Christ’s College, in collaboration with Peterhouse, will be hosting their first Teacher Residential CPD Conference from 3 to 4 April 2020.

If you are reading this page, it means your school has been invited to send a representative to the conference.

You can take up this invitation by completing the form available here.

What are the event’s objectives?

The event is part of the University of Cambridge’s commitment to working with schools and teachers across the country to increase rates of participation in highly selective universities.  Its goal is to equip key staff with the knowledge and expertise they need to implement practices within your schools that will help your students to stand the best chance of making a successful application to Cambridge or Oxford Universities.

 

What will the programme include?

This is a two-day programme of events, timetabled to coincide with the end of your school term, hopefully to enable more teachers to attend.

The evening of Friday 3rd (which is optional to attend) will include a chance to network with other teachers, a walking tour of Cambridge and a Cambridge college, and a formal dinner in Christ's College.

Saturday 4th will see a jam-packed programme of advice on how to support your pupils' applications to Oxbridge, including Personal Statements, School References, Admissions Assessments and Interviews. This will also feature CPD sessions on embedding oracy in classroom practice and encouraging supra-curricular engagement, which are key to making successful applications to top universities.

Throughout, you will be able to share best practice with fellow teachers and CEIAG coordinators, all in the stunning surroundings of Christ's College, Cambridge.

Provisional Programme

Friday 3 April:

3:00

Option to arrive early for walking tour of Cambridge, etc.

5:00 – 5:45

Arrival, settle into rooms, refreshments and registration

5:45 – 6:45

Welcome, Overview of Cambridge and Admissions Process and how we use contextual data

7:00 – 7:30

Welcome drinks in Buttery

7:30 – 9:00

Formal Dinner

9:00 – 11:00

Bar open

 

Saturday 4 April:

8:00 – 9:00

Breakfast

9:00 – 9:30

Pack luggage, check-out, store luggage

9:30 – 10:15

Writing helpful School/ College References

10:15 – 10:45

Supporting Super-curricular activity, Critical Reading

10:45 – 11:00

Break with refreshments

11:00 – 11:45

Supporting pupils’ Personal Statements

11:45 – 12:15

Q+A, discussion forum, sharing best practice

12:15 – 1:00

Lunch

1:00 – 2:00

Example interviews: Biological Sciences; Physical Sciences; Social Sciences/ Humanities; Arts, Languages and Literature

2:00 – 2:30

Break with refreshments

2:30 – 3:30

Embedding Oracy in the Classroom

3:30 – 3:45

Introduction to Cambridge Outreach

3:45 – 4:45

Q+A, sharing best practice, implications for practice

  • How to encourage applications from disadvantaged pupils?
  • How to effect change within your school?

4:45 – 5:00

Final message, takeaways

 

IAG session

What does it cost?

The conference, including sessions, meals and accommodation, is entirely free!  We are unfortunately unable to reimburse travel costs, but this is the only expense involved in attending.

 

Why has my school been invited?

We have used data from the Cambridge Admissions Office which suggests that your school would benefit from this event. We are also inviting teachers who live and work a significant distance from Cambridge and would not be able to attend a non-residential event.

 

What if my school is already working with their link college?

That’s great and you will be encouraged to continue to do so!  This event is designed to supplement the support you are receiving from your link college, not to replace it.

 

Who should attend?

Your school is free to send whichever member of staff they believe will most benefit from attending.  We would recommend the following guidelines when choosing who should attend:

  • Someone who is actively involved in supporting students through the UCAS process
  • Someone who would be involved in encouraging and supporting high-attaining students to explore Oxbridge
  • Someone who is able to implement in school any changes in practice they decide upon, based on what they learn at the conference

How do I take up this invitation?

Please liaise with your colleagues in school to decide who would be best suited to attend.  That person should then complete the form available here: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4HmcRu38cJtVHUN.  We will then be in touch within five working days to confirm your place.

 

What if I have any questions?

Please don’t hesitate to email us at access@christs.cam.ac.uk, or slo@pet.cam.ac.uk.