Independent School Parent Good Uni Guide Autumn 2018 by The Chelsea Magazine Company

Choose from more than 600 Universities and Colleges

THE GOOD

FOR 2019/2020 APPLICANTS

UNIVERSITIES GUIDE YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE

ENT EDU ND

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CAMBRIDGE YORK MANCHESTER BIRMINGHAM OXFORD ABERYSTWYTH STANDREWS CARDIFF NOTTINGHAM KING’SCOLLEGE ACM EDINBURGH EXETER DURHAM UCL SOUTHAMPTON NEWCASTLE WARWICK BRISTOL LEEDS READING EASTANGLIA LIVERPOOL LSE

course

How to choose the right

Expert advice from engineering to medicine, the arts and more…

Plus

• The Oxbridge interview and the questions they’ll ask • Five ways to make the most of Freshers’ Year • Earn while you learn with Degree Apprenticeships • Stand out from the crowd with your personal statement • Eton College on fast-tracking your route to the top

KENT HULL GOLDSMITHS SHEFFIELD GLASGOW BATH BANGOR NORTHUMBRIA LEICESTER SURREY DUNDEE SWANSEA ESSEX AND HUNDREDS MORE...

LONDON IS OUR CAMPUS. AND IT CAN BE YOURS TOO. Situated in the heart of London, the University of Westminster is a vibrant, forward-thinking place to study. Home to more than 18,000 students from over 150 countries, our global student network and career-orientated courses can provide you with much more than a good degree.

COME TO AN OPEN DAY TO FIND OUT MORE. TO BOOK YOUR PLACE VISIT westminster.ac.uk/open-day-info #WEAREWESTMINSTER

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THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE

Published by The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel (020) 7349 3700 Fax (020) 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com EDITORIAL Editorial Director Maxine Briggs Editor Claudia Dudman Online Editor Jennifer Read-Dominguez Sub Editors Natalie Keeler, Laura Sutherland Editorial Assistant Annie Quinton Creative Director Chloë Collyer Senior Designer Natalie Dourado Freelance Designer Maggie Bonner PUBLISHING Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Publishing Director Paul Rayner Director of Media James Dobson Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk Printed in England by William Gibbons ADVERTISING Group Advertisment Sales Manager Freddy Halliday Senior Sales Executives Harriet Cottrell, Andrew Mackenzie, Henry Barton ISSN 2049-7024 Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, Ec1a 9pt | Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 | Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons ©The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2018 All rights reserved DISTRIBUTION The Good Universities Guide is a directory of independent schools brought to you by the publishers of Independent School Parent, the magazine for parents of children in Prep and Senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in Prep and Senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent.com/register © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2018. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in The Good Universities Guide has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Moncrieff, Chairman Colin Bell, COBIS Andrew Fleck, Sedbergh School, Cumbria Alison Fleming, Newton Prep, Battersea Tory Gillingham, AMCIS Aileen Kane, Boarding Schools’ Association Rachel Kerr, Girls’ Schools Association Ian Mason, Independent Schools Council Sir Anthony Seldon, University of Buckingham Mark Stretton, HMC Julian Thomas, Wellington College Helen Wright, Educational consultant Ben Vessey, Canford School, Dorset Sue Woodroofe, The Grammar School at Leeds Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant For website and subscriptions, please visit: independentschoolparent.com/register

COVER: ISTOCK

Cambridge University

Welcome

As you start looking into different higher education institutes and qualifications, you’ll probably realise that the options for the next step are more varied than you first thought. With our subject focus special, starting on page 33, we cover a broad spectrum of degree courses that you might like to study: from fashion to chemistry and architecture and politics, they’re all well worth researching before you make your decision. Once you’ve decided what you want to study and where, it’s time to tackle your personal statement. In It’s All About You, page 43. James Barton of MPW London has some great advice with his five-paragraph principle – especially useful if you suffer from writer’s block – his is a really handy resource for getting what you want to say down on paper. When you start your first year, you’ll no doubt have heard about or found yourself at the students’ union. Students’ unions and societies are part of the rich fabric of uni life. In Getting Involved on page 60, Katie Hughes explores how these social hubs cater to everyone’s tastes, not just those who are looking for a good night out on affordable drinks! We’ve also got loads of graduate success stories in this issue. From My uni, my career on page 68, where five graduates outline their career path, to our Day in the Life of... profiles (starting page 65) where commercial property solicitor Rosie Martindale and Paul Urtusan a Junior Specialist at Christie’s tell us what it takes to land that all-important job.

UCLan textile exhibition University of Edinburgh

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CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR independentschoolparent.com

CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE? THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE • AUTUMN 2018

Student finance

Studying for a degree can be expensive – tuition fees have to be paid and living costs need to be covered (including rent and utility bills). We speak to Student Finance England to find out how to apply for loans to finance your studies, student accommodation and personal needs. From page 48

Choosing a course

Every journey starts with a first step, and yours is to decide what you want to study and where! If you haven’t quite made your mind up, you’ll find course outlines on degrees such as politics, fashion, architecture and chemistry to help you select the path that fits your skills and interests. This will hopefully lead to your dream career. From page 33

UNIVERSITY TIMELINE… THE ROUTE TO HIGHER EDUCATION SUCCESS

Applying to uni

You have your shortlist, so now it’s time to start knocking on doors. If the prospect of writing your personal statement is daunting, read our tips and advice on how to wow the admissions tutors. We’ve also got some handy information on what to look out for on a university open day. From page 41

your personal statement is daunting, read

What’s on offer?

OUR TIPS AND ADVICE ON HOW TO WOW THE ADMISSIONS TUTORS

Do universities’ unconditional offers stop students realising their A-Level potential?

Your life as a student doesn’t just revolve around your course (though that part is still pretty important). From budgeting to imparting some handy tips to get you through the first year, we’re here to ensure you have all you need to get your university adventure off to a cracking start! From page 50

NOW IT’S TIME TO START KNOCKING ON DOORS. IF THE PROSPECT OF WRITING

CONTENTS 6

University life

In brief A roundup of the latest UK school news

University stats

All the higher education numbers you need

The war on drugs Sir Anthony Seldon on taking a new approach to stamping out student drug use

Degree apprenticeships A focus on this new option for school leavers to ‘learn as they earn’

At first sight Charlotte Phillips advises you not to get drawn in by the university open-day hype

Scaling great heights

Plot your higher education path

Material matters Where a fashion degree will take you

Current affairs

At the cutting edge Studying chemistry is a step into the future

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The Oxbridge interview What to expect to be asked

A capital education An inside look at Cardiff University

Get involved

Survival skills

Why the students’ union is so important Tips to get you through that first year

Living it up

Budgeting made simple Ruth Bushi goes through the budget basics

A day in the life Insights into what graduate careers at Christie’s and law firm DWF entail

Happy days

ISOTY awards A spotlight on St Paul’s, London

Student Finance England advises on how to apply for your university funding

Dr Paul Redmond shares five steps to a more positive university experience

Money talks

Lauren Hickford of iQ Student Accommodation outlines living options

Politics courses lead to diverse careers

Looking ahead Learning about careers in school

Body positive What a qualification in osteopathy requires

It’s all about you Personal statement tips

Finding the best architecture course

The route to success

My uni, my career What star alumni are up to now

University memory lane Soho House manager Tristan Bland reminisces on his time at Les Roches Bluch

UNIVERSITY LISTINGS

Find your perfect university or higher education college in our comprehensive UK listings.

Listings

Degrees of

difference

Subject areas include: Accounting, Finance & Economics

Health & Social Care

Business, Management & Marketing

History, Politics & Social Studies

Computer Animation, Games & Visual Effects Computing & Information Technology Design & Engineering

Law Media & Communications Sciences Sport Tourism, Hospitality & Events

Music Technology

Book your visit to BU:

www.bournemouth.ac.uk/open-days 9068

UNIVERSITIES

What’s on offer?

While many claim that unconditional offers are lowering student expectations, university insiders claim that they incentivise learning for the right reasons. ELIZABETH IVENS finds out more

niversities have hit back at criticism of the rise in unconditional offers they make, after reports nearly one in four students now receives one when applying to university in England. In the wake of recent UCAS figures showing around 23 per cent of applicants now receive at least one unconditional offer, many lined up to slate universities. Universities Minister Sam Gyimah was one such critic, claiming the rise in unconditional offers was “completely irresponsible to students”. And Mike Buchanan, of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), claimed that pupils “take their foot off the gas” after accepting offers that don’t require specific A-Level grades.

STUDENT SECURITY

IT’S ALL IN THE PLAN

Mr Thompson explained: “We’ve written to

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SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE ABLE A financial scholarship incentive is offered by University of Hull

applicants in previous years in this position offering them an academic scholarship if they attain their predicted grades to encourage them not to take their foot off the pedal.” The University of Sussex also offers a Sussex Excellence Scholarship alongside its unconditional offer scheme, which Head of Admissions Rob Evans says is for “exceptional applicants who have a proven track record of excellent academic performance”. He added: “We’ve monitored selected students who came to Sussex through our unconditional offer scheme and have found them to be highly motivated to go on to achieve excellent results in their degree.” At the University of Hull, Director of Student Recruitment Deborah Green says unconditional offers are made to ‘high calibre’ students coupled with a financial scholarship incentive if predicted grades are achieved, adding, “We’re doing everything we can to help students reach their potential.”

KEEPING FOCUSED

She revealed the university has even introduced an explanatory video to send to applicants to keep them motivated after an unconditional offer: “Our whole approach to making unconditional offers is underpinned by our dedication to advising students – throughout the admissions process – of the importance of maintaining their focus and studying hard.” Nevertheless, cynics have claimed the rise has been driven by market forces, with universities seeking to confirm places ahead of the post-A-Level clearing rush. s

But Cathy Gilbert of the University of Birmingham, one of the first to pioneer unconditional offers five years ago, said that making an unconditional offer was one of a range of admissions strategies to ensure the university was attracting the right students. She said the idea was first introduced as it became “more difficult to know that we were making the right offer on predicted grades which became less predictable” and that unconditional offers were made on GCSE results, personal statements and references. And she claimed the first cohort through since the unconditional offer structure was adopted “had done at least as well, if not better than normal.”

Proponents of unconditional offers also say they can free students from pressure, knowing their university place has already been secured. At the University of Bradford, where unconditional offers were introduced in 2016 and around 400 are made each year, spokesman Mark Thompson said, “The advantages for a student is that it takes the pressure off them and allows them to prepare earlier for their move to university.” Along with others, Bradford stresses that it only makes the offers to the most academic, and countered accusations that students stopped working as soon as they received an unconditional offer by pointing to incentives for students to continue to work hard.

UNIVERSITIES

“WE’RE A POPULAR UNIVERSITY –

we don’t need to introduce measures to put bums on seats. This is an admissions strategy that ENCOURAGES

CONVERSION AT THE TOP END”

At the University of Sussex, exceptional applicants with unconditional offers can also scoop the Sussex Excellence Scholarship

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UNIVERSITIES

PROPONENTS OF UNCONDITIONAL OFFERS ALSO SAY they can free students from pressure, KNOWING THEIR UNIVERSITY PLACE HAS ALREADY BEEN SECURED

University of Sussex graduation ceremony

But Cathy Gilbert at Birmingham pointed out that unconditional offers are still rare, adding, “They made up four per cent of our total offers this year. We’re a very popular university – we don’t need to introduce measures to put bums on seats. This is an admissions strategy that encourages conversion at the top end.” Universities have been threatened with being named and shamed by UCAS, while one senior figure – Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Catherine Harper from Chichester University – announced the university was ending unconditional offers, believing they were “not in the best long-term interests of students”. But in the face of such censure, universities are candid about the fact they’re working in line with their competitors.

MORE OFFERS THAN YOU THINK Mark Thompson at Bradford said: “The

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majority of universities now make unconditional offers, so the rationale behind our decision is to be in line with our competitors and to recruit high tariff students.” At Birmingham, Cathy Gilbert says she expects the practice of unconditional offers to become more widespread, and that many more universities than admit it publicly have

unconditional offers as part of their strategy. She said: “A lot have followed us – some publicly and some under the radar.” And universities are equally clear that students should think very clearly before accepting an offer. Deborah Green at the University of Hull advised students to be honest with themselves: “students should be honest about their motivations, to think very carefully about why they’re accepting an unconditional offer. If they’re clear about where they’ll study, they can focus on revision, minimise stress and achieve the highest possible grades – this will only be to their advantage.” Birmingham’s Cathy Gilbert says she gets “slightly irritated” at criticism of students opting for unconditional offers: “Students are motivated and they want to do their best. For the majority, getting an unconditional offer means they can focus on that study.”

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

STUDENT SUCCESSES • LANDMARK CELEBRATIONS • FUNDRAISING FEATS • NEW HEADTEACHERS

A totally oar-some experience Kingston Grammar School, London

The U15 and U17 rowing teams had the honour of manning The Queen’s rowbarge, Gloriana, as part of the BBC Radio 2 celebrations to mark the final of its 500 Words creative writing competition. The lucky 18 also got to meet the Duchess of Cornwall, David Walliams, Jason Isaacs and Jim Broadbent. Head of Rowing, Ed Green said: “We’re delighted to have been selected as the Gloriana’s rowing crew on this special occasion.”

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

• SEEING DOUBLE Lady Eleanor Holles, Middlesex

Twins Gemma and Catherine King, scored 10 A*s between them in last month’s A-Level results. The girls, who will both study Natural Sciences at Cambridge, are also impressive athletes.

• STAYING MINDFUL

Touch the sky Benenden, Kent

After 18 months of hard work, a team of pupils finally took their microlight aeroplane for its maiden flight. This engineering project was run with the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) as part of the organisation’s New Horizons scheme. Headmistress Samantha Price said: “At Benenden we’re developing the engineers of the future. Engineering skills are only going to become more important as technology develops further.”

Royal Hospital School, Ipswich

Under the hammer

The write stuff

DLD College, London

Rugby School, Warks

Author, campaigner and mental and emotional wellbeing advocate Natasha Devon MBE recently opened the College’s new Wellbeing Centre. Mark Johnson, Head of Wellbeing at DLD said: “The facility will introduce a programme of personal development coaching.”

On 4th December, London auction house Christie’s will present Old Masters/ New Scholars: Works of Art to Benefit Rugby School, a standalone sale comprising approximately 200 lots from the school’s private collection, from period paintings to original manuscripts.

More than 46 vice-chancellors and heads of Higher Education establishments have written to the Education Secretary calling for a ban on essaywriting companies. This is in response to the fact some students are paying for original assignments that can’t be detected by antiplagiarism software.

• DRESS CODE The University of Kent

The student union has banned “offensive” stetsons and sombreros for fancy dress. It, however, does list cave people, aliens, and ancient Greeks and Romans costumes as acceptable.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

All’s well

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• A BRIGHT SPARK Academic and sports scholar, Charlotte Stenning, achieved an outstanding set of GCSE results with 10 A* equivalents including the very top new Nine grade in eight subjects.

Principle Irfan Latif with Natasha Devon MBE

At the Ultimate Wellbeing in Education Conference in London, speakers such as Sir Anthony Seldon and Professor Martin Seligman discussed how school and university student and staff wellbeing can be improved.

PICTURE YOURSELF AT C H I C H E S T E R OUR SUBJECT AREAS • Accounting and Finance • Acting • Business Studies • Charity Development • Childhood Studies • Computing • Counselling • Dance • Education • Engineering • English and Creative Writing • Environmental Sustainability

• Event Management • Film Production • Fine Art • History • Human Resource Management • Law • Marketing • Mathematics • Media • Music • Musical Theatre • Outdoor Education

• Philosophy and Ethics • Physics • Politics • Product Design • Psychology • Social Work and Social Care • Sport • Teaching • Theatre • Theology and Religious Studies • Tourism Management

VISIT US Come and be part of our community-focused university where you matter to us as an individual. chi.ac.uk/gooduniguide

#chiuni

From Sport to Bioveterinary Science, find the perfect degree for you at Bishop Burton College.

To find out more about the degrees available at Bishop Burton College, visit

www.bishopburton.ac.uk

NEWS

HEADS ON THE MOVE It’s all change for these schools

Dan Harrison has started as the new Head of Sedbergh School, Cumbria.

Bart Wielenga is Head of Blundell’s School, Devon. He was previously Deputy Head.

Ready, steady, cook! Truro School, Cornwall

Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith officially opened Truro’s new cookery school last month. In addition to enabling practical cookery to be taught throughout the school, the new culinary facility allows Sixth Form students the opportunity to complete the prestigious Leiths Introductory Certificate of Food and Wine. Dr Anne Cotton has started at Portsmouth Grammar School.

Maria Young has taken up the reins at St Mary’s, Shaftesbury.

Keith Metcalfe former Deputy Head of Harrow, will take over as Head of Malvern College, Worcs in April 2019.

Get happy

Pet loves

Oxford High School

The University of Kent

The school hosted an event showcasing the innovative programme it’s running with The Positive Group, an organisation that uses the latest psychological research to create ‘behavioural toolkits’. Co-founder Dr Brian Marien spoke about his belief that emotional literacy should be part of mainstream education to prevent mental-health issues later in life.

Pawfect Match, an app that matches you with a pet in need of a home, is the brainwave of sociology and economics undergraduate Jaye Graham. In her second year, Jaye had to come up with a business idea. After winning a competition in 2016, she received mentoring and funding to launch Pawfect Match, which is now thriving.

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NEWS

77.7% of applicants go to their first-choice university

OVER 500,000 STUDENTS ARE ACCEPTED EACH YEAR

38.1% of the 18-yearold population in England applied through UCAS

UNIVERSITY STATS If you’re thinking of going on to higher education, you will apply through the uni admissions system, UCAS. ere are the facts and figures to have at your fingertips

41.8%

Business Studies courses are the most popular, receiving

356,125 applications last year

70,945

international students were accepted through UCAS last year 16

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A record

35,000

COURSES ARE AVAILABLE TO UNDERGRADUATES AT OVER 380 UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ACROSS THE UK

60,100

secured their place through clearing by the end of September

FACTS AND FIGURES ARE FROM UCAS – THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES APPLICATION SERVICE.

of 18 year olds in London go to university, the UK’s highest admissions rate

in the UK for graduate outcomes The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019

lancaster.ac.uk/lums #lovelums

Go further, aim higher. We offer a wide range of further and higher education courses. eastonotley.ac.uk

COMMENT

THE WAR ON DRUGS SIR ANTONY SELDON aims to make the University of Buckingham the UK’s first drug-free campus through a positive-psychology approach University of Buckingham students say they don’t want to be part of a toxic, drug-taking culture

Sir Anthony Seldon is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham

hen I was Head of Brighton, and later Wellington College, I made a strong stand against drugtaking. So when I became a vice-chancellor three years ago, one of the first questions I asked was: ‘Why can’t we make Buckingham drug-free?’ I was told by colleagues at other universities that I didn’t understand; drugs, like heavy-drinking sessions, were a rite of passage at university. Over the years, I’ve fought many battles. I once received a death threat from a pupil I expelled for drug-pushing, and when I introduced wellbeing lessons to the curriculum a decade ago, I was mocked; now they’re commonplace. But I had no desire to face down undermining comments I’d attract by tackling the campus drugs issue. Instead I focused on improving student mental health and the quality of university teaching. My concerns wouldn’t go away, however, and stories of drug-induced death, injury and psychological damage among students continue to haunt me. In despair, I wavered between one of two policy extremes: following the practice of some boarding schools and expelling drug users, or managing the problem the best we could, by offering advice to students on how to take drugs safely. I didn’t favour either. Where was the compassion for vulnerable young students living away from home for the first time, in letting the status quo blithely continue? It’s often less confident students who are sucked in to taking drugs,

and the most vulnerable who suffer the worst psychological damage. Now, however, through talking to students, I believe we have found a different way – a revolution from below. Students at the University of Buckingham tell us they don’t want to be part of a culture that tolerates the ingestion of toxic chemicals. There’s something admirable, and ironic, about students making this stand where one might have expected university leaders to show the way. Dominant student leaders decree what the culture is, a culture that has for too long tolerated drugs that many students want no part of. The middle way, which we’re rolling out at Buckingham, aims to make the taking of drugs as socially unacceptable as smoking in public now is. We aim to do this, not by focusing on expulsion, but with a compassionate policy of making it clear that drug-taking is unwelcome. However, any students that don’t respect our policy, repeatedly use drugs or deal drugs, will be asked to leave. Buckingham is the first university to adopt positive psychology as our mental health approach, which means we put the emphasis on giving students guidance to lead physically and psychologically healthy lives and promote healthy alternatives to show students they don’t have to get ‘wasted’ to have a good time. We’re working towards a psychological contract for students to adhere to no drugtaking. Old fashioned maybe. But needed. Just 15 years ago, most people would have said that you could never stamp out cigarettesmoking, yet we’re close to doing so. With cigarettes, we initially lacked the evidence that showed the harmful effects. On drugs, we already have the evidence. It’s insane to let this continue. The tragedy is so many young lives have been destroyed while we were asleep to our responsibilities.

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FOCUS

DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS They give aspirational school-leavers the chance to ‘earn while they learn’. But are they really worth considering as an alternative to other higher education options? KATIE HUGHES finds out independentschoolparent.com

FOCUS

his autumn, hundreds of recent school leavers will start their university lives free from the millstone of student debt. As degree apprentices, they’ll study for fee-free bachelor’s or master’s degrees while being paid a salary and getting “on-thejob” experience from blue-chip employers like Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Barclays and Jaguar Land Rover. And all being well, they’ll be offered permanent job contracts once they’ve completed their studies. Degree apprenticeships are only a recent addition to the higher education offering, but they are creating a stir. Barnaby Lenon, Chair of the Independent Schools Council isn’t the only one who thinks “schools need to keep an eye” on them “as an alternative to the traditional route into higher education”.

A higher education revolution?

One independent school keeping a very close eye on degree apprenticeships is Wellington College in Berkshire, which held the UK’s first conference dedicated to the new scheme last year – it’s now set to become an annual event at the school. Julian Thomas, Master of Wellington College, sees the new apprenticeships as a significant third option for aspirational school leavers, who have long been limited to the binary choice between traditional degree or going straight into the workplace. Thomas thinks that the trebling of tuition fees in 2012 caused “a greater questioning of whether or not (conventional) university is the right route for everyone”, and says of degree apprenticeships that “it feels to me like the Airbus offers degree apprenticeships

Available degree apprenticeship subjects include aerospace engineering

“GETTING TO SEE HOW OUR UNIVERSITY LEARNING CAN BE

transferred to live projects that have an

IMPACT ON THE ORGANISATION IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE” – HOLLY BRAZIER blue touch paper is being lit on what could be a higher education revolution.” Terry Scuoler, former Chief Executive of the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, also welcomes this shake-up of post-school options. He says, “There has been a noticeable gap in higher-level provision that combines both vocational and academic learning, and degree apprenticeships are the opportunity to fill this gap.” Other organisations are similarly positive: not least the 60-plus universities (Russell Group among them) and higher education

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FOCUS CASE STUDY: 1

THE DEGREE APPRENTICE

HOLLY BRAZIER is a student at Queen Mary University of London and an apprentice at Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division

“

I wanted an alternative to university but to still be able to gain a degree,” says Holly. She took a gap year before embarking on a four-year degree apprenticeship, and is now paid a salary to work in Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking division, while also studying for a feefree digital and technology solutions degree at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). In a typical week, Holly commutes into London to spend Mondays and Tuesdays in lectures, peer-assisted study slots and lab sessions at her university, Queen Mary’s. The other days are be spent at Goldman Sachs, in the City, where she helps to create and maintain

key technology for the company’s investment bankers. “Getting to see how our university learning can be transferred to live projects that have an impact on the organisation is a great advantage,” says Holly, when asked about the benefits of her degree apprenticeship. She also appreciates the mentoring from experienced professionals as “something you wouldn’t get on a fulltime university degree.” Holly admits it can be “a challenge to balance responsibilities” and says, “it is important to plan, prioritise and prepare for both study and work tasks when you’re juggling.” But she does have some free time: “At the weekend I try to balance work and play by doing any university work on one day, and on the other, I leave time for something or hobbies I enjoy, such as pilates or socialising with friends.”

Automative engineering is also open to prospective apprentices

institutions that are now partnering with a number of high-profile organisations to offer degree apprenticeships. There are dozens of subjects available to students; from aerospace and automotive engineering, to banking, chartered surveying, accountancy and more. “The number of subjects and companies on offer will certainly grow,” says Barnaby Lenon, of the Independent

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FOCUS

Employers will now have candidates that are ready for the workplace and have the right skill set

Schools Council. “And the expectation is that we think it will grow quite quickly.”

The right skill set

Former Prime Minister David Cameron launched degree apprenticeships with the promise that they’d “give people a great head start”, in no small part because they’re codesigned by employers to teach apprentices work-specific skills. “Now, more than ever, employers want graduates who come with the right skills, ready for the workplace,” said Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group when degree apprenticeships were launched. This resonates with UCAS findings that retention rates for apprentices can exceed 80 per cent. PwC (like many companies) knows this only too well. It recently partnered with the Universities of Birmingham and Leeds, and Queen’s University Belfast, to address the shortfall of graduate recruits with digital skills. The result is a new technology degree apprenticeship that will soon see highachieving students (with at least three Bs at A-Level, or equivalent) mixing uni life with work-based technology projects. PwC’s Chairman and Senior Partner, Kevin Ellis, sees this as “an exciting new way for us to start growing the future of the UK’s technology industry at a much earlier stage and to open up these careers to a wider range of students.”

A good fit?

“If you know you want to be a management consultant, you can go to a good firm like KPMG and they’ll pay for you to go to

independentschoolparent.com

A Jaguar degree apprentice working on a model

university,” says Barnaby Lenon. This should mean you can bypass the £44,000 debt that saddles the average graduate embarking on post-university life (an Institute of Fiscal Studies figure). But earning and learning at the same time is hard work, and that can deter a would-be degree apprentice. “You need to be a self-starter, diligent and to have a real interest in and excitement about it,” says Julian Thomas. The application process will be competitive too. “Apprenticeships are jobs and so employers are ultimately responsible for recruitment,” says UCAS, but “both employers and universities will need to be satisfied the applicant meets their respective requirements.” Barnaby Lenon thinks that “it is also important to introduce a UCAS-style of application process.” Visit ucas.com/degree-apprenticeships

School leavers who chose this new pathway won’t be saddled with debt

FOCUS CASE STUDY: 2

THE BLUE CHIP COMPANY

JOHN O’CONNOR is commercial and human capital director for construction company Laing O’Rourke

“

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK; AIRBUS S.A.S 2013/MASTER FILMS/JB. ACCARIEZ; VIEW PICTURES/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

We strongly believe partnerships like these will play a major role in attracting and nurturing the talent required in our sector.” John is talking of Laing O’Rourke’s collaboration with the University of Exeter, which enables degree apprentices to study for a BEng Civil Engineering Site Management degree while also getting industry experience at some of the country’s most important infrastructure projects, such as Hinkley Point C. These apprentices will spend five years combining on-campus time at Exeter with blended learning and real-world projects for (for example) Hinkley Point C partners Bouygues TP, Laing O’Rourke and EDF. In practise, this means spending eight weeks a year living at university and going to lectures, seminars and workshops. The rest of the time is spent working for Laing O’Rourke and the other companies in a civil engineering role, whilst also accessing

online lectures and collaborative work via the university’s virtual learning portal: all with plenty of support from mentors. Dr Sean Carroll, project lead and a senior lecturer in engineering at Exeter, sees the scheme as an opportunity for “students to combine working on civil engineering projects with a first-rate learning experience at Exeter.” The icing on the cake? All students are earning a salary, while also having their university tuition fees paid. It’s a winning formula. “Finding a solution to the skills gap in the UK construction industry is not only critical for the sector but also for the wider economy,” concludes O’Connor.

“WE STRONGLY BELIEVE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THESE WILL

play a major role in attracting and nurturing the talent REQUIRED IN OUR SECTOR”

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FOCUS

HOW TO EARN WHILE YOU LEARN GILLIAN JONES, Careers and University Advisor for Pocklington School, Yorkshire explains how to apply for a degree apprenticeship Lower Sixth, autumn term

Research sectors and universities offering degree apprenticeships: there are three ways of finding opportunities – employer websites (some skills agencies like Tech Partnership also give information on companies offering degree apprenticeships), the government’s apprenticeship vacancy website (www.gov.uk/applyapprenticeship), or the UCAS website. Highlight companies that you’re interested in and research their websites. Most will keep to the same cycle of advertising and applying each year, so you’ll know the application process and approximate timetable for the following year. As a rule of thumb, vacancies with larger companies start to appear in the autumn, but the majority start to advertise from January onwards, with smaller businesses recruiting a month or two before the job starts.

Spring term

Visit university open days. It’s also important that you start to look at the course structure, as this will vary between different universities and employers, as each programme is tailored to suit individual employer needs and delivered in the style of the university’s teaching model. When you visit universities, ask questions about apprenticeships and find out as much as you can about the structure of the courses.

Summer holidays

Undertake work experience and prepare a CV. Degree apprenticeships are delivered by the university in partnership with an employer, therefore applications are made directly to the employer, in line with their specific recruitment processes. So by researching the company and the apprenticeship advertisement, you’ll get to know what employers in your chosen field will be expecting of you, as well as what each specific apprenticeship will involve. Students can then start to tailor their CV to meet criteria.

Upper Sixth, autumn term

Follow employers on Twitter or other social media sites. This is often the first place you’ll hear about vacancies. Register with the government’s find an apprenticeship website. Most companies will post vacancies on this site

Start preparing for applications early by researching courses and writing a CV

as well as receiving alerts to new vacancies you can apply directly. Understand what’s involved in the application process: there can be a number of hurdles to leap before you even get to a face-to-face interview: an application form, online tests, perhaps a phone or online interview, before even attending an assessment day. Prepare your application: see your careers advisor for advice on how best to present yourself. Make applications via the employer website or the Governments’ apprenticeship vacancy website. Currently it’s not possible to apply for a degree apprenticeship via UCAS. Therefore, students have to realise that they’ll need to manage their time effectively as completing an application takes time and the process can be long.

Upper Sixth, spring term

Check the interview format so you can prepare. Company research is a critical part of any interview preparation, but with a degree apprenticeship you’ll also need to know about the university course and what it’s like to be an apprentice. Should you be made an offer by an employer, you’ll then receive your apprentice contract of employment and be asked to complete the uni entry form. You’ll then receive a formal confirmation of your place from the university.

APPLICATIONS ARE MADE DIRECTLY to the employer, in line WITH THEIR SPECIFIC RECRUITMENT PROCESSES. 26

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OPEN DAYS

University of St Andrews students arriving at their graduation ceremony

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS HAVE WOKEN UP TO THE FACT THAT WOULD-BE STUDENTS have evolved, courtesy of the student loans scheme, INTO THE MOST DESIRABLE OF ALL COMMODITIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CASH BUYERS

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OPEN DAYS

AT FIRST SIGHT

Making sure you help your kids see past the gloss and goody bags of a university’s open day is essential, writes CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS

“

Cambridge University students punting on the river Cam

t’s so slick it’s like pyramid selling”, says a South West London mother who’s just come to the end of the latest round of university open days with her daughter. “All I can compare it to is the time we looked at a timeshare in Florida – it was as good as that.”

similarly in the pink. Other institutions, particularly those further down in the academic pecking order, have seen student numbers fall. While we’re only talking two per cent, after years of growth, any decline is undoubtedly a shock to the system.

IT’S A BUYERS’ MARKET

In the past, student recruitment has tended to be run on idiosyncratic lines, to say the least. One mother recalls being told that her son would need three As as a minimum requirement. Fair enough, she thought. After all, nobody wants D-grade diagnostic skills when they visit their GP. She was slightly more surprised at the requirement for Duke of Edinburgh Gold and outraged when the admissions team demanded that everyone play a musical instrument as well. “I stood up and asked if donating a kidney would secure him a place. It was absolutely ridiculous. You felt next time round they’d decide to admit everyone who was wearing pink socks that day.” How times change. In the past two years, St George’s and Liverpool have been among the institutions to offer clearing places to read medicine. Though candidates still won’t be admitted with less than top grades and, of course, good UKCAT or BMAT scores, a Grade eight distinction in solo accordion may have dropped off the must-have admissions criteria. Whether they plan to study medicine or s

Forget dreaming spires and mortar-boardwearing academics. As tuition fees have shot up, higher education institutions have woken up to the fact that would-be undergraduates have evolved, courtesy of the student loans scheme, into that most desirable of all commodities – cash buyers. Not only that, but there are currently fewer teenagers around than in previous years. A drop of 2.5 per cent in the number of UK 18 year olds may not sound like much, but it’s still dented the numbers of university applications. Not everywhere is equally affected. With more than 10 applicants for every place, the London School of Economics isn’t having to do much in the way of last-minute budget adjustments (a waste, really, given that they’re really, really good at sums). St Andrews, Edinburgh and Manchester are

A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM

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OPEN DAYS

PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, HE DOESN’T SEE THE increased numbers of mums

and dads turning up with their offspring

PHOTOGRAPH OF ST ANDREWS: RHONA RUTHERFORD

AS A SIGN OF OVERPROTECTIVENESS; RATHER HE SEES IT AS A REFLECTION OF BETTER FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS maths, potential students need to be wooed. As a result, university open days have undergone a transformation that makes Cinderella’s efforts look like an exercise in restraint. Informal chats and poorly photocopied handouts are so over. In their place are events glitzy enough to turn any campus, however windswept the walkways or brutalist the architecture, from tumbleweed turnoff to Disneyland paradise – temporarily, at least. Presentations are polished, media is multi and goody bags bulge with freebies. Even the tiniest of details aren’t neglected. The University of Liverpool, for example, offers discounted hotel rates and city bus tours. Add to that the polished student guides, and it’s not surprising that the mood, at times, can be like an evangelical preacher’s sermon.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

It’s at times like that this that parents come into their own. Around half of Sixth Formers bring at least one along, some even bring grannies and aunties in tow. Universities are fully aware of the need to boost parent appeal. Many these days arrange separate briefings. Most, unexceptionally, cover

off dull but essential topics like proximity to shops and medical centres, and exactly how all those student loans are going to be repaid, if ever, together with the lowdown on their ability to enhance future employment prospects by helping to arrange work placements. Others, meanwhile, can stray into too-muchinformation territory. One tour guide, keen to ensure that parents missed nothing in the halls of residence, opened up the cupboard doors in the kitchen to reveal litre upon litre of value vodka. “Alcohol’s really cheap here,” she intoned excitedly. For Anna May Mangan, who achieved some notoriety for putting her life on hold in order to focus single-mindedly on securing places for her twin daughters at medical school (she later wrote a book, Getting into Medical School – The Pushy Mother’s Guide based on her experiences) anecdotes like this are nature’s way of telling parents that it’s time to let go.

DRAW UP A LIST

“Before my kids went to their open days, we worked out a list of things they should see and questions to ask – both of the staff and helpers who were available to potential new students

but I also encouraged them to go ‘off piste’ and speak to other staff and students who were in and around the university.” Dr Paul Redmond, Director of Student Experience and Enhancement at the University of Liverpool, came up with the term ‘helicopter parent’. Perhaps surprisingly, he doesn’t see the increased numbers of mums and dads turning up with their offspring as a sign of overprotectiveness; rather he sees it as a reflection of better family relationships. “Baby boomers and generation Y identify with each other much more closely than previous generations. They’re very happy to be with each other at our open days – it’s a nice generational shift. I think parents also realise it’s such a massive decision,” he says. And the truth is that even in families where parents are an embarrassment to their offspring, they have two significant advantages when it comes to university open days: access to a car, and, even more importantly, experience. “My daughter was totally taken in by it all because they sold it so well but I thought “you’re going to be bored out of your brain”,’ says a London mother, of a razzmatazz-heavy session at an isolated teacher training centre. “It wasn’t until I got her to think about what it would be like in December, miles from anywhere and with almost no men around that she started to realise the disadvantages.” For one family, the revelatory moment was seeing the academic staff in their natural habitat. “We went into the staff room and it was full of maths maniacs, long-haired, bearded, sandalled and guffawing. I saw my daughter flinch – and we wrote it off on the spot,” says mother Kathryn Hone. And it’s those just-glimpsed details miles away from the polished corporate presentations that will tell that you’ve found a place where you can feel at home. A course might be perfect on paper, but if the setting isn’t right for them, an 18 year old, away from home for the first time, may struggle. independentschoolparent.com

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COURSES

CHOOSING A COURSE

AT ST In 2017,

Expert advice on a broad spectrum of degrees, ranging from fashion to politics and chemistry to architecture

electing a course is the biggest decision you’ll make when starting your university journey, so it’s essential to research it as much as possible. The UCAS website (ucas. com) is a good place to begin and has loads of advice to hand. If you know what you want to do as a career, make sure you know what subjects you’ll need to pursue it. If not, keep an open mind but always have an eye on what type of job your course will lead to. s

THIS STATISTIC IS TAKEN FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION’S GRADUATE LABOUR MARKET STATISTICS 2017. PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

IVERSITY UN

the average, working-age graduate earned £10,000 more than the average non-grad

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COURSES ARCHITECTURE - UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER

SCALING GREAT HEIGHTS If you want to make a lasting impact on society and find the prospect of combining advanced technical knowledge with practical skills exciting, then a career in architecture could be for you

he ever-changing London skyline is a clear indicator of the vibrant nature of the capital’s architecture. Moreover, the number and scale of major projects, such as Battersea’s Nine Elms Development or the planned redevelopment of the Royal Albert Dock, mean that there’s no shortage of career opportunities for aspiring graduates. If you’re applying for a degree in architecture, check that your chosen university’s department has the following:

Check your prospective architecture department’s prize-winning history

Strong industry links

A broad education

THE ARCHITECTURE INDUSTRY HAS NUMEROUS AWARDS celebrating the work of leading practitioners. SEE IF THE DEPARTMENT HAS WON ANY MAJOR PRIZES RECENTLY

celebrate the work of leading practitioners. See if the department has won any major prizes recently and check the league tables to find out what current students think of the university’s teaching standards. The prospects for new architecture graduates are very favourable. When compared with Excellent facilities and location the total graduate cohort, architecture To develop your skills you’ll want to train in new workshops, using cutting-edge equipment. and building studies (70.3 per cent), were significantly above the average of 55.2 per cent Studying in London would also ensure that of graduates working full time six months you’d never be short of inspiration, thanks to after graduation. In the city’s impressive range As an architecture student, addition to being of galleries and museums. you’ll want to use cuttingemployed as architects edge equipment and architectural Award-winning technicians, graduates The architecture industry were working as has numerous awards to A department which offers courses across a range of disciplines, from construction to property and urban design to housing, architecture will give you the opportunity to learn about different potential professions.

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quantity surveyors, chartered surveyors, construction managers and in town-planning roles. Starting salaries vary considerably and it’s often the case that architecture and building graduates are at the lower end of the scale (£18,250 to £31,300) as they go into technician roles while they build a professional portfolio or go through the steps to professional registration. Nonetheless, most will earn above the average new graduate salary of £21,000. Due to the range of roles available, it’s worth giving some thought to the components of the degree programme to ensure that it reflects your career aspirations. For example, there are courses which focus on architectural technology, environmental design, planning or interior architecture.

SOURCE: WHAT DO GRADUATES DO 2018/19? PROSPECTS/HESCU

As a student you want to ensure that you’re working to the latest professional standards. The University of Westminster works with the main professional bodies for the sector, including the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Town Planning Institutes. Indeed, the BA Honours Architecture course is RIBA accredited. These partnerships and extensive work-experience programme will guarantee that by the end of your studies you’ll be fully equipped to start to your professional career.

COURSES FASHION - UNIVERSITY OF LANCASHIRE

MATERIAL MATTERS With an emphasis on hands-on experience and professional development, fashion at the University of Lancashire makes an excellent choice for students with a creative focus

f you’re a driven, motivated and passionate student then there’s no limit to where a degree in fashion or textile design will take you. Those studying Fashion or Textile Design at UCLan can take advantage of meaningful work placements, either through a year in industry or dedicated modules, alongside developing relevant skills through academic study.

UCLan’s 2018 Graduate Fashion Week catwalk show

A centre of excellence

Fashion students will be able to reap the rewards of UCLan’s reputation for delivering a world-class educational experience that is closely related to industry needs, having been established for over 50 years. Over that period, the university has built extremely close relationships with more than 150 global fashion brands including Levis, Burberry,

FASHION STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO

reap the rewards of UCLan’s reputation FOR DELIVERING A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE Coast, Oasis, Tommy Hilfiger and M&S, and all students can take advantage of this. As part of the Fashion Design programme, students benefit from many opportunities throughout their studies to present their work to industry professionals, the highlight of which is Graduate Fashion Week. At this event, graduates have the chance to showcase their work on the catwalk and exhibition space to the key fashion industry players, with The textiles exhibition at the PR1 Gallery, UCLan, for Lancashire Arts 2018

many gaining industry contacts and winning nationally recognised awards. In fact, UCLan is one of the most successful UK universities at Graduate Fashion Week; since 2000, its students have won a total of 32 awards.

Helping you to be career-ready

The difference between UCLan’s Fashion and Textile Design graduates and other universities is that the students leave ready for work thanks to the combination of practical experience learned during the course. Fashion promotion students are taught by a specialist academic team of industry professionals along with an array of guest lecturers through a series of creative projects and live client-led briefs for fashion brands. They then put theory into practice through self-promotion, branding training and

guidance from tutors on developing a portfolio. Where a degree such as textiles encourages students to develop their creative thinking and master traditional techniques, it is equally important to choose a course that places strong emphasis on employability and finding work experience to boost that allimportant portfolio. Students at UCLan are also challenged to look at textile craft in new ways, experimenting with surfaces, form and function to create exciting and innovative textiles and designs that are ahead of the curve. Armed with a unique design identity at the end of the programme, graduates go on to work in areas such as textile interior design, surface pattern design, printmaking, illustration, retail buying, teaching, museum conservation and trend forecasting. Being a university that has strong industry links, so that its students can take the opportunity to get the relevant work experience and make the right contacts, is something that UCLan prides itself on.

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COURSES OSTEOPATHY - BRITISH COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

BODY POSITIVE If you’ve a keen interest in the anatomy and how muscles work, a career as an osteopath may be worth pursuing

steopaths are part of a group of NHS health practitioners known as Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). They’re trained in the musculoskeletal system (joints, muscles and associated tissues) and its relationship to other systems of the body and can manage a number of acute and chronic conditions. Osteopathic practice is a safe and effective form of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of health issues. Manual therapy, rehabilitation and advice are used by osteopaths to support the health of their patients. Many osteopaths will also utilise nutrition, exercise and self-care advice to promote recovery and help their patients to maintain their overall health. Osteopathic care is provided to patients of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds such as sports people, performers and dancers, children and pregnant women. Some osteopaths specialise in areas such as paediatrics, pregnancy and the elderly, while others may treat animals under the guidance

of a vet. Osteopaths often treat sports people, with a recent survey (iO, 2017) showing that 48 per cent of osteopaths managed individuals who were involved in sport. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics games marked the first time that osteopaths were included in the medical team. This has since been replicated with the Olympic Games in Brazil, 2016. It’s estimated that 30,000 people currently consult osteopaths every working day. Most osteopaths work in private practice, with more than 80 per cent of patients funding their own treatment. Current data from as recently as last month shows that there are 5,363 registered osteopaths in the UK, with equal numbers of male and female practitioners on the register. The job title is protected in law by the Osteopaths Act 1993. Practising osteopaths must be registered by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). Osteopaths are trained to degree standard attaining either a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or integrated Masters (M.Ost.) level. Courses typically last four years full-time, or five years part-time. Each osteopathic education

institution has a different syllabus, though they all fulfil criteria set by the General Osteopathic Council. All students undergo 1,000 clinical hours, and the Osteopathic Benchmark statement (QAA) states that an osteopathic student must have seen 50 new patients during their training. This equips osteopaths with an in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology, pathology and robust clinical methods examination techniques for the cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological systems and the abdomen. After graduation, osteopaths must to undergo 30 hours of CPD to remain on the osteopathic register with GOsC. Many newly-qualified osteopaths start out in an established practice, working with other osteopaths and qualified health professionals. Osteopathy is a growing profession and salaries vary. A survey by the Institute of Osteopathy (iO) in March 2017 demonstrated that the average annual income was £44,750. It also found that 11 per cent of the respondents earn £100,000+, with the highest earners located in the north east and north west of the UK. Survey respondents typically worked in clinical practice for four days a week, and nine in 10 were self-employed. Over half of the respondents came into osteopathy as a second career.

OSTEOPATHIC CARE IS PROVIDED TO

patients of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds SUCH AS SPORTS PEOPLE,

*INSTITUTE OF OSTEOPATHY MARCH 2017

PERFORMERS AND DANCERS

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COURSES POLITICS - KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

CURRENT AFFAIRS

A politics degree will equip a student with the skills and knowledge necessary to forge a career path at any of the political, social and economic institutions of the 21st century

olitics has become increasingly popular as the focus for many undergraduate degrees, and it comes as little surprise. A degree in politics tackles some of the most important contemporary social issues. Recent changes to the domestic and global political map mean there has never been a more exciting time to study in this field. At King’s a range of degrees from various departments is offered, responding to the different ways in which politics manifests itself.

A degree in politics has many facets to it

Degrees to make a difference

From the many faces of inequality to climate change, the differing quality of healthcare across the world to gentrification and resurgent nationalism to fake news: King’s courses tackle the big questions and deal with current issues that our students care about. The university’s new Social Sciences BA is for those who want to make a difference. Topics of study relate to current real-world social, political and ethical questions including recent campaigns such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, green politics, social media and more. Geography BA and BSc use London as a laboratory to examine key issues facing the world today, including environmental degradation and urban regeneration, and even offer exciting international field trips to destinations including China, India and Spain. At King’s, health is more than a medical The campus at King’s

TOPICS OF STUDY RELATE TO real-

world social, political and ethical questions,

INCLUDING RECENT CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS BLACK LIVES MATTER, #METOO, GREEN POLITICS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND MORE

matter, with its unique Global Health & Social Medicine BA and BSc courses operating at the juncture of where social science meets bioscience, training a new generation of leaders.

Tackling war zones

We have the long-established Department of War Studies, home to International Relations BA students, as well as those studying War Studies BA. Dealing with conflict, politics as a global activity, migration and more, its degrees cover the issues that are truly dominating the headlines of 21st century news.

Politics and economics

A BA in European Studies or European Politics will appeal to students interested in studying Europe from a political-science perspective. The former offers pathways in French, German or Spanish, which include a year abroad in the applicable country at one of the university’s

prestigious European partner universities. Oncampus talks from internationally renowned commentators are a regular feature. Over in the Department of Political Economy, there are many opportunities to explore the interplay between politics and economics. Courses include BAs and BScs in Politics, Economics, Political Economy and Philosophy Politics & Economics (PPE). International Development at King’s focusses on the middle-income countries driving changes in the global economy and how they promote growth and economic, social and political development in new and often innovative or non-orthodox ways.

Life after university

King’s College politics alumni have gone on to a diverse selection of careers, working for the government, civil service, PR consultancies, MEPs, and even the BBC.

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COURSES CHEMISTRY - UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

AT THE CUTTING EDGE

Chemistry graduates can be found at the heart of scientific discovery, working in some of the world’s most dynamic industries, as well as award-winning teaching and research facilities

hoosing the right course can be a big decision, and chemistry students come to The University of Liverpool for a variety of reasons. From a sheer love of the subject, to wanting to keep their options open, this is a degree that can open many doors. As a Russell Group university, excellence in research strongly influences teaching, and ensures that you’re engaged in leading science in optional modules and in project work. The course options available at Liverpool allow you the flexibility to tailor your degree to fit your interests. Alongside their studies, we encourage all students to undertake a study-abroad scheme, work placement, internship, or volunteer experience to prepare for life after graduation. Chemistry students also have the option to choose a degree with a Year in Industry. Liverpool’s £23m Central Teaching Laboratories house synthetic chemistry and physical chemistry labs with new equipment for a wide range of experiments.

The University of Liverpool’s £23m Central Teaching Laboratories offer a modern environment for chemistry studies

Alongside this, the new £468m Materials Innovation Factory is a state-of-the-art materials chemistry research hub funded in collaboration with Unilever and the government. That’ll be accessible to undergrads during their final-year research project. Graduate not only with a degree, but with a highly-regarded, accredited degree. The MChem (four-year) programmes have Master Accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and BSc (three-year) programmes have Bachelor Accreditation. ChemTube3D (chemtube3d.com) is a unique website housing interactive 3D-animations

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covering some of the most important topics in an undergraduate chemistry degree. All students are provided with books to cover the whole course in the first and second year, along with all the necessary safety equipment, completely free of charge. The demanding nature of a Chemistry degree is recognised by employers, meaning Liverpool’s graduates have been able to take up roles in a variety of fields in addition to chemistry, including pharmaceuticals and business management. To give you a helping hand, organised visits from leading companies such as GlaxoSmithKline and Unilever ensure

that you have the opportunity to make contact and network with prospective employers at key stages in your final year. And it’s working. Recent figures show that 96.9 per cent of the university’s UK undergraduates are in employment or further study six months after graduation*, placing Liverpool at the top of the Russell Group!

*SOURCE: DLHE 2016/7. PHOTOGRAPHY MCCOY-WYNNE

THE DEMANDING NATURE OF A CHEMISTRY DEGREE IS recognised by employers, meaning Liverpool’s graduates have been ABLE TO TAKE UP ROLES IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS

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APPLYING

The route to success If your heart’s set on going to university you must think ahead, plan and prepare, says ANNE COWARD, Head of Sixth Form at Giggleswick, North Yorkshire

Cambridge

ixth Formers are busy applying to universities this term, but it’s not all about higher education, whatever career path you choose. Careful planning and groundwork is the key to success. Thinking ahead is XXX crucial wherever you see your future post-18, be it university, an apprenticeship, degree apprenticeship or going straight into the world of work.

Consider every option

While university isn’t for everyone, it’s still the most popular option for our A-Level leavers. We encourage our students to look at all the options. Whatever they choose, young people can do many things to maximise their chances of getting to where they want to be. As well as full-time university, the new degree apprenticeships are worth consideration, while some may opt for a gap year to take time to decide and others go straight into work. Meticulous planning and preparation will help each individual’s journey to success. Young people should think about what can make them stand out from the crowd, especially

STUDENTS GENERALLY SEE UNIVERSITY AS AN INVESTMENT IN THEIR FUTURE. For those set on a s eci c career, ees are a act o i e TO SECURE THE CAREER PATH THEY WANT Cambridge University students

if they aspire to a place at a Russell Group university, or if they have their eye on a degree apprenticeship or specific job. Despite a growing rise in unconditional offers, generally, entry standards are still high for Russell Group universities and esepcially for certain courses, such as medicine, veterinary science, law and computer science. Of course, places at Oxbridge and Ivy League universities in America remain highly sought-after. Meanwhile, the new degree apprenticeships offer young people a chance to combine the world of work with higher-level study, so they really are worth exploring. There are some interesting options out there. This year, one of our A-Level students has gone on to take up at place at Doncaster Knights Academy, on a course which allows him to

combine playing professional rugby while studying for a degree in business. Tuition fees have been blamed for putting some young people off further study, but it still remains the most popular option for  independentschoolparent.com

APPLYING

University of Edinburgh Quad

recent graduates. It’s advisable to look at option pathways after Year One, and if the course has a placement year, it’s important to check whether support or guidance is provided by the university to help secure a placement.

Preparation is essential

Giggleswick pupils. Students generally see university as an investment in their future. For those set on a specific career, fees are a fact of life to secure the career path they want. Most students feel that the benefits of having a degree outweigh the debt owed.

The research starts now

For those who are really unsure of what course to pursue, a well-planned gap year can provide valuable work experience, and if combined with a volunteering placement, it can help confirm their future choice. Research into courses and universities can’t start too soon and I recommend using a variety of different search engines to compare different options. Attending a subject-related Open Day ensures students look at how the courses are assessed and the destination surveys of

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I would never advise anyone to take up a university place without ever having visited; even through clearing, when the pressure might be on to accept something as soon as possible. There’s simply no substitute for seeing it for yourself and getting a real feel for a place. You’re going to spend at least three years of your life there, so it’s worth making sure you are confident in your course selection. Would-be students apply for up to five choices through admissions service, UCAS and the applications are all completed online. Most universities specify either points total for entry or a grade offer. Often before the UCAS deadline, which is 15 January 2019, universities will start to look at applications and make offers and invitations to interview, which is why I recommend applying as early as possible. Our careers advisor works with and supports all age groups throughout the school, but the focus changes as they get older. We work with each individual pupil to identify their ambitions and help them to explore their options through bringing in visiting speakers from universities, apprenticeship providers and former pupils to share their experiences. Working with tutors, we recognise that it’s not

all about academic achievement – although this is important. At university, courses use both continual assessment and end-of-semester exams to measure progress. We also expect our Sixth Formers to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which is an independent research project equivalent to half an A-Level. An EPQ carries UCAS points, but it’s also an opportunity for a student to demonstrate dedication and passion for a subject of their choice, which can be evidenced during an interview or personal statement. Undertake work experience wherever possible. Giggleswick and most schools have extensive links with many different industries and services. Volunteering and other activities such as Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (D of E) are also helpful, both in terms of discovering new interests and in demonstrating talents and skills to potential employers and universities. Planning for an interview is crucial, so it’s a good idea to practise questions and answers as much as possible, which is where teachers’ help can be vitally important. All our pupils produce a CV with their tutors and receive two formal interviews as part of the enrichment programme where pupils receive valuable advice from specialists in their field to help their CV stand out.

Be yourself to stand out

The biggest mistakes I see are trying to be too clever and thinking you have to know everything, when you don’t. Be honest and reflective of your experiences and this will shine through. Make sure you know your personal statement and everything referenced in the application, for example, make sure you have read any book that has been referenced, as the interviewers are likely to ask something about this. University of Edinburgh students

APPLYING

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

Writing your personal statement can seem like a daunting task. James Barton, Director of Admissions at MPW London, shares his advice on how to wow the admissions tutors

or the majority of those applying to university, writing a personal statement is their only opportunity to distinguish themselves from other candidates and demonstrate, beyond grades, their suitability for the course. A personal statement should convey a number of things. First and foremost, that a student is academically capable of studying their chosen course; that they’re a wellrounded person who is likely to be happy at university; and for vocational courses such as medicine or law, that they understand the demands of a career in these fields. Students need to extrapolate the skills they’ve learned through education and work experience, accurately representing themselves as an undergraduate with potential. Writer’s block is often an issue for many students when starting their personal statements. If you’re struggling, begin by making a list of all the things you’ve done and that you’d want someone to know about you. Don’t compare with your friends; theirs will – and should – be different (and it’s worthwhile remembering that we live in an age of anti-plagiarism software). Using this list, plan your personal statement as you would an essay and then write it. Another thing to remember is that students who are modest

WRITER’S BLOCK IS OFTEN AN ISSUE FOR MANY STUDENTS when starting their personal statements. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING, BEGIN BY MAKING A LIST sometimes undersell themselves. If this applies to you, it might help to approach the personal statement as though you are writing it for a friend. A good way to ensure that every area’s covered is the Five Paragraph Principle:

Work experience

Introduction

‘Why?’ is more important than ‘what?’ in this paragraph, which should be quite short in comparison to the others. If you can relate your extracurricular activities directly to your application then so much the better; your grade eight in piano, for example, demonstrates that you have the manual dexterity needed for your dentistry application.

Start by explaining why you’ve chosen this course. Don’t use the word ‘passion’! It’s a very clichéd way of beginning. Try explaining what sparked your interest in that subject.

A-Levels (or equivalent)

How do your current studies complement your chosen degree? If you’re studying the subject you wish to continue with at uni, you can discuss what you enjoy about it and why you wish to further your knowledge. Think also about transferrable skills from other subjects: an A-Level in maths will help with the statistics module of a psychology course at university; essay-writing learned in English literature will certainly support you in studying ancient history as an undergraduate.

This paragraph will set you apart from other applicants and allow admissions tutors to develop their understanding of you.

Extracurricular

Closing statement

Your conclusion need only be a sentence or two long, and don’t start it with ‘in conclusion’. You need to concisely summarise the salient points of your personal statement and remind admissions tutors, without arrogance, of your relevant achievements and suitability for the course. Keep it academic, be true to yourself and remember what your end goal is. independentschoolparent.com

APPLYING

LOOKING AHEAD

Think learning about career management at school is too early? Not so – it’s an essential part of the curriculum at Eton College, writes Director of Career Education, GEORGE FUSSEY

here’s broad agreement that, facing much longer working lives than their parents’ generation, today’s students will end up doing multiple jobs and follow portfolio careers. Recent reports from PwC and McKinsey have explored the future of the workforce. The pace of current technological change (and AI in particular), and the global competition for jobs at a time of slow economic recovery and political uncertainty are all drivers. For these reasons, we believe that it has become imperative to weave employability throughout the Eton curriculum. To not do so would be to fail in our duty of care for tomorrow’s generation. When we talk about employability we think of a ‘set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal attributes that make a person more likely to choose, secure and retain occupations in which they can be satisfied and successful.’ Another term for these sorts of skills is career management, and when this is effective, students will understand who they are and what is possible, as well as being likely tastes, no emotions are worth much unless to make informed decisions whenever choices they are one’s own.’ Some parents may feel that need to be made. secondary school is too soon to be dwelling We also believe that students need to take on what amounts to a self-marketing exercise, time to establish their aptitudes, strengths and but all the evidence points to the contrary. values and start to portray these to the outside Leaving a career focus world. Setting their stall until university is failing to out in this way, essentially CAREER understand that the world developing a personal DEVELOPMENT TIPS has changed significantly. portfolio of evidence that Young people often have authenticates themselves, Know what your strengths a world view that may not allows them to show are? Then make sure that lead them to make the best potential employers that your personal portfolio is: decisions about their future. they’re ‘work-ready’. This is • authentic and consistent Evidence suggests that nothing new! Schools have with your values. they’re likely to focus on always played a vital role in • constantly developing, careers that were common providing an environment just like you. during their parents’ youth where students develop self• aimed at the audience rather than those that are knowledge. A.C. Benson, you want it to reach. available now. that quintessential Eton • likely to enhance your For this reason, career schoolmaster, perhaps overall reputation. education programmes in best known for writing the • not jeopardised by using schools need to challenge words to Land of Hope and social media in a way the stereotypes our young Glory, famously said that: that conflicts with your people hold of the world of ‘I am sure it is one’s duty formally stated purpose work. For example, many as a teacher to try to show and values. young people think of boys that no opinions, no

ENTRY-LEVEL WORK EXPERIENCE CAN BE FAR MORE valuable than work-

shadowing arranged through contacts

WITH HIGH-POWERED FAMILY FRIENDS

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careers in the City without understanding the pace of change since the financial crisis. Access to sound labour market information and the provision of good networking opportunities allows them to explore the careers available. Many employability skills are best exemplified through work placements, and though we would never go as far as to say ‘there’s no such thing as bad work experience’ we do think that all experience of the world of work can have merits. Sometimes, entry-level work experience can be far more valuable than work-shadowing arranged through parental contacts with high-powered family friends. The skills learned doing a waiting job help develop the sorts of soft skills needed to enhance a CV. Inspiring Futures has a helpful publication entitled The Employability Equation. The equation itself is given below: E = (Q + S + WE) x C E is Employability, Q is Qualifications, S is Skills, WE is work experience, C is Contacts. We may disagree about the exact algorithm that leads to employability, but there are many dimensions to employability and we need to embrace development along each one.

APPLYING

THE OXBRIDGE INTERVIEW Brontë Cook shares her top tips for students preparing for their Oxbridge interviews in December

he Oxbridge interview has a reputation for filling students with dread – the austere image of disapproving tweed-clad old dons, ready to quiz you about what society would be like if everyone lied, or why both ladybirds and strawberries are red, can make even the brightest of students break out in a cold sweat. Why do Oxford and Cambridge choose to interview applicants at all, you might ask, especially as the tutors already have access to all your information from UCAS? The answer lies in the tutorial system that sets them apart – the weekly one-to-one tutorials at Oxford, or supervisions at Cambridge.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

A key set of skills

To do well at Oxford or Cambridge, you need to be able to perform well in these types of environments, which is why the universities interview with applicants – to test a set of key skills. These include your ability to communicate verbally, to take on new information quickly, and to have the confidence to engage with new topics and respond well to feedback, all while staying

THE TUTORS AREN’T NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR the right answer, but instead your APPROACH TO A SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION calm under pressure. The interviewers (who for the most part, aren’t in fact, tweed-clad old dons) are not looking for PhD levels of subject knowledge from applicants – they’re simply testing for these key skills. There’s no secret, easy hoop to jump through to get in, and you should never believe anyone who tells you there is! Applicants are asked a huge range of questions, such as “Why do many animals have stripes?” They might start by categorising stripy animals, thinking about which are predators and which are prey, and whether their stripes are used for camouflage, or if they occur in younger or older animals. Applicants could also compare specific examples, and even consider the size, scale and colour of specific stripe patterns. The tutors aren’t necessarily looking for the right answer, but instead your approach to a seemingly impossible question.

Nerves are natural

It’s perfectly normal to feel daunted by the Oxbridge interview process. Anyone who has been through it knows it’s not easy – in fact, the whole point is that it’s hard! Every applicant is nervous in this type of setting, and sometimes this can prevent them from showing their full potential. The best way to tackle this is practice. This doesn’t mean learning the course you’re applying for, but rather practising the key skills that tutors hope to see in interview candidates. With preparation and an understanding of what the interviewers are looking for, you’ll be able to give the best impression of your academic potential. Who knows, you might even enjoy the interview. Good luck! Brontë Cook is the Student and Parent Liaison for Oxbridge Interviews. To find out more, visit oxbridgeinterviews.co.uk independentschoolparent.com

APPLYING

The University of Cardiff nurtures a supportive student environment

BEHIND THE SCENES

A CAPITAL EDUCATION Peer support, life-skills workshops and drop-in study sessions will get your first year off to a great start, says RUTH THOMAS of Cardiff University

ardiff University is ambitious, innovative and located in the heart of a beautiful capital city. A member of the Russell Group, it was ranked in the top five for research quality among UK universities in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. It has more than 30,000 students from the UK and abroad and offers more than 300 degree programmes. Alongside its academic credentials, the university takes a proactive approach in supporting students through the transition from school to university, while also offering additional opportunities to enhance the experience for the duration of the course. Cardiff recognises that the transition to university can be challenging and to achieve their goal of a supportive environment where every student feels part of its vibrant community, a peer-mentoring programme is in place, along with a new Residences Life programme in halls.

Student mentoring

With more 500 student mentors trained to support firstyear students, mentees reach out and make contact before freshers even make the move to their new place of study.

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Peer-mentoring programmes help freshers adjust to university life and learning

Mentors meet new students within their academic school and are on-hand to answer queries on a range of topics such as learning and teaching methods, settling into halls or getting the most out of their time at Cardiff. Back in the halls of residences, the Residences Life team works in partnership with Student Support and Wellbeing, Residences Management and the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union to bring a fun, supportive and friendly community to university accommodation, with an exciting calendar of social events, drop-in sessions and helpful workshops throughout the year, including: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chinese New Year, life-skills workshops (including how to cook, budget and live communally) and drop-ins for peer support, advice and a friendly cup of tea. The team are on hand with a listening ear, encouraging students to share their experiences and make the most of student life.

Speaking your language

During all years of study, students have the opportunity to

APPLYING Students can participate in The Cardiff Award

Cardiff students can learn a language for free while studying their degree First years are encouraged to make the most of life in the Welsh capital

UNI STATS NAME

Cardiff University FOUNDED

1883

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

23,085 undergraduates

VICE CHANCELLOR

Prof Colin Riordan MOTTO

Gwirionedd, Undod A Chytgord Truth, Unity and Concord

learn a language, for free, through the university’s Languages for All programme. The scheme’s set up to run alongside a degree, and there’s a range of study options enabling them to learn in a way that suits them. In weekly and crash courses, students can choose from Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Levels vary by language, but range from beginners to more advanced. Autonomous learning allows students to learn a language independently, or get further practise for their taught course. It includes a variety of library and online courses and resources you can use, cultural and linguistic events you can attend, and opportunities to practise with fluent speakers and other learners. These are led by students and include language exchange opportunities such as a regular Language Café, a partner scheme and conversation clubs. The programme also works in collaboration with the university’s Global Opportunities department, which provides work, study and volunteer abroad programmes. This gives students the chance to use their skills in other countries, utilising the language they’ve studied and the

cultures they’ve learned about first-hand.

And the award goes to...

Cardiff’s dedication to preparing students for the commercial world is also reflected in The Cardiff Award, the university’s prestigious employability award. Students undertake a career development programme that complements their academic course to provide them with the experience and skills that employers are looking for. Students accepted on to the current programme will complete the following activities: • A personality indicator and skills assessment. • At least 70 hours of activities and work experience. • A number of skills and career development modules. • A recruitment experience chosen from a range of activities, including attending a mock assessment centre, a video interview or psychometric tests. • Submission of a targeted CV and covering letter, application form and reflective log. Cardiff Award participants network with local and internationally recognised graduate recruiters. They provide participants with a valuable insight into the competitive graduate recruitment market. independentschoolparent.com

FINANCE

MONEY TALKS Panicking about how you’re going to afford university life? Keep calm and read STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND’s step-by-step guide on how to apply for funding

There are two main types of student finance that you can apply for

uition fees, accommodation, pricey readinglists and the not-inconsiderable expense of bills, weekly shops, transport and socialising with your new friends: further education is a hefty financial investment. Luckily, there are funding solutions you can apply for. Read on to find out how to finance your future learning:

HOW DO I APPLY?

It’s easiest to apply online – go to gov.uk/studentfinance and create an account. You should do

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so as early as you can once the application service has opened, so that you get your money in time for the start of your course. Remember, you have to re-apply each year of your course. If you haven’t accepted a place yet, you can still apply using your preferred choice and if need be, update the details later.

THERE ARE THREE SIMPLE STEPS:

Register You’ll be given a unique Customer Reference Number, and asked to create a password and secret answer. Make sure you keep these safe for when you check the progress of your application. Log into your Student Finance account and submit your application

Before you start your online application, you should have the following to hand: • A valid UK passport, if you have one. • University and course details. • Bank account details. • National Insurance number. If you want to apply for finance that depends on household income, your ‘sponsor’ (parents or partner) will be asked for details about their household income and National Insurance number(s). Send any evidence you’re asked for You should send any evidence requested straight away, to prevent any potential delays in your application being processed. If your details change... If any of your details change after

Once you’ve finished or left your course, you’ll need to pay back your loans – but not until your income is more than £25,000 a year, and what you repay each month is linked to your income. You will repay nine per cent of any income you earn over the current threshold of £480 week, £2,083 a month or £25,000 a year. If your income falls below this, your repayments automatically stop. Your employer will take the requisite nine per cent through the UK tax system (Pay As You Earn – PAYE). If you’re selfemployed, you’ll pay this balance through self-assessment. If you intend to live or work abroad, you need to contact the Student Loans Company (SLC) before you go, so that alternative arrangements can be made for you to start repaying.

INTEREST

Interest is charged on your loan from the day that the first payment is made to you until the loan is fully repaid. Any part of the loan that is still outstanding after 30 years will be written off. The amount of interest charged will vary, depending on your personal circumstances. SFE is part of the SLC, which is a not-for-profit governmentowned organisation.

*BASED ON 2018/19 STUDENT FINANCE RATES. PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

REPAYING YOUR LOANS AND INTEREST*

WHAT’S AVAILABLE?

There are two main types of student finance you can apply for: Tuition-fee loans cover your yearly fees and are paid directly to your institution in three instalments throughout the year. Maintenance loans* (grants for new students were abolished in the 2015 Budget) of up to £8,430 (or £11,002 if studying in London) are available to help with living costs such as rent and bills. Like tuition fees, loans are paid in three instalments throughout the year, but go directly to your bank account. The maximum amount you can get depends on where you live, where you study and your household income. Full-time students eligible for student finance will be entitled to a maintenance loan of some size, which may be based upon your household income.

you’ve submitted your application, it’s easy to update your application by logging into your Student Finance online account.

FINANCE

FULL-TIME STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCE WILL BE entitled to a maintenance loan of some size, WHICH MAY BE BASED UPON YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME independentschoolparent.com

UNI LIFE

There are quiet places to study in iQ properties

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD ALSO MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BEING close

to the campus, public transport links and the social and cultural life that the city has TO OFFER REALLY HELPS YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME THERE

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UNI LIFE

RSITY S VE I T N

Students pay an average of £131 per week on rent*

LIVING IT UP

You don’t have to be stuck in cramped, damp student accommodation when there are a host of better options, says LAUREN HICKFORD of iQ Student Accommodation

eciding where you’re going to live throughout your studies is a big decision. Being in the right setting means that you’ll enjoy the experience far more, and have better opportunities to learn, flourish and benefit from your time away from home.

Quality digs

You’d think that the days of grotty old accommodation were behind us – but think again! These sorts of properties do still exist, and much of the accommodation that’s Having the right athome setting can really help a student flourish

privately-rented often have problems regarding cleanliness and damp. Some students have issues with landlords and the speed at which maintenance faults are dealt with, while others have trouble managing multiple bills. At iQ Student Accommodation, we pride ourselves on providing our residents with high-quality properties to live in. Each one has its own on-site cleaning and maintenance staff to help students on a day to day basis, plus an online portal through which any faults can be logged and resolved promptly. Our accommodation also offers a variety of facilities, from fully-equipped gyms to cinemas, dining rooms and game rooms. Not bad for your first time away from home, eh?

Location, location, location

Your neighbourhood also makes all the difference to your university experience – being close to the campus, public transport links, and the social and cultural life that the city has to offer really helps you make the most of your time there. iQ offers a wide choice of accommodation in well-located properties close to public transport and university campuses, helping you easily balance lecturers, revision and that all-important socialising time! independentschoolparent.com

iQ Student Accommodation offers properties that are tailored to the university lifestyle

comes with communal study rooms,

QUIET AREAS AND ROOMS THAT CAN BE USED FOR GROUP PROJECTS Safety first

When you move away from home (especially if this is your first time away from it), safety and security is a big priority – if anything, it gives your poor parents a bit of peace of mind! Many university halls of residence don’t have on-site staff, nor do privately rented homes. But iQ is one of the few student accommodation providers that ensures there’s management or security staff on-site 24 hours a day, as well as secure key-fob access to maximise protection. All members of staff are trained to provide unobtrusive support centred on a first-class living experience, which includes the little things, such as signing for parcels.

Bills, bills, bills

It can be hard for some students to manage their money and pay multiple bills, as many have never had the experience of doing so before. However, iQ provides an all-inclusive bills system, which means goodbye to lists of direct debits and hello to a managable budgeting. These can be paid in instalments,

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or better yet, we offer two per cent discounts to students who pay full amounts upfront – so all they need to handle is day-to-day spending!

Room to think

It may slip your mind sometimes when you’re partying into the early hours of the morning, but the main reason you applied to university was to get a degree. With this comes a need to work hard and stay focused, and having the space to do this in makes a huge difference. This is why iQ provides rooms with individual study spaces, including a desk and plenty of storage for books, helping you maximise your level of productivity when revising. If you feel like studying with friends, most of our accommodation comes with communal study rooms, quiet areas and rooms that can be used for group projects.

Made for students

Many student homes weren’t actually built for student living, which often results in inconvenient layouts, like having to share one

Flexible living

Having a reliable landlord takes a weight off your shoulders. Not every student has the same requirements, so iQ does its best to provide a range of room types and contract lengths. We welcome students from all years of study and all over the world, and also offer wheelchair-friendly rooms. And unlike many privately-rented landlords, we don’t charge summer retainers for unoccupied rooms.

A sense of community

The social side of student life has a massive impact on your time at university, and you might even meet people that you’ll stay friends with for the rest of your life. iQ Student Accommodation knows that being away from home can initially be quite daunting, so we strive to provide the best home-from-home environment for students, creating a real sense of community through free facilities, events and friendly on-site staff. iQ Student Accommodation is one of the largest providers of student accommodation in the UK, with 23,500 beds across 25 locations. Find out more at iqstudentaccommodation.com, or email hello@iqstudentaccommodation.com

INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL STUDENT ACCOMMODATION SURVEY 2018 AT SAVETHESTUDENT.ORG

IF YOU FEEL LIKE STUDYING WITH FRIENDS, most of our accommodation

toilet with five other people, or no living room because it’s been converted into a bedroom. iQ’s homes, on the other hand, have been designed to balance socialising and studying, with more than enough space for those living there. It’s also a member of the British Safety Council and ANUK-accredited, offering students (and their parents) reassurance that iQ follows professional standards of service.

BRITISH COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE Your success, our passion

OSTEOPATHY An exciting healthcare career with excellent prospects OSTEOPATHY DEGREE AT BCOM • The Masters in Osteopathy (M.Ost) - BCOM’s highly regarded 4-year undergraduate degree in osteopathy. • Outstanding Graduate Employability - 100% of BCOM graduates in work within 6 months of graduation.* • BCOM has an international reputation for academic and research excellence.

AP PLY N visi t ww OW

to fi w.bc nd o om.a ut m c.uk ore

*who applied for employment, others travelled or went on to further study

Visit BCOM at an Open Day www.bcom.ac.uk

020 7435 6464

admissions@bcom.ac.uk BritishCollegeOfOsteopathicMedicine

@OfficialBCOM

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COMMENT

HAPPY DAYS Wellbeing is essential to getting the most out of your first year at uni. DR PAUL REDMOND has five simple steps to help you on your way 1. Connect

Put the phone down and make contact with those around you. Building friendships at university is a great way of boosting your wellbeing, particularly during times when things get tough. Think of your contacts as your support system; not only will it enrich your time, it’ll also help you build a network of invaluable lifetime contacts.

2. Learn and discover

Set yourself the challenge of learning to play an instrument or how to cook. Learning new things leads to increased confidence.

3. Be active

You don’t need to be a budding Olympian – just make sure that whenever possible you make time University of Liverpool students to get out and be active. Go for a enjoying their campus grounds walk, take a run, ride a bike, learn to samba. Activity improves your mood and sense of wellbeing. It might even or most students, going to university is one of the most improve your grades! enriching periods of their lives. But as with all new experiences, settling into university can take time, with feelings of anxiety and homesickness affecting most 4. Give undergrads at one time or another. We all know it’s better to give than to receive, Levels of anxiety among young people are reported to be higher and it’s still important when at university. than in previous years. This might be because young people today are Make sure you take as many opportunities more willing to talk about mental health. But it could also be because as possible to help others or to give back to the pressures on today’s young are different from in the past. From a your community. Go out of your way to thank university perspective, we know that technology is an integral part of people. Volunteer to make a difference. students’ lives. However, this digital integration often makes it easier for them to opt out of real-life social interactions. 5. Take notice In recent years, a number of studies have been published on the And the most difficult step of all. The key to ‘science’ of happiness – what it means to be happy and to what extent wellbeing is being present in the here and now. it’s possible to increase levels of happiness. These studies have generally That means noticing what’s happening around found that happiness is all about what we pay attention to – it’s about you, observing the changing seasons, really what we focus on and tell ourselves. listening to others. Most of all, it means not Students need to be happy, positive and engaged, with a strong sense viewing life through an electronic screen. of purpose and meaning. And they need to develop it quickly; after all, Being at university is a brilliant experience, most are with us for fewer than 1,000 days. but it’s fleeting. Look around you and savour Thanks to research by the New Economics Foundation, we know that every moment. Trust me, not only will it make there are five steps students can take to help them feel good and function it easier for you to study, you’ll feel much well. Make them part of your daily life, to boost your wellbeing. better for it.

Dr Paul Redmond is Director of Student Experience and Enhancement at the University of Liverpool

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PHOTOGRAPHY: MCCOY-WYNNE

• Global student body

• Dual accreditation (UK & US)*

• Live and learn in central London

• Scholarships available

• Small teaching groups

• On campus accommodation available**

• High contact hours

• Flexible start dates

• Study abroad opportunities

• American Liberal Arts Education

• Optional integrated internships

RSITY S VE I T N 65%

UNI LIFE

of students save up money to go to university*

BUDGETING MADE SIMPLE Budget is a small word, but it has big benefits. RUTH BUSHI, editor at Save the Student walks you through key tactics

budget is a money plan – and you can use it to save cash, avoid hardship, and feel confident about paying your way through uni (or anything else for that matter). Budgeting isn’t rocket science – as you’re about to see – yet it’s the foundation for being better off for life. You can use a notebook or the back of an envelope to work through these steps. Budgeting this way can help you get really organised:

Grab a brew, take a deep breath, then list everything you pay for – and how much it costs – each month. The more detailed you are, the easier it is to take control of your cash. If you’re saving up for something (such as starting uni or going on holiday), you can use this step to work out what you can afford – just use estimates instead. Everyday costs might include: • Rent, bills and insurance. • Clothing, toiletries and laundry costs. • Groceries, snacks and eating out.

Ideally, you’ll have more money coming in each month than you spend. The more realistic outcome is that it’s pretty tight, or you don’t have quite enough cash to cover your costs. However it pans out, the next step will help fine-tune your finances.

Making it work

Look at your income, look at your spending, then find ways to end the month with cash left over. It sounds simple, but that’s all budgeting is. First ask yourself: could I earn more? Money isn’t going to just jump into your lap, but there are ways to hunt it down. Could you work extra shifts or get a better paid job? How about working for yourself on the side? Are there benefits, charity grants or student funds you could claim? Don’t wait until you’re skint to investigate. Next ask: how can I spend less? Go through your costs and find ways to pay less for everything: switch to cheaper deals, find freebies or cut a few treats. Make it a game and try to beat your target each month. If you can, slide the money you save into a savings account: it’s an easy way to build back-up funds, plus earning interest means extra cash. Money skills take practise – and sometimes you’ll need help. Your school or university can point you in the right direction, or visit savethe student.org online.

MONEY ISN’T GOING TO JUST JUMP

How much money do you have coming in monthly? Include things like: • Any wages from a parttime job. • Student funding, such as maintenance loans, grants or scholarships. • Any benefits or allowances you’re entitled to. • Cash support from your family. Splitting income into monthly amounts makes it easier to manage. For example, if you get a maintenance loan at uni, divide each instalment by as many months as it needs to last. Likewise, if your folks can afford to support you, ask them to give a set amount once a month rather than whenever you run out or run low. Finally, add up the figures to get your total monthly income. Your aim is to always spend less than this each month.

into your lap, but there are ways to hunt it down. Could you work extra shifts or

GET A BETTER-PAID JOB? HOW ABOUT WORKING FOR YOURSELF ON THE SIDE?

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• Local transport and longer trips. • Books, stationery and other study costs. • Hobbies, socialising and subscriptions. • Presents and parties. • Savings – for example, cash set aside for

emergencies or treats. When you’ve finished your list, add up the costs to get your total monthly spending.

Super-fast maths

Subtract your total monthly spending from your income and have a good gawk at the number that’s left.

*FROM STUDENT MONEY SURVEY 2018 RESULTS, SAVETHESTUDENT.ORG. PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Add up your income

Get real about spending

UNI LIFE

BUDGET TIPS Mark any costs you can’t skip or be late with. Pay these first each month or keep enough cash in a separate bank account until needed.

Every time you get paid or receive funding, pop a bit into your savings straight away – even a few quid will do. HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT AFTER ESSENTIALS? BREAK THIS DOWN INTO WEEKLY OR DAILY AMOUNTS SO YOU ALWAYS KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN AFFORD TO SPEND.

Income and spending often varies from month to month. Update your budget regularly to stay on top of it. Track your spending to stay within your limit. Write down every purchase (or use a budgeting app), then look for patterns or times when you overspend. Use what you learn to tweak your budget.

A BUDGET IS LIKE A CRASH HELMET: IT WON’T STOP THE UNEXPECTED, BUT IT DOES MAKE COPING MUCH EASIER. DON’T GIVE UP! independentschoolparent.com

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AWARDS

St Paul’s, London has been shortlisted in the Careers Programme category. Head of Community Engagement Ceri Jones explains how its varied initiatives help engage pupils in considering their future professions

t Paul’s has an active and thriving student careers programme, supported by an expansive volunteer network. Each year group is provided with tailored guidance, events and activities to prepare them for the working world. In 2016, St Paul’s launched its Professional Networks scheme, an initiative to engage its professional community in supporting our student careers programme. The Professional Networks initiative has three aims: to support our pupils and young alumni in their career journeys, to celebrate the successes of our community and to connect our alumni and parents professionally. These groups have grown, with alumni and parents in the finance, entrepreneurship, law, research, engineering, medical, and real estate fields leading and directing activities and providing regular support to our career and engagement teams. A key activity of these groups is our Career Panel Talks and Roundtables, bringing together

Year Nine’s Speed Networking session

St Paul’s Career Panel Talks

THESE EVENINGS PROVIDE PUPILS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY to receive mentorship, explore career paths AND ASK THEIR TABLE HOSTS ANY RELEVANT QUESTIONS experts from each stage of their career journeys for dinner, where an expert guiding the discussion will host each table. These evenings provide pupils with the opportunity to receive mentorship, explore career paths, and ask their table hosts any relevant questions. More than 400 guests have attended our Professional Panel talks in the last academic year. Another strand of events for our professional groups is our city-based activity for our community and older pupils. We have, most recently, welcomed guests to professional events at Huckletree, JP Morgan and Argent, King’s Cross, giving pupils the opportunity to hear from industry leaders, gain insight into the workplace and build professional networks with the alumni and parents in attendance. These

networks helped us recruit a pool of engaged mentors. In March, we recruited 60 professionals for Speed Networking with Year Nine. This encouraged pupils to challenge ideas about their career path and explore a vast range of opportunities that were open to them, with The Times, Royal Berkshire Hospital, the Prince’s Trust, Blackrock, the Army and many entrepreneurs represented. We now regularly draw from this pool of engaged volunteers for vocational activities, such as Year 12 interviews – this year, we introduced alumni and parent interviewers to prepare the class for future experiences. Pupils submitted CVs and were matched with interviewers with links to their career interest.

To see the full shortlist and find out more about the awards, log on at:

Independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk independentschoolparent.com

UNI LIFE

GET INVOLVED

Affordable drinks, societies and fighting for your rights – the students’ union has long been a fresher’s first port of call. But how does a university’s hub cater to everyone? Katie Hughes finds out

A fresh(er) start

Students’ unions start the year with freshers’ week. Some love it, some endure it, but most associate it with alcohol-fuelled nights of students bonding in sweaty discos and catch Freshers’ Flu, before getting down to work and ditching new friends for better options. But it’s not all about Jägerbombs and Strongbow. These days, alcohol-averse freshers can enjoy everything from plant-potting rooms and ice-cream parlours, to comedy nights, quiet meditation and yoga. The Students’ Union at the University of Leeds says, “Like the rest of the year, we have lots of events in Freshers’ Week that don’t focus primarily on alcohol.” It’s a common claim across universities and not surprising in light of recent research showing today’s school-leavers drinking a lot less than their predecessors. The Unions behind Freshers’ Week fill it with frivolous fun too.

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Testament to this are the fancydress foam fights at St Andrews, the silent discos at Leeds and the ubiquitous pub crawls at universities nationwide, where students are strapped to strangers for three-legged races. And that’s just the half of it. But Freshers’ Week wouldn’t be the same without the Freshers’ Fair: a chance to grab some freebies and join some societies.

High society

Student unions are synonymous with societies – and often hundreds of them. Think of any activity and there’ll probably be a society for it: from surfing to speed-dating, rugby to rowing and crafting to caving. Billed as some of the best places to make new friends, societies can cater for some niche interests too.

Durham University’s Assassins Society, for instance, seeks students with skill and cunning to wipe out opponents with ‘safe weaponry’ (its website even covers ‘kill’ methods). Plymouth’s Reenactment Society sees members become vikings, knights and more for historical combat and feasting. And Nottingham’s Quidditch & Harry Potter Society gives students access to Harry Potter-themed events and (what it describes as) “an awesome sport”. Meanwhile, no prizes for guessing how much time Newcastle’s 20-Minute Society gives students to get to its activities. Members can even enjoy a ‘mystery holiday’ – but it’s not revealed where until they pitch up at the airport with passports. And it doesn’t take long for undergraduates to find out that

there’s a lot more to Students’ Unions than societies and Freshers’ Week.

A more serious side

At the University of Kent, the Students’ Union is battling to ban offensive fancy dress. At Edinburgh, it hands out pronoun badges to freshers, so that they know if they should address each other as ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘they’. And at the University of Manchester, it recently defaced a racist poem posted in the university. Up and down the country, Students’ Unions are famed for campaigning, lobbying and protecting rights. Unions are big on mental health too. “The wellbeing of students is incredibly important when it comes to shaping experiences at university,” says Jemma Ansell, Welfare and Campaigns Officer at Warwick University. And Students’ Unions put their money where their mouths are. Warwick runs Are You OK? campaigns that encourage students to open up about emotions. University of Western England (UWE), talks to students about the importance of recognising mental health symptoms. And Brighton offers mood boost courses based on cognitive behavioural therapy. “It’s about all of us being able to help,” promises the Students’ Union at Brighton. “Mental health is as important as physical health,” concludes its counterpart at Sussex. Never has it been more important to recognise this.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

tudents’ unions are so integral to university life that there are guides to the best of them, in which students variously describe them as good for the bank balance (think union bar), open and helpful, and perfect for people with a range of different interests. “From fighting for your rights to keeping you entertained, your students’ union will play a big part in your university experience,” says the Which? University Student Survey. But what exactly should would-be undergrads expect?

UNI LIFE

STUDENTS’ UNIONS START THE YEAR WITH FRESHERS’ WEEK.

Some love it, some endure it, but most associate it with ALCOHOL-FUELLED

NIGHTS OF STUDENTS BONDING AT SWEATY DISCOS

Sheffield University’s students’ union building

First-year students enjoying Bristol University’s Freshers’ Fair Plymouth University’s Reenactment Society goes back in time

The University of St Andrews Raisin Monday foam fight

UNI LIFE

SURVIVAL SKILLS Getting through your first few months away at university when everything’s new can be a challenge, from rustling up dinner to knowing when to stop getting the pints in. Here’s a few handy first-year tips... BE SOCIAL

In the leadup to leaving for your chosen university, make sure that you follow it on social media with the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It’ll automatically make you feel like part of the university’s community before you’ve even walked through the doors of your halls of residence. Social media is also a great way to find about all kinds of social events, join groups and clubs and ultimately perfect for meeting people and making new friends. It’s handy too if you err on the shy side so you can see what clubs and events are out there and decide later on whether it’s really the society for you.

TV LICENCE & WIFI Going to be living in a house share and streaming live TV or watching it on catch-up? Then you’ll need to include your portion of the licence fee and wifi in your monthly outgoings.

Pay your way so you can watch the shows you enjoy

Cook a meal…

It goes without saying that it’s not only better for you to eat homecooked food but gentler on your wallet too. After all, how can you stay healthy while living on a diet of ready meals bought on the way back from your nights out at the union? Writing a menu plan for the week ahead will ensure that there’s always something in the fridge to eat and it means that you only have to do one big shop a week. Incidentally, shopping once a week for food is far more economical than shopping every day. 62

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UNI LIFE

DON’T MISS DEADLINES

Don’t leave giving in your coursework until the last minute. Finish it, print it off and have it ready to hand in the night before it’s due. If you don’t, you could be relying on the library printer along with a host of other students who didn’t think ahead! Fight the impulse to procrastinate by starting your essays and reports in good time

SAVE MONEY ON YOUR BILLS

GET YOURSELF A JOB Finding yourself some work is good for two things: it can earn you a bit of cash and it will enhance your CV. Your loan’s probably not going to cover all your outgoings, but do see how much time you have to commit to your job. Does your timetable accommodate it? Work out whether you need the money, or if with a few tweaks to your budget, you can make ends meet.

If you’re a good haggler, you could save a fortune on your bills for mobile, TV, broadband, energy and more. Do your research first – use comparison websites to find out the market price, or check if your items are being sold cheaper elsewhere and ask the seller to “price match”. Ask for more of a discount than you’d be happy with, as then you’re more likely to end up with a compromise somewhere closer to what you want. Avoid being rude or confrontational – remember that you want them to say “yes”! (`Also see page 58 for expert advice on how to budget at university).

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Lastly…know when to call it a night

It may be really tempting to be out until all hours, especially in your first year, but it will do you no good in the long run. Don’t stay out late just because your friends do; in other words, try to avoid peer pressure. Be honest and ask yourself: are you really going to miss out on that much? And while you’re at it, leave your credit card at home but have some spare emergency cash in your wallet to call on, if needed. independentschoolparent.com

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WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

PAUL URTASUN PAUL, 24, is a Junior Specialist in the Furniture and Decorative Arts department at Christie’s Auction House in London I’m responsible for… preparing Decorative Arts auctions. My role is mainly researching, pricing and cataloguing pieces ahead of their sale. This involves spending a lot of time handling artworks, which can range from a 18th century French commode once in the apartments of Queen Marie-Antoinette to Audrey Hepburn’s hand-annotated Breakfast at Tiffany’s script. By inspecting and researching these objects close up, I determine whether they’re genuine pieces, adaptations or later reinterpretations of older objects, establishing their age, maker, and country of origin. This helps me and my team decide if the artwork is eligible for sale, and together we then come up with a fair estimate for which we think the item should sell. Then I research each lot for inclusion in the auction catalogue, also writing an academic essay on its history and ownership. Ahead of the auction, we prepare a public view of all the objects in our galleries, which involves curating rooms and creating a dialogue between artworks, which is always great fun.

open to all, and we also have a programme of Lates, on the first Monday of each month. These curated events at King Street, London, are for anyone with a passion for art. They showcase highlights from any upcoming auctions, with talks from experts.

Paul with a 19th century French Ormolu-Mounted Chinese porcelain vase from The Collector: European Furniture, Works of Art & Ceramics, a sale taking place on 13th November in London

Master’s degree in Fine and Decorative Art at Christie’s Education. During my studies we attended many auction previews and met a lot of Christie’s specialists. I was then encouraged to apply for the Graduate Training Programme, which allowed me to establish a network across different departments. After a few months, my dream position opened in the Decorative Arts department and luckily, I got it.

I got my job… by applying to the Christie’s Graduate Training Programme. I was already familiar with the company, having Paul examining a piece completed my

The best part of my job…

is the incredible objects I experience hands-on. I’m privileged to handle and inspect pieces which you’d normally find behind glass screens in museums. Variety is another great aspect; every day is different. For example, I could be at a client’s house on a valuation one day, and the next in the library researching an obscure object. Many people think… that my job’s glamorous and that we only sell the million-pound works of art reported by the media, but we sell all kinds of objects at all price ranges, so it’s accessible for everyone. Our galleries are free and

My most memorable moment so far is… probably the auction of the Collection of Audrey Hepburn. It was the first time I was working on the gallery display, dressing mannequins and laying out the Hollywood icon’s jewellery in glass vitrines. During the sale, I was on the telephone for a client bidding. The room was packed, everyone was excited, and the interest was such that the sale lasted nine hours. I studied history and then undertook a History of Art masters because… I’ve always been interested in the history of an object. Artworks, whether they’re a piece of furniture, sculpture or a painting, are a window into the past. They express something unique about a particular moment in time, about an individual, a society or an epoch. I realised this as I studied my history degree at university, but lacked the skills to decipher the meaning, which is why I embarked on a master’s degree at Christie’s Education. There I was taught to look at and read art every day, during my interactions with various people and from different angles.

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WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

ROSIE MARTINDALE ROSIE, 28, is a commercial property solicitor who works for DWF in Manchester I’m responsible for... running a varied workload of commercial property transactions. DWF has fantastic quality work and clients so in an average week, I’ll be managing a property portfolio, drafting development contracts, purchasing or selling property or advising a bank on a property refinance project. There’s never a dull moment! I wanted to go into the legal profession because… I wanted a challenge and job satisfaction. My cousin is a lawyer at a London firm and he always enjoyed it. I’m a pretty average girl who likes everything from Radio 4 and Question Time to playing netball and dancing until 3am on a Friday night. Law brings the perfect balance of an intellectual challenge but also with a decent amount of socialising and networking; keeping the work week varied. If you’re not brilliant at one aspect, you will be at another, and everything’s recognised and developed so you can be the best lawyer possible for the firm and your own career.

them more often than your family!) but also have respect for each other. The senior lawyers are incredible to learn from; both technically and on the client development side. DWF is now an agile business allowing you to work from home, other offices etc, which means it’s easier to manage all aspects of your life. I once worried that, in future, I wouldn’t manage working at a higher level or see my children, enough but the agile environment and brilliant female partner role models has reassured me that a good work-life balance is possible.

Rosie finds her DWF workload varied and no two days are the same

and undertook plenty of work experience during the holidays at school and university, but I hadn’t wanted to do the law degree after talking to friends who had done it. I was assured there was no longer any stigma in taking the GDL route so I thought I would do something a bit different. It’s I got my job… after obtaining not difficult so although it’s a a degree in geography work-intensive eight months, from the if you get your Rosie studied at University of head down, the University of Manchester and Manchester you’ll be fine. undertaking the The LPC which GDL conversion follows is then and LPC at the a doddle in College of Law. comparison. I always wanted To qualify to be a solicitor as a solicitor,

you need to obtain a training contract in a law firm. I was offered one at DWF in my last year of university. Most firms recruit two years in advance, so keep an eye on your timescales. This is a challenging and competitive procedure involving many hours spent preparing applications and attending interviews. Prepare thoroughly, persevere and you’ll get there in the end. The best part of my job… the people. I’m part of a great team and everyone’s very supportive of each other. We have a laugh on a daily basis (which is important as you see

Many people think… it’s like Suits! No – it isn’t as glamorous as Suits and I don’t think I will be leaving to marry a prince any time soon! Hours can be long but it’s very much a ‘we’re in it together’ attitude. If juniors are staying late to push a deal through, so are the partners and pizza will be ordered in to keep us going. The support’s always there. However, it’s not all work and no play. In commercial property, much work comes from winning new clients so partners encourage you to get out into the market, attend young professional events and build up your wider network. Your friends now, who are juniors in other industries, are also partners of the future and hopefully one day you can collaborate and refer work to each other so that networking starts early; any excuse for a drink with a friend!

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WORK

MY UNI, MY CAREER We catch up with five graduates to discover how they made the transition from university to the world of work

Rhodric Allen, 23 Restaurant Floor Manager Hospitality, Glion Institute of Higher Education, London The hospitality industry had never crossed my mind while at school. I knew only one thing and that was that I wanted to do a ski season. So I did, and since then I’ve not looked away from hospitality. I’ve been working for some of the largest hospitality companies and sports teams, all while getting to travel the world. Glion provided me with the perfect opportunity to focus on all aspects of hospitality, as well as learn how to run a successful business. Upon graduating, the course set me up to move directly into a management role in a large hotel chain. The unpredictable nature of the job is what I love about it, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything different.

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It all started when I was shopping in Canterbury in my second year and saw some reporters from the Thanet Times and Thanet Gazette interviewing some locals. I introduced myself and secured a work-experience placement on the spot. From that point on, placements at local newspapers turned into career-changing freelance stints at top magazines in London. My bull-in-a-chinashop approach seemed to work, and editors and writers alike respected my infectious enthusiasm and willingness to learn. I was once described as “a diamond in the rough who, given the right opportunity and encouragement, would be 24-carat asset to any business” and that quote has put me in great stead in my journalism career. If you already write, then you’re a writer – it’s about throwing yourself in at the deep end. Every day should be a learning curve, and I’m definitely still learning now.

Emily Mitchell, 29 Barrister, English, University of Oxford After leaving Oundle School, I spent three years at Oxford studying English. I had a brief flirtation with the world of advertising, before rather unimaginatively resorting to a career in law. I’m now a qualified barrister at 7 Bedford Row in London, where I completed my Pupillage in 2016, and spend my time ensuring the Midlands’ criminal underworld remains healthy and well-populated! My other two areas of practice are Family Law and Clinical Negligence. This work is usually claimant-orientated and involves representing people who allege that they’ve received substandard medical care, resulting in unexpected or avoidable injury. My work takes me all over the country, and is hugely varied. No two days are ever the same, and each new day means learning another person’s fascinating life story.

Charles Wyn-Davies, 28 Marketing Agency Founder, Law, Durham University I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to study when I left Cheltenham College. At first I went to Imperial College London where I studied mechanical engineering, but after a while I felt that it wasn’t right for me. I took a year out and went on to study law at Durham. It was a great lesson in not being afraid to try new things, trusting your intuition and studying something that you enjoy. After university, I ran marketing for an electronics company in Oxford. From there, I moved to London and worked for Hearst UK, before managing global marketing programmes at the Financial Times. I then founded my own agency. It’s been an amazing experience so far and if you have the drive to run your own business one day, I recommend you go for it!

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISSY CROKER

Jennifer Read-Dominguez, 27 Digital Editor, English and American Literature, University of Kent

WORK

Eccie Newton, 27 Entrepreneur History, University of Exeter MSc in Terrorism and Conflict, London School of Economics

Eccie Edmund Newton and(right) his co-founder with her sister and co-founder, Flore de Taisne Gini

I run two companies, both with my sister Gini. Karma Cans is a lunch-delivery company, while Karma Kitchens builds ‘dark’ or satellite kitchens for London catering companies. Karma Cans delivers around 1,000 units a day to offices such as Nike, Microsoft and Uber. We’ve been operating for four and a half years. With no outside investment, we started with £5, and one lunch, and grew from there. We’ve built two kitchens ourselves, literally plumbing, wiring and screwing the business together, piece by piece. From there we thought, ‘if we’ve built kitchens for our company, let’s do it for other businesses.’ Karma Kitchens is a network of perfectlydesigned satellite kitchens. We started Karma Cans while I was at LSE and Gini was at Bristol, studying sociology. I’ve never worked in an office; I dislike sitting down and I’m constantly talking. For me, my education taught me how to carry an idea through from conception to execution. One thing we both understand is that an idea is meaningless, the part that counts is execution. The power to follow through on the commitments you make, to your team, investors and yourself, is something that was instilled in me while at LSE. Higher education develops your ability to self start, push yourself through the hurdles that a project presents, research, write presentations and conceive ideas in a linear, evidentially-supported way. More than anything else, my undergrad and Master’s degrees taught me to communicate effectively and push through difficulty to carry out what I said I would. independentschoolparent.com

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MEMORY LANE UNIVERSITY MEMORIES

TRISTAN BLAND The manager of private members’ club Soho House attended Les Roches Bluche in Switzerland, where he studied hotel and hospitality management Describe your university in three words. Practical. Aspirational. Fun.

favourite is still when our programme director chose our graduation song and performed Atemlos durch die Nacht to us all in his loud German voice.

Where did you live? I stayed in the on-campus accommodation buildings, although after attending boarding schools for over eight years previously, I opted for a single room. In my final year I moved down the road into a little flat which allowed me to get away from the action-packed campus.

Did you play sports? I wouldn’t say I was an all-star captain but I tried my best at all major sports – although I’m still rubbish at football! What was your approach to your coursework? My aim was to always get it done by Friday.

What did you study? Hotel and Hospitality Management, specialising in entrepreneurship during my final semester. Did you make friends? Yes, my best mate (and more recently, best man at my wedding) Connor Blackburn. We spent a lot of time together in class, on the rugby pitch and on the ski slopes. We also ran the Les Roches social committee together in our final semester. Did you attend your lectures? Most of them. Sometimes the snow was too perfect not to go skiing instead. Where did you hang out? We skied as much as possible in the winter and went to lots of parties during the summer. Which lecturer stays with you to this day? Mr Rachny, who taught part of the Beverage class in the first

Were you a team player or looking out for number one? Definitely a team player – the hospitality industry survives and thrives on teamwork.

I DON’T KNOW OF ANY OTHER UNIVERSITY WHERE you could have a threecourse ‘business lunch’ FOLLOWED BY A FINE DINING FOUR-COURSE DINNER semester – who doesn’t want to try cocktails at 8am?! What was campus food like? Worthy of a Michelin star! I don’t know of any other university where you could have a three-course ‘business lunch’ followed by a fine dining four-course dinner every day. Of course, there were other options too, but it was always a big occasion going to Le Tacot, our fine-dining restaurant on campus.

How would your lecturers remember you? Hard-working, but fun at the same time – we can’t all be serious all of the time! Any funny moments? There are too many, but my

What qualification did you receive on completion? A Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialism in Entrepreneurship in Hospitality Management, which I passed with Merit. What advice would you give to a school leaver? Follow your passion. That’s what I’ve done and I’ve loved every single minute of it.

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experience on AND off the snow. Train five days a week with state-of-the art teaching techniques and outstanding coaching to develop your technique. Ski le Gap’s mentor program, video analysis and daily goals will ensure maximum progression. They’ll also keep you busy off piste with socials, weekend trips and activities to explore Canada. Get involved with winter bush craft, igloo building, snowshoeing, yoga, ice hockey matches, night tubing, trips to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City and much more. • Start friendships that will last a lifetime and connect with people from around the world.

WANT TO MAKE THE MOST WANT TOGAP MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR YEAR? OF YOUR GAP YEAR? BECOME A SKI/SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR IN BEAUTIFUL FRENCH QUEBEC, CANADA BECOME A SKI/SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR IN BEAUTIFUL FRENCH QUEBEC, CANADA

Boasting Canada’s top coaches - 100% pass rates Boasting Canada’s top coaches - 100% pass rates The perfect combination of on-hill experience and off-piste fun! The perfect combination of on-hill experience and off-piste fun! Enjoy ‘all-you-can-eat’ meals and the chilled out bar in our cosy lodge Enjoy ‘all-you-can-eat’ meals and the chilled out bar in ourtrips cosyto lodge Amazing Montréal, Ottawa, Québec City and lots more… Amazing trips to Montréal, Ottawa, Québec City and lots more…

Ski le Gap was the most fantastic Ski le Gap was experience I’vethe most fantastic ever had experience I’ve Richard Partridge-Hicks ever had Richard Partridge-Hicks

PLAY | LEARN | TEACH PLAY | LEARN | TEACH

+44(0)20 7731 5432

info@skilegap.com

www.skilegap.com