Beyond Sevenoaks

Higher Education

The Higher Education department is committed to supporting students at every step on the exciting journey to university and beyond. Our expert advice and support enables students to make a successful transition from school to university, and to working life. We aim to inspire students to realise their ambitions, and to move into adult life with confidence.

The department aims to continue the educational mission of Sevenoaks School by enhancing the life chances of each students, securing the best possible offers for the best courses at the top universities in the world, and providing lifelong opportunities to engage with the world of work.

Every Sevenoaks student is assisted, and our personalised guidance, provided from Year 11 and throughout the Sixth Form, demystifies the process. We ensure that choices are informed and realistic. We are unique in having a large team of staff comprising various subject-specific advisers.

Maintaining close links with university admissions offices and academic departments, we offer a vibrant and varied programme of talks, forums, extension classes, and admissions test and interview preparation.

As a qualification, the IB is seen as the gold standard and the best possible preparation for university. We are delighted that year on year our students go to the best universities for their chosen courses. The majority attend a Russell Group institution in the UK, but large numbers successfully apply to US, European and international universities.

THE HIGHER EDUCATION DESTINATIONS
OF OUR STUDENTS

  • 100% go on to study at top universities worldwide
  • Over 90% typically go to their firm choice university
  • Around 10% go to Oxford or Cambridge
  • Up to 25% of students go to global universities including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Chicago, McGill, ETH Zurich, Bocconi, HKU and many others

The Middle School programme

The formal advice programme begins at the end of the Middle School but, in a more foundational way, students’ preparation begins much earlier. When Year 10 students examine ethical questions in their Critical Thinking course, or contemplate fundamental questions in their humanities classes, or when Year 11 evaluate significant ideas that have had powerful, disruptive and formative effects on the contemporary world, they are learning to ask the questions that will help them to find their path in life.

When students take part in service activities, they interact with the world of work, discovering the power of their own actions. As members of the school’s successful sport teams they learn the power of teamwork and develop leadership skills. So by the time we begin our formal work with them in the Lower Sixth, many of the building blocks have already been laid.

Hear from our people

“I have just finished my first year at King’s College, studying Political Economy. The main difference between uni and school is that most of the work is done independently and outside of teaching hours, something the IB Extended Essay and IAs prepared me for greatly, giving me a work ethic and level of self-discipline that many A-level students lack.”

Vladimir - OS 2022

“The Higher Education team believe strongly that our work is an integrated part of the holistic education offered at Sevenoaks. ”

Wendy Heydorn - Director of Higher Education

“Dear Mrs Heydorn, I wanted to thank you and the rest of the HE department for helping me and my friends get into some great universities. I am at Cambridge now and am thoroughly enjoying it, but I wouldn't have been able to do it without your help! ”

Ivan - OS 2022
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The Sixth Form

The Higher Education department is committed to supporting students and parents with each step on this exciting journey, and to strongly advocating and presenting our students’ strengths and qualities to each university they apply to. We are unusual in having a strong team of dedicated subject and college advisers.

The ever-shifting university landscape means that it is vitally important that Sevenoaks maintains links with university academics and admissions departments in the UK and abroad. To that end we support students with our full programme of talks, forums, extension classes, psychometric testing, admissions test and interview preparation seminars and practice interviews.

Our advice, information and guidance demystifies the process, allowing students to play a lead role in defining their steps to adulthood with our support and the support of their parents.

Sevenoaks students go to the very best universities worldwide for their chosen courses. We hope that they will become active and successful Old Sennockians. We warmly invite them back to the many events we run and we hope that they build supportive networks via the Old Sennockians.

Where Next?