Enrichment and University

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    How does enrichment fit in with university application?

    It depends. You might want to explore options to complement your A level topics, or you might be looking for ideas and new areas of study. Sometimes the connections are evident, but often you will establish and explore unexpected links among diverse areas of knowledge yourself, as you study.

    CREDIT: Kilauea summit eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS image by B. Carr.

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    Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, Astrophysics ...

    and Microbiology and Zoology. And Ancient History and Classical Studies. And many more. Some of the most interesting degrees are not connected directly to A level subjects, but there are GCSE and A level choices which can prepare you for them, widen your areas of knowledge, and build your confidence.

    CREDIT: Petra by Night, Zhu tian2000 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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    What type of academic skills do I need?

    Sometimes it depends on the type of degree you want to do. But, in general, an ability to read for information and then plan and write confidently, clearly and engagingly, is important. Critical reading and note-taking, understanding how to respond to feedback, avoiding plagiarism, managing referencing, and developing presentations of your work, are other valuable skills.

    CREDIT: Kilauea summit on June 8, 2021 , Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS image by K. Mulliken.

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    Arts or Sciences?

    They don’t have to be mutually exclusive. It depends what you want to study. While some science degrees will demand very specific combinations, this is not true for all. An interesting and more unusual A level combination, or additional courses outside A levels, can be a good preparation for many degrees, and will keep your options open.

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    Exams

    GCSE and A levels are usually taken at set ages in schools, but there is no particular reason why they should be. There are options for study outside the traditional curriculum, both in terms of content and timing. You can sit an AS exam as an additional qualification (rather than the 2-year A level), or an Open University short course, for example.

    CREDIT: Kilauea summit eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. USGS image by K. Mulliken.

Academic Support

GCSE, A level and EPQ students (including homeschooled)

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  • study skills

  • effective revision

  • mock exams

  • planning revision timetables

  • managing feedback

  • one-to-one support

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  • assignments and projects

  • researching information

  • reading and note-taking

  • referencing

  • understanding plagiarism

  • textual structure and organisation

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  • university choice

  • course choice and evaluation

  • personal statement (under review)

  • submission of any additional written work

  • ELT test preparation

  • Oxbridge applications

University Application

Applying for university involves lots of decisions, and it is important to be aware of all the options, as well as the timeline they fit into, which is specific and detailed.

It should be an exciting and rewarding process, and there are many different alternatives available.

The process really begins with GCSE choices and a consideration of the possibilities of extra-curricular learning.

I am familiar with the latest GCSE, IGCSE, A and IA level specifications, and will follow up and explore any of the less-well-known courses you might be interested in. The connections among topics and degree options are discussed in the Enrichment Section.

I am based in Spain, but have worked exclusively with UK curricula and the entry requirements for UK universities. If you are applying for a UK undergraduate course from Spain, there are additional requirements for grant applications, etc..

I have worked on exam preparation, degree course choice, and the UCAS application process, which includes a personal statement (under review at the moment) and a language test for some students. I am also familiar with the application process for higher degrees.

I have been involved in Oxbridge applications, which (together with some other Russell Group universities), might involve additional tests, depending on the course. Some colleges also require submission of written work. I am familiar with the interview procedures (both in-person and online), and the process of re-application.

There is more information below, in the Enrichment and University section

Homeschooling

materials and projects

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Home education is not bound by the same curriculum constraints, although it might be involved in the same examination system. The ideas for enrichment and the work on this site all developed from home education, and so are easily adapted to different ages and interests.

“What are you thinking of discovering?
Moomintroll cleared his throat and felt very proud. ‘Oh, everything,’ he said. ‘Stars for example!’
Snufkin was deeply impressed. ”
— Tove Jansson, Comet in Moominland

exams as outside candidates

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“Rincewind had faced many horrors in his time, but none held quite the same place in the lexicon of dread as those few seconds after someone said, ‘turn over your papers now’.”
— Terry Pratchett, Interesting Times

Most exams are accessible to home-educated students, and they can be taken at any age. The centres (usually schools) will charge a registration fee. Exceptions are those exams which require coursework as part of the assessment; sometimes there is an alternative exam offered through another exam board, which is 100% final assessment, and sometimes it might be necessary to register with an official centre or tutor to mark coursework. There are many exam options which are not popularly taught in schools.