Study Higher Teachers’ and Careers Advisors’ Conference:
Workshop Choices
Morning Workshops
Uni – Ready? Independent & Reflective Learners: Building that culture in your
school
Coach Bright – Robin Chu
Buzzwords? Or, absolutely vital? Come and explore with Coach Bright what it takes to get
pupils thinking reflectively and how to build a peer-to-peer academic coaching programme.
This practical workshop will cover:



What works and what doesn’t in peer-to-peer learning
The nuts and bolts of organising a sustainable programme
Why we have to let pupils take control to enable responsibility
Whole Person, Whole Journey Progression For All
Independent Progression Specialist and Research Fellow – Phillip Dent
The central role that education plays in creating positive outcomes for children and young
people is widely acknowledged. However, research from neurology, health, education,
psychology and economics clearly points to the fundamental importance of a broader
concept of what education is for and how success is achieved.
Philip’s evidence-based and practical progression framework enables practitioners to
reorient their collective vision and efforts through a 'whole person, whole journey' approach
to progression in ways that are sensitive to the attainment-focused policy drivers of Ofsted.
By combining attainment goals with the two co-determinants of progression, aspiration and
awareness, it enables practice in the classroom, throughout the school, and in partnership
with others, to be transformed for the lifelong benefit of children and young people, and for
the most disadvantaged most of all.
This workshop will consider the evidence-base for a progression-focused approach;
introduce a framework for thinking, planning and acting in progression-focused ways; and
provide a starting point for supporting learners’ progression into thriving adulthoods.
Marginal Gains
MADE Training – Sander de Groot
The concept of marginal gains has delivered fantastic results in many sports. Can a similar
approach also help students to raise aspirations, develop confidence and improve their
results?
‘Marginal gains’ is all about small incremental improvements in any process adding up to a
significant improvement when they are added together. It is perhaps most easy to
understand by considering the approach of Sir Dave Brilsford. When he became
Performance Director of British Cycling, he set about breaking down the objectives of
winning races into its component parts. Brailsford believed that if it was possible to make a
1% improvement in a multitude of areas, the cumulative gains would end up being massively
significant. Team GB used to be also-rans in world cycling. But in the last two Olympics,
Team GB has captured 16 gold medals and British riders have won the Tour De France
three times in four years. This is the power of questioning mind-set and a commitment to
continuous improvement. If this approach can have such a dramatic result in sport, what can
it do within education?
This session will help you guide your students to:






Identify areas in which they would like to make improvements
Break those areas down into their component parts
Understand that 1% improvements are within their grasp
Recognise unhelpful habits and commit to replacing them with new positive
behaviours
Believe in their ability to change and progress
Raise their aspirations and build self-esteem and self-confidence
The Four Characteristics of Happy and Successful People
The Buzz – David Hodgson
David Hodgson is an independent author and trainer working with teachers, careers
professionals and students across the UK and abroad. He brings personality type and NLP
into IAG and education. In this workshop, David will share the four habits of success and
include personality profiling which can be taking back into the classroom to enable students
to outlining their strengths, best-fit course and careers choices and stress response. The
session will be fun and practical and provide many activities and resources that can be used
to help students make informed and ambitious choices about their future.
Afternoon workshops
How do you choose the right GCSE/A-Levels? What are facilitating subjects?
University of Reading – Hasna Zaher
The decisions students make in year 9 and 11 will set them on a course that can be difficult
to change. That’s why it is important to make the right subject choices at such an early
stage.
The session will focus on choosing the right GCSEs and A-levels. This can be a problem for
many students especially if they don’t know what they want to do at university! So we will
also look at ‘facilitating subjects’ and how certain subjects can open up more course options
for them when applying to university than others.
Oxbridge – Applying and Interviews
University of Oxford – Wes English
This workshop will be an overview of the admissions processes for Oxford and
Cambridge. It will include information about why a student might wish to apply to Oxford or
Cambridge, what we consider when assessing applications, information about dates (when
to apply, dates for admissions tests etc.) and information about what to expect in interviews.
How to write an effective personal statement.
Oxford Brookes University – Beckie Bartle
A students’ personal statement is a crucial part of their university application. It is their only
opportunity to show their chosen Universities who they are and why they want to study their
chosen subjects. This workshop has been developed with the Admission Department at
Oxford Brookes University to advise you on exactly what universities are looking for in a
good personal statement and will suggest ways in which you can support your students’ in
writing an effective personal statement.
Reference Writing
Bucks New University – TBC
A reference from a teacher is an important part of the UCAS application for prospective
students. Find out more about the dos and don’ts of a reference to complement and support
your students’ personal statement. We will provide information on how to avoid writing a
generic reference and help you add weight to the students’ application.
UCAS
UCAS – Mat Welbourn
This UCAS workshop will provide delegates with news and developments from UCAS,
highlighting application and admissions updates for 2017 entry. Delegates will have the
opportunity to consider and discuss factors affecting progression to higher education in
2017, including the impact of qualifications reform and the introduction of a new UCAS Tariff.
Everything you need to know about Apprenticeships
Oxfordshire Apprenticeships – Aoife Roughneen
The Oxford Apprenticeships team helps people to find out about local opportunities, news
and events, learn about other people’s experiences and understand how to get started –
either as an employer or as an Apprentice. ‘Everything you need to know about
Apprenticeships’ will be a guide to what Apprenticeships are, what is involved the job, the
training/qualification, the various levels including intermediate, advanced and higher, where
to find them, what job areas/sectors they cover and you will have a chance to speak to some
current Apprentices about their story.
Student Finance
Student Loans Company – Charmaine Valente
This Student Finance session aims to provide delegates with detailed information relating to
recent changes in policy of the provision of loans being provided by Student Finance
England to include key messages for schools and colleges by using a resources that schools
and colleges can use with their students, which will also include details on repayment of
loans, application process and free resources for practitioners. This session will be essential
to practitioners who champion supporting students going on to Higher Education and those
who are responsible for the delivery of Information Advice and Guidance to parents and
prospective students considering attending Higher Education.