Results, Careers & Further Education

RESULTS, CAREERS & FURTHER EDUCATION

As a pre-university school, the Sixth Form is a focussed environment providing students with a range of information and experiences which will help them to choose their higher education route and ultimately succeed in their chosen field.

Pupils leave us each year prepared for the very best UK and international universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and the Russell Group.

Most pupils achieve their first-choice university and typically over 70% of pupils will join Russell Group (RG) or Times Top 20 universities each year.

Pupils are regularly successful in gaining first choice places on some excellent degree courses, with a good number leaving for Oxbridge and the Russell Group universities. We run a wide range of career experience courses and in-house careers seminars to introduce students to the opportunities open to them, and these are underpinned by the work of the Denstone Association which arranges individual and group contacts with Old Denstonians in a range of professions including medicine, law and engineering. It also facilitates work experience.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Denstone College students opting for degree apprenticeships. This surge can be attributed to the growing recognition and opportunities offered by leading companies. Recently we had students achieve highly competitive opportunities with organisations such as J. P. Morgan, AstraZeneca, and JCB. These businesses are investing in the future by providing practical, hands-on experience that complements academic learning, thereby equipping students with the necessary skills to excel in their respective fields.

Throughout a pupil’s time here, the College provides a comprehensive instructional careers programme. Each member of the Third and Fifth Forms is given specialist one-to-one advice on subject choices and career possibilities. Academic tutors and Heads of House are also an integral part this process, regularly discussing options with students and offering advice and information on areas such as subject choices, careers and UCAS applications within the College’s weekly tutorial programme.

In terms of higher education applications, UK and overseas universities visit regularly to talk to both students and parents and visits to institutions are encouraged. Every student receives specially tailored advice to ensure that their application is targeted and competitive.

Parents tell us that the comprehensive results day service which we offer to everyone is highly valuable. This service has evolved through many years of experience, and ensures that students receive the very best advice and support.

Click to read Denstone College 2024 Results

Exam Results — 2024

Oxbridge

Denstone College has a long and proud tradition of sending pupils to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge to study a range of subjects. In recent years, Denstonians have gained places to read Medicine, Law, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, amongst others. In every U6th year, there is a cohort of pupils who will be making competitive Oxbridge applications, and we have a very rigorous and well-honed system in place to support them. Our Oxbridge Programme grows out of and further developments our Food for Thought Programme for our most intellectually ambitious pupils: click here for more information on Food for Thought.

In the Sixth Form, pupils considering making an Oxbridge application attend specialised weekly activities and are invited to discuss their ambitions one-to-one with relevant staff. They are also invited to our famous 'Discussion Dinners' - formal but fun occasions, where pupils can hone their abilities to put forward their ideas and challenge those of others: excellent preparation for interviews! Pupils who decide to proceed with an application are assigned a specialist subject mentor, who will meet with them regularly to discuss their plans, support them through the application process, practise and feed back on entrance examination material, and prepare them for interview. In the U6th, we aim to give all applicants five separate mock interviews before the real thing, both with internal staff and external specialists. Making an Oxbridge application can be a challenging as well as a highly stimulating experience, and through it all we are very careful to provide a supportive and pastoral approach to helping pupils both fulfil their potential and cope with the pressures of becoming the very best version of themselves.

As part of our charitable function, Denstone College is always very open to helping pupils from local state schools who feel they would benefit from some of the guidance and activities we offer.

For more information about our Sixth Form Oxbridge Programme, please contact dbaker@denstonecollege.net

University Destinations 2024