Find out how to analyse the language and form of a poem, describe linguistic effect and understand how a poem functions, with Oxford English expert, Sarah. Sarah teaches you how to improve your GCSE poetry analysis so you can excel in your English Literature GCSE.

The English Literature Admissions Test or ELAT as it is commonly known is the pre-interview test for applicants to English undergraduate courses at Oxford and Cambridge. Places at these prestigious universities have always been highly sought after and, because the process of interviewing is lengthy and time-consuming, the ELAT serves as a kind of filter. Your performance on this test dictates whether or not you’re called for interview. Cheltenham Ladies’ College English teacher, Elisa, has taught candidates for the ELAT and interview for over a decade now. She also went through the process herself - these are her top tips for preparing for (and passing) the ELAT.

The true keys to GCSE creative writing are imagination, content, and organisation. Find out how to use advanced linguistic devices and structural features to develop and succeed in the creative writing exam. This blog will teach you to enjoy taking the reader on a journey, learn to navigate the realms of description and experiment with tone for GCSE creative writing success.

From 11 plus through to GCSE, students frequently find non-fiction writing more challenging to demonstrate their full written ability and hit assessment objectives than fiction. This is often because they are less exposed to non-fiction in reading and in writing tasks. Examinations for school entrance at 11+ and 13+ frequently assess students’ ability to write and respond to non-fiction: speeches, letters, reports, diaries, so it is crucial to address this. Georgia, full-time English teacher at Ibstock Place and 1st Class English Oxford Graduate, leads students through the ins and outs of formal letter writing.

Whatever the book, non-fiction literature offers a great opportunity to encourage intellectual development and independent thought. By inspiring children to look beyond the curriculum and inviting them to be guided by their personal interests, non-fiction literature encourages a well-rounded education and an informed perspective on life. Oxford English graduate, Sarah, discusses the benefits of non-fiction reading.

Whether it is an exam, a musical performance or sports competition, a lawsuit or a political campaign, success can be achieved with the right preparation. Preparation allows you to relax, thrive and be confident, as if you have prepared properly you will know that you are going to succeed. Keep reading to find out what effective strategies & online tools you can use to maximise success in examinations.

University is an opportunity to engage with one subject in a sustained and in-depth way. Often, studying a subject at university can change your ideas about it entirely; you’ll question how the subject is defined and what its principles are, and you’ll ask yourself its relevance to the world and to your own life. Often a good place to start when making this decision is identifying which subject you don’t feel finished with; what are you itching to explore more? What are you most curious about? Intellectual curiosity is the driving force behind the process of completing any university degree, so choose the subject that you are most interested in. So what are the three questions to ask yourself when choosing which subject to pursue beyond school?

You've sat your exams, chosen your top 5 Universities to apply to, you've registered with UCAS. Now what? Oh yes, you've got to write a personal statement - 4000 characters to encapsulate why YOU are suitable for your course. Done well, your personal statement can demonstrate what motivates your study of your given subject now and give an insight into your academic ability, which can only boost your application. Our Oxbridge experts give 10 top tips to ensure you avoid standard pitfalls and overcome what can be a daunting task.

Oxford Medical student, Rhea, discusses the benefits of exploring the advancing, fascinating world of science, alongside and beyond the science curricular syllabus through a range of scientific journals, books and magazines.

As we enter into an increasingly compartmentalised approach to education, introducing children to current affairs has never been more vital. To engage with current affairs in our modern era allows a student to become well-informed and broadens their perspectives, developing their critical and analytical thinking skills as well as teaching them the value of free expression of opinion and the importance of debate.

Many able kids continue to read young adult and teen fiction despite its simple level that doesn’t progress much despite the age range being 13-18. Rosie (Cambridge English student) gives book suggestions for teenagers that bridge the gap between YA and adult or classical novels. Check out her excellent recommendations categorised by genre, including fantastic dystopian, romance, coming-of-age and mystery novels.

If you want to apply to Oxbridge or any other high ranking university, it’s incredibly important to read around your chosen subject. Oxford graduate, Ellen, guides you through the kind of research you should be doing to demonstrate a passion and commitment to learning, enhance your personal statement and allow you to dazzle at interview.

In their penultimate school year, many students find themselves considering an application to Oxbridge as well as the Ivy League universities in America. With Oxford and Cambridge ranked No. 1 and 2 in the world by Times Higher Education and Ivy Leagues’ Stanford, MIT, CIT, Harvard, Princeton and Yale, directly behind, it’s not hard to see why it is a difficult choice for high performing students. But is it possible to do both?

Wondering whether to study a mathematic subject over a humanity for A Level or IB? Sanjay (1st Class BA physics graduate & Master's in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics with a Distinction, University of Oxford) gives his view on the pros of mathematical study & essential study skills including how to revise for exams in sciences and maths.

“At one of my interviews I was presented with an MRI scan and asked to describe what I saw. At the other, I was asked to describe a scientific experiment.” Read on to find out Síle’s top tips for preparing a medicine application to Oxbridge, including personal statement advice, work experience suggestions and interview questions!

Roald Dahl is a well-loved children’s author whose books have excited children and captured their imaginations for decades. There is nothing wrong with teachers and parents endorsing and celebrating the authors, like Dahl, who they read and loved themselves as children. The problem arises when this cycle limits the repertoire of children’s literature that we are exposing our children to. There is a huge diversity of talented authors out there and we are doing a disservice to our children not to introduce them to a whole range of stories.

Learning English as a foreign language can be a daunting task. Students from different nationalities often face difficulties caused by the disparity between their native language and English. Students looking to study in Britain face the IELTS or equivalent examinations, testing their ability to listen, read and speak English confidently and independently. Having the right teacher, a specialist in not just teaching English, but teaching English as a foreign language, can be crucial to a student's language development.

Interviews can seem scary and hard to prepare for as you never quite know what to expect. However, they are extremely important, with many selections for school and university applications made almost entirely on interview performance alone. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do during the interview and in preparation that can really help you stand out. Check out Poppy, Oxford Psychology graduate and DPhil researcher’s top sips for success.

Many students and their parents are faced with the question of whether or not to choose the International Baccalaureate, as opposed to A Levels or Pre-U exams. Yet many students and parents remain unsure about what exactly the programme entails, or how to prepare for it. As a graduate of the IB, Oxbridge English graduate and Godolphin & Latymer School alumnus, Emma, debunks some myths about the system.

Many people think that coding is an impossible skill to learn, or that it’s something best left to geeky geniuses. This is just a myth. Anyone can learn to code, and indeed, more people should learn to code. Keep reading to find out the 5 top benefits of learning to code, and the 3 easiest ways to get started.