Alumni Impress at Oxbridge Conference

This year’s annual Oxbridge Conference at Notre Dame took place on 22 March. 114 of our students who are part of the Enhancing Excellence programme attended. We also invited students from other Leeds schools.

Dr Matt Wise, Schools Liaison Officer from Selwyn College at the University of Cambridge, led the conference. He delivered a series of engaging and informative talks, first describing the distinctive teaching methods at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge). He then went on to talk about the academic and social life at Oxbridge, before moving on to what the Universities look for in prospective students. He finished by explaining how our students should present themselves in an Oxbridge application.

Alumnus Joe Marsden, who is now Student Access Officer for Selwyn College, delivered a presentation about life at Oxbridge Universities, assisted by other Notre Dame Alumni whose details are below:

• Joe Marsden attended Cockburn John Charles Academy (was South Leeds Academy), then studied A level Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry achieving four A* grades, and is now studying chemical engineering at Cambridge.

• Joely Hopwood attended St Thomas à Becket, then studied A level French, Law, and Politics achieving grades A* A* A respectively, and is now studying law at Oxford.

• Caleb Dodd attended Carr Manor Community College, then studied A level Economics, Maths, and Politics achieving grades A* A A* respectively, and is now studying politics and philosophy and Oxford.

• Laura Gerrard attended Woodkirk Academy, studied A level Economics, Geography and Maths achieving A* A A respectively, and is now studying law at Cambridge.

• Isla Gerrard attended Woodkirk Academy, studied A level Biology, Law, and Psychology achieving B, A A* respectively, and will begin her law degree at Oxford in September, having taken a gap year.

Towards the end of the day, alumna Maysha Nowrin, who is reading medicine at the University of Leeds, answered questions from those of our students who wish to study the same subject. Maysha attended Cockburn John Charles Academy, then studied A level Biology, Chemistry, and Maths achieving three grades A’s.

Our current students really benefited from their interactions with alumni who were only a year or two ahead of them. They were able to ask a range of questions and get a realistic idea of what would be expected of them as an Oxbridge or medical applicant.