Access Sidney

We're always keen to work with state schools, colleges, students and teachers to provide information and support for potential applicants, and have a number of programmes and projects which we currently run to this end.

We also have a range of recorded content on our YouTube Channel. This includes tours of the College, admissions advice, pre-recorded admissions interviews and much more.

For a full list of upcoming events and opportunities the explore below.

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Area Links Scheme

As part of the University's Area Links Scheme Sidney works particularly (but not exclusively) with schools and colleges in the following regions:

• Stoke-on-Trent
• Staffordshire
• Lancashire
• Blackpool
• Bury
• Oldham
• Tameside
• Warrington
• Wigan
• London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. 

We know that for many people and schools it might not be possible to attend an event in Cambridge, and our admissions staff therefore visit schools and colleges around the country, and these areas in particular, to deliver talks and workshops to students and teachers.

Please get in touch with our Schools Liaison Officer if you would like us to deliver any content for your students or staff.

Sidney Webinars 2023

What are they?

We regularly run free webinars for school students who are targeting university and who may be considering making an Oxbridge application. These will be delivered by Sidney Sussex admissions staff and will also feature College undergraduates and academic staff to provide a full picture of life at the College and the University of Cambridge.

Topics covered will be aimed at KS4 and KS5 (or equivalents), but anyone is free to attend these sessions (students, teachers, parents etc.) and can book a place by following the links next to the titles in the table below, once you've done this we will send you details of how to attend the Zoom webinars. 

After every webinar you will receive an email with the recording of the session.

You may also find it helpful to attend one of our monthly Q and A sessions which will cover similar topics to the webinars but will be solely dedicated to answering questions from participants (see below).

When do they take place?

They will be taking place throughout 2023. Every session will be repeated 3 times along with the provision of a recording for those who have completed the relevant form.

Sign-up links will be included in the table below and we will normally open booking two weeks before events. Please not that you will only be sent the link only if you sign up 24 hours before the session.

We update our timetable regularly, but for now here are the webinars we have forthcoming:

Date and Time Title Registration February 20, 24 and March 1 17:00-18:00 Supercurriculars: What they are and why they matter The event is now finished. March 13, 15 and 22 17:00-18:00 Targeting Oxbridge: Making Competitive Applications  The event is now finished. April 18, 20 and 28 17:00-18:00 Subject Matters: Making Post-16 Choices (A-Levels etc.) The event is now finished. June 7,9 and 13 17:00-18:00 Teachers and Advisers: Supporting Student Applications The event is now finished. June 22, 26 and 28 17:00-18:00 Personal Statements The event is now finished. August 9, 10 and 14 17:00-18:00 Student and College Life The event is now finished. October 2 and 3 16:00-17:00 Finalising Applications and Admissions Assessments  The event is now finished. October 17, 19 and 23 17:00-18:00 Targeting University: Post-16 Choices https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8owkX9dAyxJS8Ye November TBD Interviews TBA

How are they delivered?

All sessions will be delivered as webinars via Zoom. This means that you will be able to ask questions throughout the sessions but for safeguarding reasons will not be able to control your microphone or webcam. 

You will be able to view the webinars via any device (computer, tablet, smartphone) as long as you have an active internet connection, with no need to download anything or set up an account. 

Sidney Monthly Q and As 2023

What are they?

Every month we run a free themed Q and A session for school students as well as parents/guardians and teachers. These will have a different theme every month, covering the different stages of the preparation and submission of a university application.

These will be delivered by Sidney Sussex admissions staff and will also feature College undergraduates and academic staff to provide a full picture of life at the College and the University of Cambridge.

This session will not include a presentation but will be completely open to questions from the audience. You may also find it helpful to combine it with attending our webinar series.

Topics covered will be aimed at KS4 and KS5 (or equivalents), but anyone is free to attend these sessions and can book a place by following the links next to the titles in the table below, once you've done this we will send you details of how to attend the Zoom webinars. 

 

When do they take place?

They will be taking place throughout 2023. Sign-up links will be included in the table below and we will open booking two weeks before most events. 

Please not that you will only be sent the link only if you sign up 24 hours before the session.

 

How are they delivered?

All sessions will be delivered as webinars via Zoom. This means that you will be able to ask questions throughout the sessions but for safeguarding reasons will not be able to control your microphone or webcam. 

You will be able to view the webinars via any device (computer, tablet, smartphone) as long as you have an active internet connection, with no need to download anything or set up an account. 

We update our timetable regularly, but for now here are the webinars we have forthcoming:

Date and Time	Topic	Registration
February 22nd 17:00-18:00	Supercurriculars: What they are and why they matter	The event is now finished.
March 23rd 17:00-18:00	Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at University (with current students)	The event is now finished.
March 28th 17:00-18:00	Sciences at University (with current students)	The event is now finished.
April 19th 17:00-18:00	Open to all questions	The event is now finished.
June 15th 17:00-18:00	Teachers and Advisers: Supporting Student Applications	The event is now finished.
June 27th 17:00-18:00	Personal Statements	The event is now finished.
August 16th 17:00-18:00	Student Life	The event is now finished.
October 9th 17:00-18:00	Admissions Assessments	https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_26oPi1wYi0joocu
October 30th 17:00-18:00	Post-16 Choices	https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8rnGGs8ITQiFOTA
November TBD	Interviews	TBA

 

Link Area Online Outreach Sessions

For the 2021-22 academic year, Sidney Sussex College are offering our link schools a package of bookable online outreach sessions designed for students and teachers that can be delivered entirely remotely in a safe and flexible manner at no cost to the schools.

These sessions have been put together following consultations with teachers in our partner schools and we hope that they meet the needs of you and your students.

What are they?

• Live virtual sessions delivered by the Sidney Sussex SLO or the Admissions Director covering a range of topics linked to progression to university-level study and University of Cambridge admissions. 
• Session content is focused on the needs of different year groups: aspiration-focused sessions for KS3 and KS4 students; KS5 sessions focused on attainment and Oxbridge application support. 
• Teacher-focused sessions are also available, providing practical support and information so they can support students with Oxbridge applications and write effective student references. This can be for a single teacher or a larger group.
• All sessions will be delivered as Zoom Meetings (on our own account) and are designed to fill an up-to 60-minute slot. Timings can be arranged and adapted to suit your school timetable and minimise disruption for your students.
• Schools can book sessions and time-slots in advance, with Zoom links then being sent to the teacher running the session on site. 
• Schools can book multiple sessions for the same group of students if they want to dovetail the linked sessions over the course of the year.
• All sessions are provided at no cost to the school as part of the outreach work done by Sidney Sussex College and the University of Cambridge

For bookings or enquiries please contact our Schools Liaison Officer

West Midlands Collaborative Outreach

We are excited to announce the launch of West Midlands Webinars, a new series of online sessions run by Cambridge and Oxford Colleges for Year 12 students at state schools or sixth form colleges in the West Midlands.

The webinars are suited for anyone who hopes to apply to competitive universities: if you’re a high-achieving student, intellectually curious and ambitious, these webinars will be a great start for your university journey.

Full details can be found on the dedicated webpage here.

Open Days and Taster Days 

School groups and individual students are welcome to come and visit us in Sidney at one of our Open Days or Taster Days. Many of these events have subject-specific content and are a great way to find out more about what it's like living and studying at Sidney Sussex College.

LPN Summer School

Each year Sidney Sussex works in collaboration with Christ's and Murray Edwards Colleges to run a summer school in August for Year 11 students who live in areas of low participation to higher education (we've abbreviated 'low participation neighbourhood' to 'LPN', hence the name). 

Find more information and the application form on our LPN webpage.

HE+ Project

HE+ is a collaborative project between the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Colleges, working together with groups of state schools and colleges in 18 regions of the UK.

The HE+ project is unique in that it encourages schools and colleges to collaborate to form regional consortia and to engage their highest-attaining students in a sustained year-long programme that is designed to encourage and prepare these students to make competitive applications to top universities, including the University of Cambridge.

Sidney Sussex College is responsible for working with the HE+ hubs in Stoke and Wigan & Warrington, organising a number of events with these groups during the school year, as well as an annual residential for each.

The HE+ website has free resources and material produced by Cambridge academics, including guided activities and suggestions for further reading. This material is available to everyone, regardless of whether they're part of HE+ or not, and is a great place to start if students are looking to go beyond the syllabus!

Beyond the syllabus

Want to find out more about what a subject is like outside of the classroom? We can help with that!

We have collated information and resources from a wide variety of different media on every subject offered at Cambridge.

Prospective applicants, and teachers supporting these students, can find these resources on our Beyond the syllabus page, for use in super-curricular studying, or for extension classes in school! 

Languages Taster Day 

Are you interested in languages? Do you want to learn more about what it is like to study one at A level and University? Then our Languages Taster Day is for you!

On Saturday the 24th of June, we will be holding an online taster day for students interested in studying languages either at A level or University. No language background is necessary to attend-just your enthusiasm! The programme for the day will run from 9.45 to 14.00 and is as follows:

Taster Class: French or Spanish (for students with some background in either language) or 'Lost in Translation' (a session for students with no background in French or Spanish but open to all)

Taster Class: Italian or Portuguese (no background in either required)

Q and A: With current Cambridge students studying languages 

Q and A/Discussing Careers: With Cambridge alumni and language academics 

At the end, we will provide you with resources and advice for next steps in your studying journey. You will be able to choose which language tasters you wish to attend in your registration form -we will try to allocate everyone to their first place where possible. Remember this is your chance to try something different so do not be afraid to attend a session in something you have not considered before.

To attend you must currently be in Year 10 (Y11 NI / S3 Scotland) or Year 11 (Y12 NI / S4 Scotland) and attend a non-independent (non-fee-paying) school.

All those who register are guaranteed a place for the day and the precise timetable and relevant links will be sent 48 hours prior to the event.

Register here

If you have any questions, our Schools Liaison Officer, Maria will be happy to help at: slo@sid.cam.ac.uk.

 

 

 

Enigma Residential

The Enigma residential is an exciting three-day programme aimed at female and NB students who are interested in studying a science subject at University. Named after the original Enigma machine gifted to Sidney Sussex (which you can interact with at the end of the residential!), the programme provides a great opportunity to find out more about what it is like to study sciences further and be a student at university. Read on to find out more about dates, content of the residential, and eligibility criteria!

Date and Place

In 2023, Enigma will take place between the 15th and the 17th of September (so two nights and three days) in Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge. Accommodation and meals will be covered for all participants. Additionally, all transport costs will be reimbursed.

Content

The residential will feature a series of science academic taster lectures which will provide the participants with an idea of what it is like to attend university teaching. These sessions will be delivered by Cambridge academics who will be happy to answer any of your questions and share more information about their subject. 

Additionally, you will attend sessions on university applications (including Cambridge and Oxford), student life at university, and exploring super-curricular activities in preparation for a university application.

There will also be plenty of time in the evenings to socialise, meet other participants, and explore the College!

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this residential, you must:

-Be entering Year 12 (Y13 NI / S5 Scotland) in September of 2023

-Self-identify as female or non-binary

-Attend a non-independent (non-fee-paying) school

-Be interested in studying a STEM subject at University

How do I apply?

To apply, please complete this form: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9FY2odxaNRpCnRk

There is a hard application deadline of August 20th (noon) for Enigma and all decisions will be communicated to applicants on the 22nd of August. Please note that, should you be accepted,  you will need to complete several forms for your access and dietary requirements so please continue to check your email regularly and promptly respond to any requests.

If you have any questions or want to discuss any aspects of the residential please do email our Schools Liaison Officer Maria at slo@sid.cam.ac.uk.