How to help your child succeed:

An interview with Emma Aubrey, Head of Careers, Oundle School

In her role as Head of Careers at Oundle School, Emma helps students as they go through the university application process, from advising them on the right course and university to reviewing their personal statements and doing practice interviews.  She has seen it all and advised on it all!

We recently met up with Emma and asked her what advice she would give to families who are aiming for top UK universities.

In her role as Head of Careers at Oundle School, Emma helps students as they go through the university application process, from advising them on the right course and university to reviewing their personal statements and doing practice interviews.  She has seen it all and advised on it all!

We recently met up with Emma and asked her what advice she would give to families who are aiming for top UK universities.

Is it just exam grades or will something less tangible make the difference?  

Love. Your child needs to love the subject.  If they want to study Physics at Oxford or Cambridge, they obviously need great exam grades at GCSE and A level, but all applicants will have those.  What makes the difference is a genuine love of the subject.

Can a parent help them with this?

It is always very positive when parents are supportive of their child’s dreams. Sending them to a school that has teachers who love their subjects and super-curricular opportunities for pupils to engage with their subjects will be so inspiring for them and will help them enormously.  However, I have found that an Oxbridge ambition has more chance of success if it is pupil-led. It can’t just be a parent’s aspiration.

But what if parents believe it is the right thing for their child. Isn’t this enough?

In my experience, it must be pupil-led. They are the one who is sitting exams, writing personal statements and being interviewed. Certainly, when it comes to A levels and university courses, parents can encourage their child but it’s very difficult for a child to work as hard as they need to and, crucially, to do the super-curricular work and speak at interview with enthusiasm if they don’t genuinely have the same drive.

Is it just exam grades or will something less tangible make the difference?  

Love. Your child needs to love the subject.  If they want to study Physics at Oxford or Cambridge, they obviously need great exam grades at GCSE and A level, but all applicants will have those.  What makes the difference is a genuine love of the subject.

Can a parent help them with this?

It is always very positive when parents are supportive of their child’s dreams. Sending them to a school that has teachers who love their subjects and super-curricular opportunities for pupils to engage with their subjects will be so inspiring for them and will help them enormously.  However, I have found that an Oxbridge ambition has more chance of success if it is pupil-led. It can’t just be a parent’s aspiration.

But what if parents believe it is the right thing for their child. Isn’t this enough?

In my experience, it must be pupil-led. They are the one who is sitting exams, writing personal statements and being interviewed. Certainly, when it comes to A levels and university courses, parents can encourage their child but it’s very difficult for a child to work as hard as they need to and, crucially, to do the super-curricular work and speak at interview with enthusiasm if they don’t genuinely have the same drive.

What can parents do to support their children to achieve their dreams? 

Parents – and guardians and host families – can help children in many ways. Encouraging a love of reading from an early age is helpful. It doesn’t really matter what children are reading – all reading is good.

Discussion at home or with their host family is also helpful in developing a child’s ability to develop their ideas and to listen to, and engage with, the ideas of others. This can be discussion about topics they are interested in, or just news and current affairs.

If a child does have an area of interest, then support them in exploring it outside school by taking them to relevant exhibitions, theatres and even other countries if their academic interest is in languages. When they are with their host parents or guardians, ask them to take your child to local cultural or intellectual sites.

For certain university courses – Medicine, Engineering, Law – work experience will support an application, and parents can help by utilising their network to find relevant opportunities.

What can parents do to support their children to achieve their dreams? 

Parents – and guardians and host families – can help children in many ways. Encouraging a love of reading from an early age is helpful. It doesn’t really matter what children are reading – all reading is good.

Discussion at home or with their host family is also helpful in developing a child’s ability to develop their ideas and to listen to, and engage with, the ideas of others. This can be discussion about topics they are interested in, or just news and current affairs.

If a child does have an area of interest, then support them in exploring it outside school by taking them to relevant exhibitions, theatres and even other countries if their academic interest is in languages. When they are with their host parents or guardians, ask them to take your child to local cultural or intellectual sites.

For certain university courses – Medicine, Engineering, Law – work experience will support an application, and parents can help by utilising their network to find relevant opportunities.

Final question – What about extra-curricular activities? Should students drop them and concentrate on their chosen university course subject?

Oxbridge admissions tutors are only interested in an applicant’s ability in, and enthusiasm for, their academic subject. However, future employers will value well-rounded students.

I would always recommend students continue extra-curricular interests for the benefit of their CV and also for the personal benefit, including time to switch off and relax. Extra-curricular activities will develop skills that can help a pupil become a successful undergraduate (and employee), such as time management, self-discipline and teamwork.  Plus, if a pupil can maintain top grades alongside a busy extra-curricular schedule, they will be well placed to flourish at Oxbridge.

Some extra-curricular pursuits can be directly beneficial to an application, such as debating which supports an application for Law or working with younger pupils which would support an application for medicine.

Choose wisely and you could gain more than you think