing with people professionally, being in an academic setting......

Best of luck for her Wink

mumsneedwine · 10/10/2021 10:28

@quittingteacher has she applied ?

Original poster
quittingteacher · 10/10/2021 11:30

So after a few back and forth heated emails with the Head of Sixth form and Head of Y13, they are now allowing her to apply.

We had a battle over one of the predicted grades as even though her subject teacher has predicted an A, the Head of Y13 said they could only put a B down because of her GCSE grades. Another few emails sorted that out.

We know realistically she's not going to get in but we just wanted to fight the fight for all the other pupils with the potential to get in who were 'not allowed' to apply.

DD said there are so many who have much better GCSE grades and higher predicted A level grades who have been told they couldn't apply. The head of year actually told her that the only boy they've ever got in was a geek who spent his lunchtimes in the library and so sorry, that's just not you.

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. I will update if she gets any further along.

OP posts:
Innocenta · 10/10/2021 11:40

@quittingteacher Good for her! Best of luck and I hope she enjoys the process, no matter what happens. Grin

mumsneedwine · 10/10/2021 12:22

@quittingteacher she sounds like a student Oxbridge would really like ! Tenacious and determined. Fingers crossed 🤞 i

TizerorFizz · 10/10/2021 13:10

I do actually recognise school reluctance. I’ve seen it repeatedly! However it’s often a case of being switched on a lot earlier and doing the right subjects. Even then schools don’t support who they should. Good luck anyway.

TractorAndHeadphones · 10/10/2021 13:24

@quittingteacher

So after a few back and forth heated emails with the Head of Sixth form and Head of Y13, they are now allowing her to apply.

We had a battle over one of the predicted grades as even though her subject teacher has predicted an A, the Head of Y13 said they could only put a B down because of her GCSE grades. Another few emails sorted that out.

We know realistically she's not going to get in but we just wanted to fight the fight for all the other pupils with the potential to get in who were 'not allowed' to apply.

DD said there are so many who have much better GCSE grades and higher predicted A level grades who have been told they couldn't apply. The head of year actually told her that the only boy they've ever got in was a geek who spent his lunchtimes in the library and so sorry, that's just not you.

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. I will update if she gets any further along.

How about broadcasting it so they all allow it? It’s astounding that people are blocked from even ‘applying’! How does the school Need to ‘allow’ applying btw as the reference isn’t uni specified?
TizerorFizz · 10/10/2021 13:32

They need to send in work and might offer help with extra reading and work and interview prep. Might do nothing of course

kitnkaboodle · 11/10/2021 19:38

I'm furious on your behalf 😡 I also don't understand how schools can allow or not allow certain applications. If she gets rejected this time round but ends up with good A levels, I'd be inclined to let her have a second go too if that's what she wants. I'm speaking as the parent of someone whose DC was in a similar situation... good luck to her and do keep us posted ..

Cliff1975 · 18/10/2021 13:26

My son is at Cambridge. He was told by his school he didnt have Oxbridge profile GCSE results - 9, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7 7
5, 4

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