the scholars’ programme

The Scholars’ Programme is a supplement to your academic provision and aims to help equip you with skills in wider academic research, debating and critical thinking. Ultimately, this is to help prepare you for the rigorous admissions processes that are used to gain entry to: Oxbridge; medicine, dentistry and veterinary science; and competitive courses at Russell Group universities. More so than ever before, Universities are expecting you to possess a repertoire of core skills that are not only vital to succeeding at undergraduate level but are essential to creating adaptability in the ever-evolving twenty-first century workplace; therefore, the programme is designed to increase your confidence and develop your abilities as an autonomous scholar.

As part of the Scholars’ Programme, you will: • Study a range of modules, including science and nature, philosophy and popular culture, and participate in debates, presentations and seminars • Have the opportunity to complete the EPQ • Get individualised preparation and support when applying for challenging and competitive university courses, including Oxbridge, Russell

Group, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science • Receive additional one-to-one ‘stretch and challenge’ work with your subject teachers • Participate in various access programmes from prestigious universities such as Oxford,

Cambridge and Manchester • Be given the option to attend organised visits and conferences, including trips to the country’s leading universities • Be able to attend specialised and bespoke talks by guest academic speakers • Have access to academic resources and electronic texts in various university libraries If you achieve five or more grade 8/9s at GCSE, you will be eligible to join the Scholars’ Programme when it commences in January of your first year. You can also be nominated by your subject teachers or SPDL at the end of the first term. In enrolling on the Scholars’ Programme, you will also hold the distinguished title for the two years you are with us.

Oxbridge

RSFC has established links with the Oxbridge universities, with staff from both visiting the college. If you are interested in applying to Oxford or Cambridge, not only will you enjoy specialist one-to-one advice on the application process, you will also have the opportunity to visit one, or possibly both, of the universities. In addition, RSFC participates in the HE+ programme, which allows students to attend taster sessions and visit the University of Cambridge in preparation for future study. NB: Trips and visits will be subject to COVID-19 safety guidelines.