What better way to spend a quiet day than curled up with a book? The following novels promise to whisk you away to another place, world or time. There’s something for everyone, from historical novels to detective stories and fantasy. The best way to get into reading is to discover what really excites you and to indulge that interest, so I’ve given suggestions for follow-up books to read if you enjoy these initial suggestions. Happy reading!

An interview is a high-pressure environment – but it can also be a rewarding one. Oxbridge interviews, though notoriously challenging, are designed to mimic the kind of tutorials which you will be taking should you be successful in your application. Tutors aren’t trying to trip you up or confuse you. Find out some strategies to stay calm and confident come interview day with successful Oxford English applicant, Sarah.

In this guide we offer some guidance on how to do well in secondary, covering key skills like resilience and curiosity as well as more concrete tips and guidance to allow you to excel in your GCSEs and A Levels and become a life-long learner.

This blog offers a number of suggestions of extracurricular activities and hobbies for students to inadvertently enhance their on-curriculum performance. Extracurriculars provide a great opportunity to hone skills and develop new ones which will enrich your learning in a broad way. Some universities, such as US universities and Ivy League Schools, also rate extra-curricular engagement extremely highly!

This guide provides top recommendations for educational podcasts to help students deepen their subject knowledge, enhance critical thinking, and stand out in personal statements. Discover the best podcasts for law and engineering students, whether you're beginning the application process or currently studying at university.

Are you dreaming of pursuing English at Oxford, Cambridge or a top Russell Group University? This comprehensive guide equips you with top tips for crafting an English personal statement that truly stands out. Learn how to showcase your diverse literary interests, structure your personal statement or tailor your statement for Oxbridge.

A Biological Natural Sciences Cambridge graduate leads you through the intricacies of the course, his application experience, and top tips for personal statement, admissions test and interview preparation. From ideas for reading new scientific articles and staying updated on novel challenges in the science world, to tips on approaching specific interview question formats, learn how to approach preparation for the multidisciplinary degree.

Oxford Classics graduate, Jessica, busts the myth of the classical “dead” languages, leading you through her inspiration for applying to Oxbridge Classics. A must-read for anyone thinking of Classics or embarking on personal statement writing, find out exactly how you can express your motivation to study the subject at university level.

Looking to apply to Oxford or Cambridge for law? Cambridge law graduate and U2 law tutor, Ben, details his experience of an Oxbridge Law interview, to demystify the process and lead you through his top tips for preparation. Learn about the different formats of Oxbridge law interview questions and how to approach them.

13 plus interviews can be tough and the questions you are asked may initially appear difficult to answer simply. The key to succeeding in a 13 plus interview is unpacking the question and addressing it properly each time. If you want to improve your ability to decode a question and structure an answer quickly and effectively in your head, this is the perfect preparation resource for you.

This 11 plus crib sheet leads students through tips for preparing for interview, offering guidance on how to approach the questions and interview itself. Find out how to build confidence and the ability to talk well in answer to a range of interview questions, including questions about the school, your ambitions and achievements, and extracurricular interests.

Over the duration of your A Level courses, you’ll have the opportunity to study fewer subjects in greater depth than before. This is a chance to broaden the scope of your learning beyond what’s covered in lessons: when studying English and foreign languages, the set texts you’ll cover can be extended far beyond the syllabus to enrich your understanding and enjoyment of them. Find out how to broaden your learning with the specific goal of improving the quality of your essays and other written work in Latin, Greek, English and Languages.

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.