We are delighted to spotlight the success of our Classics students, who have achieved a 100% offer rate, with two students achieving Oxbridge offers. Congratulations to Year 13 students Ivy and Mia, who have both received offers to study Classics at the University of Cambridge. Ivy has received an offer from Newnham College and Mia has received an offer from Downing College.

Securing an offer for such a competitive and rigorous course is a significant achievement. Both Ivy and Mia have consistently shown a deep interest in the subject throughout their time here, and it is wonderful to see that dedication recognised by Cambridge university.

We spoke with Ivy and Mia about what drew them to the ancient world, how they found the Oxbridge application experience, and their tips for other students considering a similar path.

Ivy: “I am fascinated by Classics as a subject, as it covers and acts as a root for so many other topics – politics, art, religion, philosophy and literature to name a few. There is so much in our day to day lives that has been influenced by, and is relevant to the study of Classics! In addition, my Politics and English A-levels have helped me to hone in on my specific interests within the subject of classics that I do not get to explore within the A-level specification.”

Mia: “I love how multidisciplinary Classics is! It allows you to branch into loads of different areas like theatre, literature, politics, philosophy, art and more. I was personally incredibly indecisive when choosing my A-Levels and couldn’t decide between Art and Drama; I eventually chose Drama, knowing that Classics would incorporate Art into the course due to its multidisciplinary nature. I wasn’t too sure if I’d enjoy the Greek Art aspect of the course as it was very different to GCSE, however it is now my favourite part of the course! I love analysing and comparing different statues; it’s especially interesting for me when we look at these statues as a way to understand the Greek’s cultural values.”

Ivy: “The application process to Cambridge was definitely long and difficult, in two words, but it was extremely rewarding and worth it. In addition to the personal statement and UCAS application, Cambridge requires a small portfolio of written work, two interviews, a language aptitude assessment and a smaller, more focussed personal statement which is optional, but I chose to complete. I started my preparation in May, and it was definitely a marathon rather than a sprint. Although it was difficult, I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to explore my subject and my love for it further in my preparation.”

Mia: “The application process was intense but also incredibly rewarding, it gave me the opportunity to engage with my subject much deeper than I had before. After receiving my interview invitation, I allocated a lot of my time to wider reading which I found really enjoyable as it’s not often something I’m able to find time for; this also meant I was able to explore areas of Classics that aren’t on my A-Level syllabus, such as Greek tragedies. The process involved a few mock interviews and a lot of general question practice as well which has made me far more confident in discussing ideas out loud and thinking on my feet. Though it was very stressful and there were definitely moments where I doubted if the work I put in would be worth it, the process is incredibly valuable and enjoyable no matter what the end result of the application is.”

Ivy: “I received a lot of support before, during and after my application process from the GDST, Norwich High, and the Classics department. In Year 12 I won the GDST Pearson and Silver award, which paid £550 towards my tuition at JACT Latin Camp last summer, which supported my application process and prepared me for the language aptitude assessment – for which I am very grateful. Miss McMenamin had also been ‘mentoring’ me since May, a process Norwich High provides to support Oxbridge applicants with mock interviews, wider reading support, and general help with your application. We met once a fortnight, sometimes more if necessary, and the support that I received from Miss McMenamin and the wider classics department was extensive and greatly appreciated. I also had opportunities as an academic scholar and classics student to present to groups of between 10 to 80 people, or write articles, surrounding areas of my subject that interested me. Furthermore, we received a lot of general UCAS support from Mrs Packer and the higher education sessions that were held, ensuring that our applications were completed to the best possible standard.”

Mia: “My teachers were super helpful and offered to help however I needed, including mock interviews and personal statement assistance. The school also offered many opportunities for me to get engaged with Classics outside the classroom and build evidence for my personal statement, with the Classics lunchtime talks being an example of this. As I was applying for the 4-year course, I also had to sit a language aptitude assessment which I would have really struggled on without the help of my teachers who took me through possible questions and answers. I always felt like I could reach out for advice during the process and am incredibly grateful for the support I received.”

Ivy: “The course at Cambridge was particularly appealing as I found that the focus on language was an area that interested me, as although I did not study classical languages for A level, the intense tuition would supplement the study and analysis of the texts I am interested in well. Furthermore, the small group supervisions appealed to me as I find that I work best in small groups, with a similar structure being taken in my A level classes at Norwich High.”

Mia: “I’m really excited to start learning Latin and Ancient Greek as I’ve only done both very briefly and have always regretted not taking Latin GCSE. Our A Level course is also very Greek centered so I’m really looking forward to exploring the Ancient world in a broader sense, especially diving into Roman culture. In terms of the general Cambridge experience, I’m really looking forward to getting involved in their thriving creative scene. The theatre opportunities are especially intriguing for me, I’m hoping to get involved in all aspects of this whether be it acting, directing, producing or writing in the Downing Dramatic Society; the Society’s Festival of New Writing is an incredibly exciting prospect for me!”

Ivy: “If I had one tip for students applying to Oxbridge – it would be to read widely around your subject! They want to see that you are interested in various aspects of a topic and that you can explore these in your own research. You have to love your subject! And at Norwich High, they really support this, so take the opportunities that they give you!”

Mia: “Don’t doubt your ability or rush yourself. It’s easy to feel intimidated and assume your opinions aren’t important when speaking with subject specialists, but you just need to have confidence in your ideas and try not to stress about getting it “right”. The questions are designed to challenge you and you’re not going to get every single one, you just need to be willing to think things through out loud and have your opinion challenged. What matters most is showing that you’re passionate and enthusiastic about your subject, if you go in with that mindset you’ll be totally fine.”