Oxbridge
Oxbridge
There is extensive support for those pupils who wish to make an application to Cambridge or Oxford. Aspiring pupils are able to visit an Oxford or Cambridge Student Conference, with our proximity to Cambridge making Open Days easily accessible. We organise a separate visit to Oxford University Open Days in the Summer term. One-to-one interview workshops are given to all those who secure an Oxbridge Interview.
The Oxbridge Conference
Culford hosts an annual event for aspiring Oxbridge and top university candidates in our stunning library at the beginning of February. The day includes a variety of seminars and workshops aimed at helping pupils apply to the top universities in the country.
The event welcomes over 80 students from Culford and other schools in the local area who are interested in applying to Oxbridge or other higher tier universities. Pupils from King Edward’s School and Thurston Community College are amongst those who attend to the event.
After refreshments on arrival, the day begins with introductions from the speakers, which includes representatives from the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia who give an overview of the event programme. There are interactive sessions that look at choosing the right university and the right course, writing excellent personal statements and excelling at interview and in the admissions tests.
Everyone also has the opportunity to attend their choice of interactive and dynamic seminars on stimulating current themes including: gender; social media and the workplace; and the Ebola crisis and how to address the spread of disease. Pre-reading is circulated to all students so the sessions can run as Oxbridge-style tutorials.
The closing Q&A session about how to submit competitive applications and what to expect from the admissions process is hosted by Old Culfordians, who are also undergraduates or graduates of Oxford and Cambridge, on hand to answer questions.
"I was taught by such inspiring and energetic teachers at Culford, whose passion for their subject was not only evident, but contagious!"
Ophelia
Oxford University
Gifted & Talented Programme
To further enrich the academic experience at Culford we operate a year-round, Scholars’ and Gifted & Talented Programme. This sees a series of academics and other experts in their field come to Culford to address pupils on a particular theme. Recent themes have included politics and languages and give pupils the chance to gain even greater insight and passions for their chosen areas of study.