Oxbridge summer schools for secondary kids

[Citygirlrurallife]

DS has heard about some now yr 11’a at school who did an Oxbridge Summer School this past summer and now wants to do one, after a quick google it looks like they’re all run by outside companies so I was wondering if anyone had direct experience and if there were any you’d recommend to actively avoid?

There are certainly commercial companies that hire space at Oxford/Cambridge universities to run academic summer courses. They cost £thousands and are trading off the name, often aimed at rich foreign students.

Most competitive universities run some sort of outreach programme but their summer schools are usually aimed at students from specific backgrounds, so you may or may not qualify. Here is the Oxford example: https://www.uniq.ox.ac.uk/

I highly recommend UNIQ which is the Oxford outreach programme for year 12s. The Sutton Trust is also great. Don't waste your money on commercial summer schools (or similar ventures in London promising support for medicine or law courses).

Most Oxbridge colleges are linked to secondary schools in certain areas. Cambridge runs a scheme called HE+.

i think some colleges run subject specific ones e.g. St John's runs a women in maths course - appreciate you mentioned DS and not subject specific but sharing in case useful for anyone else. hopefully others will share ones they know of too

cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1SrdPjCSTA4FAmG

If they are interested in studying Physics, I'd recommend the five day Senior Physics Challenge residential summer school at Cambridge University. Selection is via Isaac Physics and is open to any Y12 attending a school in the UK. It's all free of charge, including the summer school. DS found it really beneficial: he practised problem solving techniques which were helpful for admissions tests and interviews, and also got the opportunity to have a couple of practical sessions in the labs and look round a few colleges.

I'm under the impression that the ones run by private companies have no affiliation to the university and are (expensive) summer camps which happen to be held in an Oxbridge setting.

Thanks all - that was the impression I got about those outside companies (and yes ££££), The Sutton Trust we’ve looked at but we don’t qualify under the additional eligibility criteria (we do for the initial) but @Ironoaks that physics course sounds right up his street!

the sixth forms we’re looking at seem to have “aspire to Oxbridge” programs so we’re prob best forging out options through that

DD did a few things organised by school (no cost) and now she's y12, she is enrolled on a Cambridge scheme via sixth form. She's already had two sessions and a visit and there's a lot to come. It's a full programme and entirely funded. There's the potential for a summer school next year if she meets the criteria.

I certainly wouldn't spend money when it's available in the format DD is experiencing.

My daughter has just started y12. In y10 she was identified as an oxbridge potential and in y11 they take top performing students to visit. Each college is linked with an area. Her friend has been to Cambridge under a similar scheme.

she is now y12 and the school are fully on it. They have a portal with all sorts of stuff on it - work experiences (online and in person), summer schools (paid and free), essay competitions, basically anything that will help them apply to the top universities. they are encouraged to apply for as many of these as they want.

she will apply for the free summer schools but knows she is unlikely to get a place.

I have also seen recommended on here zero gravity programme which they can do in y12 so will encourage her to apply for that.

There is also Target Oxbridge aimed at supporting black students with applications.

@ShowOfHands is it STEM SMART? DS worked as one of their student mentors in his second year.

DD worked for the Clydeside Project in her 2nd year which is for Scottish students. However, it looks like that might not be running now. Their website now mentions CamScot, Zero Gravity, Target Oxbridge and Oxbridge Launchpad instead.

wow this is all incredible, thankyou. I'll tell him to slow down and wait for the opportunities to start presenting themselves if it seems like he's. likely candidate, he's only in yr10!

The Debate Chamber summer courses may be worth a look. No personal experience but it seems a much more reasonably priced option for those that don’t hit the widening participation criteria needed for most of the free options.

The taster sessions and master classes are much easier to gain a place and well worth it.

It isn't. It's classics based in DD's case. They have a few different ones within the same umbrella scheme, including religion and ethics and medicine iirc.

It's so comprehensive, I want to do it!

There are also the Masterclasses - these are subject day classes that I think any state school pupil can attend.

I rate the Debate Chamber summer schools