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Dear Parents,
I am delighted to welcome you to our Oxford campus and to express how much I enjoyed meeting those of you who were able to make the journey to visit us in person last week. It was a pleasure to connect with so many of you and share our vision for the exciting journey ahead.
As the Head of School, I want to reinforce my commitment to being your first point of contact for any concerns or worries you may have regarding your son or daughter's experience at our school. Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can assist with. I am here to support you and your child every step of the way.
Additionally, please find attached several important documents that will help you navigate the upcoming school year: our communication plan, the 2024-2025 school calendar, and our welcome plan, which outlines events specifically designed for parents of students currently on campus. These resources are intended to keep you well-informed and engaged in our school community.
Thank you for choosing our school for this important chapter in your son/daughters’ education. I look forward to working closely with you to ensure a positive and enriching experience for all.
University Update
As we commence a new school year, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2024 on their university placements. These are the culmination of a process which began even before those students joined us and are testament to the hard work they have sustained during their time at EF Academy Oxford. University destinations and degrees included Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, Theoretical Physics at University College London, Psychology at The University of St Andrews and Management at the University of Warwick, as well as many other excellent institutions in the UK and beyond. Geographically, our students have ranged from The University of San Francisco in the west to IE University Madrid to Warsaw Medical University to Hong Kong University in the east. One student is currently submitting applications to Australia so the Class of 2024 will extend that range even further!
We are immensely proud of the students. I would like to thank the Pathway Managers, Academic and Residence teams for all the support and guidance they have given to the Class of 2024 to facilitate their success. We look forward to welcoming them back as alumni in the near future to share their experiences.
The University Guidance programme has resumed in earnest for Y2 students, picking up from where we left in June. All students should now be registered on their various application systems, and we have had step-by-step live sessions demonstrating how to fill in application information. Following the Pathways Support sessions last year, students have been working on Personal Statements and application essays during the summer and this term will focus on getting applications submitted for most students.
Here are some of the key deadlines coming up in the next four months for our Year 2 students:
15 October- Deadline for all courses at Oxford & Cambridge universities, and for Medicine/ Veterinary Medicine/ Dentistry courses in the UK.
Around 1 November- Deadlines for many USA colleges offering early applications.
Around 1 January- Regular USA deadlines.
15 January- Deadline for many Canadian institutions and numerous fixus courses in the Netherlands
29 January- Final deadline for UK applications via the UCAS system
As well as the 1-to-1 support meetings there will be further Pathways Support sessions on university applications and after school drop-ins for students to complete applications. The small number of students who may need to do interviews as part of the process will be receiving practice sessions also.
The biggest challenge for Y2 students is time management. Balancing the demands of academic subjects (especially completion of coursework or projects such as EE or EPQ) with the preparation of university applications is always tricky: in school we provide as much help as possible to help students manage the load and we encourage families to continue as you always do in providing encouragement and support in what will be an intense term.
Y1 students have begun the formal UG process as part of the Welcome Days and will be taking part in further activities as term progresses, introducing them to diverse sources of information for exploring options in careers and higher education. As part of the upcoming field trip to Wales in September they will have the opportunity to visit the University of Cardiff campus and hear all about universities and student life in the UK. Further events coming up in the next month include a Careers Workshop and the USA College Day in London.
It has been wonderful to see the new students on campus and I look forward to working with them over the coming years.
Pathway Manager updates
We were thrilled to see so many of you on campus during the Welcome Days! We are happy to inform you that lessons have now commenced, and the students are gradually settling into their routines. As we move forward through the academic year, we would like to remind you of the key platforms that keep you informed and engaged in your child's journey:
ManageBac: This platform enables you to monitor your child's academic performance, attendance, and academic journal entries, as well as view any behavioural notes provided by teachers and academic tutors.
Orah: This platform offers access to pastoral notes from our boarding team and assists you in managing weekend and holiday leave.
If you have any questions about these platforms, please do not hesitate to reach out.
We understand that you have received a substantial amount of information about the school during the Welcome Days. For your convenience, we have attached the presentations on academic and boarding life at the school.
In the next 3-4 weeks, Pathway Managers will hold their first formal meetings with the students to discuss how they are settling in and to develop a study plan for the initial months. A summary of their discussions will be emailed to you shortly afterward. Additionally, please keep an eye out for the Pathway Manager's settling-in report, which will be sent to you in late October.
In the meantime, if there is anything we can assist you with, please feel free to contact your Pathway Managers via email:
Alyona Lake: [email protected]
Kate Krivich: [email protected]
Our working hours are from 8:30 to 16:30, Monday to Friday. We are committed to addressing your inquiries as promptly as possible, but please allow 24 hours for any non-urgent requests.
With very best regards to you all
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Mark Fletcher-Single
Head of School, EF Academy Oxford
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