Elite University Pathways

The Oxbridge Pathway is for anyone apply to Oxford or Cambridge University.

The pathway starts in the first term of Year 12 with seminars from teachers who have been there any done it. Students are guided through course and college choice, made aware of what it takes to get there, and supported to make it happen, all on top of yeargroup trips to both universities. 

Each student is assigned a mentor in their second term at the school. This subject expert guides them in supra-curricular reading and engagement to allow the student to develop the passion required to get through the Oxbridge application.

Where Oxbridge applicants have an admissions test to prepare for they take part in test prep sessions alongside the competitive applicants to other universities. These happen weekly from March onwards and include numerous mock exams to ensure the students can achieve the scores necessary to make it to interview. 

Interview preparation starts in Year 12 and then takes off in term 1 of Year 13. All our Oxbridge applicants complete at least five practice interviews with most completing nearer ten. We have a range of academic contacts across the UK and locally who provide a mixture of online and in-person mock practice to ensure the students arrive at interview confident and assured.

The Medicine Pathway starts straight away in the first few weeks of Year 12 with the first UCAT mock taking place in the first few weeks of term 1.

Experience and past success has shown us that students need detailed feedback on which to develop the skills required to get a UCAT score in the top decile. Therefore, we provide multiple UCAT mocks across the year to allow students to maximise their score. Students develop the skills required for the test in weekly test preparation sessions. Students are supported by a teacher with years of experience preparing pupils for these tests with proven methods for past questions, test secrets and timing advice.

Students work on the softer skills required to work in the medical field during weekly group sessions with the head of the pathway, Ms Whittington. Communication, bedside manner, core knowledge about the field, ethics and current affairs; we understand that all of these are key to impressing at interview and being successful once you start the course. 

Interview preparation starts in Year 12 and then gets into full swing  in term 1 of Year 13. All our Medicine applicants complete at least three internal  practice interviews and three with medical professionals before they do the real thing. 

Throughout the two years at Michaela students will have countless opportunities to expand their understanding of the medical field through our Guest Speakers Programme. We have relationships with over 100 academics, social commenters and leaders in industry who come in to school and talk to the students. This, as well as trips to museums, exhibitions and scientific institutes, allow our medics to gain experiences that they can talk about in their personal statement and at interview.

The Maths and Computer Science Pathway starts after the students’ first set of exams in Year 12.

The pathway has four main aims: develop the supra-curricular mathematical knowledge of the students, prepare students to achieve top scores on their admissions tests, provide mentor support when writing personal statements, and providing intensive interview practice. 

Students expand their understanding of the field of mathematics through our Guest Speaker Programme. We have relationships with scores of academics and leaders in industry who come in and talk to the students. This, as well as trips to exhibitions and scientific institutes, allow our medics to gain experiences that they can talk about in their personal statement and at interview. For those wanting to study Computer Science, guidance through a coding course is provided. 

TMUA test preparation sessions make up the bulk of work in the pathway from March until October. Years of experience has honed our test prep lessons to ensure that students develop flexible problem-solving skills as well as the less fancy but all too important timing plans to ace the test when it comes. 

As with all our pathways, our mathematicians and computer science applicants receive guidance from a mentor from March onwards. Our mentors and have years of experience recommending books, articles and academic papers that allow the students to expand their understanding of the subject. 

As students approach their interviews in Year 13, our interview preparation kicks in with all students receiving upwards of 5 practice interviews before the real thing. Utilising our connections with academics across the country students gain experience of online interviews which include live maths and problem-solving. 

Students hoping to study Science at one the the country’s top academic institutions need to get top grades, achieve a high score on the ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test) and develop a passion for their subject that is apparent on their personal statement and in interview.

At Michaela the grades are achieved through our teaching and the students’ hard work, for the remainder, science applicants have the Science Pathway.

From March ESAT test preparation sessions take place weekly all the way through to October. A dedicated teacher will teach, test and guide students through proven test strategies that maximise student potential. 

Developing the passion that allows one to write the perfect personal statement and then impress at interview starts in the classroom but then continues and deepens with the help of our mentor programme. From March, students will work with their mentor as they explore their favourite fields in science, through reading, online courses, video and discussion. 

The Engineering and Physics Pathway at Michaela Sixth is similar to the Science Pathway in that we ensure students achieve a high score on the ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test) and develop a passion for their subject that is apparent on their personal statement and in interview.

Where the pathway differs from its sister pathway is in the content of the supra-curricular Guests Speaker Programme. We have relationships with academics and leaders in industry across the country who come in to discuss their ideas with the students. This, as well as trips to exhibitions and scientific institutes, allow our students to gain experiences that they can write about in their personal statement and talk about at interview.

ESAT test preparation sessions take place weekly from March to October. A dedicated teacher will teach, test and guide students through proven test strategies that maximise student potential. 

Developing the passion that allows one to write the perfect personal statement and then impress at interview starts in the classroom but then continues and deepens with the help of our mentor programme. From March, students will work with their mentor as they explore their favourite fields in science, through reading, online courses, video and discussion.

The Law Pathway at Michaela Sixth supports both students who want to study an LLB (Bachelor of Laws) course at university and those who want to study another degree and then take a conversion course thereafter.

Both groups attend our introductory seminars about Law, lectures on the history of the Law and talks as part of our Guest Speakers Programme. We have relationships with academics and law professionals who come in and talk to the students. This, as well as trips to talks, plays and relevant institutions, allow our law hopefuls to gain experiences that they can put in their personal statement and at talk about at  interview.

Preparing for the LNAT is a large component of applying for Law in the UK and our weekly sessions with a dedicated teacher allow students on the pathway to maximise their result. We have produced our own Thinking Skills resources that enhance students’ understanding of the language skills required to excel at section A of the test. The students will have up to three weekly essay-writing practice sessions through their a-level subjects, allowing them to ace section B.

We understand that students who want to practiseLaw may go and study a difference subject at university before completing a law conversion course. Therefore, the Law Pathway Students are invited to attend talks on other pathways so they can gain all there is to learn through their workshops, talks and other events.

The Liberal Arts Pathway at Michaela Sixth supports all those students who want to go forth and study the Humanities, Social Sciences or the Arts.

Students start off by attending a lecture series in their first term which spans the entire field with talks about Roman Law, Christian Art and The History or History amongst much else. Students are also able to attend an introductory course in Latin. These lectures help our students find their passion.

This passion is developed further in the second term through working with their mentor. This will usually be a teacher that the student knows well and is probably taught by, who will guide them  towards the best books, journals and academic papers to develop their passion. 

Students at Michaela Sixth have countless opportunities to explore the Liberal Arts through our Speakers Programme as well as the trips on offer. In this last year we have had academics come in to speak about Shakespeare, trips to the British Museum , and outings to see various plays.

Those hoping to study Economics or Finance at one of the UK’s top universities will find themselves on this pathway.

The aims of the pathway are to develop a passion for the subject, allow the student to excel at the admissions test, and prepare for the interview.

Students will be guided by a mentor to allow them to find the areas of the course they are most passionate about. This mentor will, through weekly contact, point students in the right direction in terms of books, documentaries and academic papers that will challenge and intrigue them. This support will then continue through to writing the personal statement based on all the knowledge gleaned through this mentoring process.

Preparing for the admissions test is a large part of the pathway. Whether it be the TARA or the TMUA you aim to sit, this support will entail weekly sessions with an experienced tutor armed with strategies and techniques that allow students to maximise their score. Students on the pathway will sit a series of mock exams to allow them to work on timings and gain that key experience required to ace the test.

The final component of the pathway prepares students for the final hurdle in the applications process: the interview. Through our extensive list of academic contacts we aim to secure 5 practice interviews for each student applying to the Top 5 universities. We provide further support when preparing for these mocks through soft skills training and interview feedback.