D'Overbroeck's College
Encyclopedia
d’Overbroeck’s College is a co-educational independent school
in Oxford
for pupils aged 11–18. It is described by The Good Schools Guide
as 'a place of energy and laughter, of single-minded determination among students to do the best they can. And d'Overbroeck's doesn't let them down.'
The College has three main parts, all based on different sites in North Oxford
:
The Sixth Form is located in North Oxford
, with the main teaching centre being The Swan Building, 111 Banbury Road, Oxford.
The majority of students at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form are from the UK, but international students are also integral. Students from a large range of countries are welcomed to the Sixth Form (30 different nationalities at present).
Of the 250 students in the Sixth Form, around 40 will have stayed on from Leckford Place or the International Study Centre. The vast majority, however, join from other schools post-GCSE.
In the academic year 2009-10 the Sixth Form achieved a contextual value added
score of 1,102. This was the highest score achieved by any school nationwide.
d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form is described by the Good Schools Guide as 'quite possibly the leading independent sixth form in the UK'
d'Overbroeck's also offers a number of bursaries (which, unlike scholarships, are means-related) and an Access Award for students of outstanding academic ability who wish to move from the state sector into independent education.
Accounting
Ancient History
Art
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Chinese
Classical Civilisation
Classical Greek
Communication & Culture
Computing
Drama/Theatre Studies
Economics
English
Film Studies
French
Further Mathematics
Geography
German
History
History of Art
Italian
Japanese
Latin
Mathematics
Music
Music Technology
Philosophy
Photography
Physical Education (PE)
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian
Sociology
Spanish
d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form was one of the first schools to introduce the AQA Baccalaureate
, a qualification that supplements A/AS level study. Students choosing to study the AQA Baccalaureate do so in addition to their normal A levels, and will also
The AQA Baccalaureate has proved popular amongst students, with 25% of Lower Sixth choosing to take the qualification in 2010.
A student will meet his or her Director of Studies regularly, one to one, to discuss pastoral and academic matters. The Director of Studies also
Of the three sections, Leckford Place was the most recently opened. It took its first students in September 2005, since which time student numbers have grown steadily.
status. Student numbers are around 150.
Leckford Place is a selective school
, with entry by assessment. A number of scholarships are available at 11 and 13, including academic, art and performing arts scholarships. Academic results are strong, with 41% A/A* grades at GCSE in 2010.
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
Geography
Religious Studies
French
Spanish
German
Art
Classical Civilisation
Drama
ICT
Latin
Music
PE
PD (Personal Development)
The school day is from 8.45am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (there is no Saturday school). Each day consists of 10 periods of 35 minutes each.
The Good Schools Guide
commends 'teachers [who] make good use of state-of-the-art facilities and vibrant teaching methods', 'clever design, superb use of space', 'modern and extremely well equipped [science labs]' and 'value added features in spades', declaring, 'have yet to meet a dissatisfied parent'
.
Students at the ISC will study the College's GCSE Programme, designed specifically for international students as a preparation to study A levels or the International Baccalaureate at a British school.
Students are required to have at least a Lower intermediate (B1) level of English language for entry into the ISC.
inspection, it was awarded points of excellence in six separate areas:
No other UK international study centre scored more points of excellence, according to a summary of organisations' results published in the EL Gazette
GCSE subjects available on the programme include:
English
Maths
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Combined Science
History
Art
French
Geography
Business Studies
Citizenship
Project Award
Own language
Students are grouped according to ability, and the programme is designed to be flexible enough to fit with students' various aptitudes and aims.
All students take part in an annual pantomime
, typically performed in a professional theatre.
Students also have regular sports/activities sessions.
(ISC) and in membership of both the Independent Schools Association
(ISA) and the Society of Heads of Independent Schools (SHMIS).
The International Study Centre is Accredited by the British Council
as an international study centre, and is a member of the British Association of International Study Centres (BAISC).
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
for pupils aged 11–18. It is described by The Good Schools Guide
The Good Schools Guide
The Good Schools Guide is a guide to British schools .- Overview :The guide is compiled by a team of editors, which according to the official website "comprises some 50 editors, writers, researchers and contributors; mostly parents but some former headteachers." The website states that it is...
as 'a place of energy and laughter, of single-minded determination among students to do the best they can. And d'Overbroeck's doesn't let them down.'
The College has three main parts, all based on different sites in North Oxford
North Oxford
North Oxford is a suburban part of the city of Oxford in England. It was owned for many centuries largely by St John's College, Oxford and many of the area's Victorian houses were initially sold on leasehold by the College....
:
- Leckford Place - the youngest section of the College, taking boys and girls aged 11-16. This section of the College is for day students only.
- The Sixth Form - teaching A levels to sixth form students (both day and boarding) aged 16+.
- The International Study Centre - delivering academic EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
courses to prepare international students for their A level/International Baccalaureate studies in the UK. Students are typically 14-17 years old.
The Sixth Form
The Sixth Form is the oldest section of d'Overbroeck's College. Unlike many independent schools, the Sixth Form of d'Overbroeck's College is on an entirely separate site, meaning that its facilities and teaching are entirely geared towards sixth form students.The Sixth Form is located in North Oxford
North Oxford
North Oxford is a suburban part of the city of Oxford in England. It was owned for many centuries largely by St John's College, Oxford and many of the area's Victorian houses were initially sold on leasehold by the College....
, with the main teaching centre being The Swan Building, 111 Banbury Road, Oxford.
Students
The Sixth Form has a total of around 250 students, with an even mix of boys and girls. Approximately 50% of students are boarders and 50% day students.The majority of students at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form are from the UK, but international students are also integral. Students from a large range of countries are welcomed to the Sixth Form (30 different nationalities at present).
Of the 250 students in the Sixth Form, around 40 will have stayed on from Leckford Place or the International Study Centre. The vast majority, however, join from other schools post-GCSE.
Results and accolades
A level results achieved by students at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form are consistently strong. In 2010 27% of grades were A* 59% A/A*, placing the College at number 106 in the national league table for independent schoolsIn the academic year 2009-10 the Sixth Form achieved a contextual value added
Contextual value added
Contextual value added is a statistic used by the government of the United Kingdom to assess the performance of schools.The statistic is intended to show the progress children have made whilst attending a particular school...
score of 1,102. This was the highest score achieved by any school nationwide.
d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form is described by the Good Schools Guide as 'quite possibly the leading independent sixth form in the UK'
Entry
The Sixth Form is selective, and entry is typically by application, reference and interview. Entry requires at least 8 GCSEs at grade A* to C, normally including Maths and English, or equivalent. A number of Sixth Form scholarships and awards are available, including:- Academic scholarships
- Science scholarships
- Performing arts scholarships
- Art scholarships
- Environmental awareness scholarships
- Enterprise award
d'Overbroeck's also offers a number of bursaries (which, unlike scholarships, are means-related) and an Access Award for students of outstanding academic ability who wish to move from the state sector into independent education.
Curriculum
Students at the Sixth Form study A levels, choosing their subjects from a list of nearly 40. Because these are not organised in option blocks, practically any combination of subjects is possible. The full list of A level subjects currently available is as follows:Accounting
Ancient History
Art
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Chinese
Classical Civilisation
Classical Greek
Communication & Culture
Computing
Drama/Theatre Studies
Economics
English
Film Studies
French
Further Mathematics
Geography
German
History
History of Art
Italian
Japanese
Latin
Mathematics
Music
Music Technology
Philosophy
Photography
Physical Education (PE)
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian
Sociology
Spanish
d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form was one of the first schools to introduce the AQA Baccalaureate
AQA Baccalaureate
The AQA Baccalaureate is a British educational qualification launched in April 2009 by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, or AQA, to be studied in Years 12 and 13. The innovative qualification includes the existing A and AS Levels as part of the assessment, as well as mandatory enrichment...
, a qualification that supplements A/AS level study. Students choosing to study the AQA Baccalaureate do so in addition to their normal A levels, and will also
- complete an extended project
- participate in an enrichment programme to encourage and recognise out-of-classroom achievement
- take an examined AS level in Critical Thinking
The AQA Baccalaureate has proved popular amongst students, with 25% of Lower Sixth choosing to take the qualification in 2010.
Pastoral system
Pastoral care and academic monitoring at the Sixth Form are carried out by a system of Directors of Studies. Each student is supervised by a Director of Studies - one of a team of senior staff. Each Director of Studies supervises a small number of students for whom they have pastoral and academic responsibility. In many cases a student will also be taught by their Director of Studies.A student will meet his or her Director of Studies regularly, one to one, to discuss pastoral and academic matters. The Director of Studies also
- helps students individually with all aspects of university application
- coordinates students' study programmes
- liaises with students' subject teachers to maintain an ongoing overview of progress
Outcomes
The vast majority of Sixth Form students go on to study at UK universities. Top university destinations from 2007-2009 were:- 1 University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
- 2 Oxford Brookes UniversityOxford Brookes UniversityOxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
- 3 University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
- 4 University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
- 5 Cambridge University
- 5 University of EdinburghUniversity of EdinburghThe University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
- 5 Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
- 5 London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
- 9 University of YorkUniversity of YorkThe University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
- 10 King's College LondonKing's College LondonKing's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
Leckford Place (11-16)
Leckford Place is located in Leckford Road, Oxford. Its main entry points are at 11+ (Year 7) and 13+ (Year 9). Unlike the other two sections of the College, Leckford Place is for day students only.Of the three sections, Leckford Place was the most recently opened. It took its first students in September 2005, since which time student numbers have grown steadily.
Students
As is the case throughout d'Overbroeck's College, Leckford Place is coeducational. The vast majority of students at Leckford Place are UK students local to Oxford, in keeping with its day schoolDay school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
status. Student numbers are around 150.
Leckford Place is a selective school
Selective school
A selective school is a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic. The term may have different connotations in different systems....
, with entry by assessment. A number of scholarships are available at 11 and 13, including academic, art and performing arts scholarships. Academic results are strong, with 41% A/A* grades at GCSE in 2010.
Curriculum
Subjects taught at Leckford Place include:Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
Geography
Religious Studies
French
Spanish
German
Art
Classical Civilisation
Drama
ICT
Latin
Music
PE
PD (Personal Development)
The school day is from 8.45am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (there is no Saturday school). Each day consists of 10 periods of 35 minutes each.
Results and accolades
In 2010, 41% of GCSE grades were A/A* (69% A* to B), and 100% of students gained five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C.The Good Schools Guide
The Good Schools Guide
The Good Schools Guide is a guide to British schools .- Overview :The guide is compiled by a team of editors, which according to the official website "comprises some 50 editors, writers, researchers and contributors; mostly parents but some former headteachers." The website states that it is...
commends 'teachers [who] make good use of state-of-the-art facilities and vibrant teaching methods', 'clever design, superb use of space', 'modern and extremely well equipped [science labs]' and 'value added features in spades', declaring, 'have yet to meet a dissatisfied parent'
The International Study Centre
The International Study Centre (hereafter referred to as ISC) is located on St Giles, close to the centre of Oxford. The ISC takes international students aged 15+, and is therefore a boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
.
Students at the ISC will study the College's GCSE Programme, designed specifically for international students as a preparation to study A levels or the International Baccalaureate at a British school.
Students
The ISC takes around 40 students each year, with a broad mix of nationalities. As is the case throughout d'Overbroeck's College, the ISC is coeducational.Students are required to have at least a Lower intermediate (B1) level of English language for entry into the ISC.
Results and accolades
In the ISC's most recent British CouncilBritish Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
inspection, it was awarded points of excellence in six separate areas:
- Teaching
- Pastoral care
- Learner training
- Leisure programme
- Aspects of course design
- Aspects of administration of students
No other UK international study centre scored more points of excellence, according to a summary of organisations' results published in the EL Gazette
The GCSE Programme
The GCSE Programme at the ISC is a 1-2 year course in which students study a range of GCSE subjects and take examinations at the end of the course. Alongside their academic studies, students receive expert tuition in English.GCSE subjects available on the programme include:
English
Maths
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Combined Science
History
Art
French
Geography
Business Studies
Citizenship
Project Award
Own language
Students are grouped according to ability, and the programme is designed to be flexible enough to fit with students' various aptitudes and aims.
Extracurricular activities
The ISC aims to furnish students with a knowledge and appreciation of British culture. To this end, students go on numerous trips to cultural and historical locations, in Oxford and elsewhere in the UK.All students take part in an annual pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
, typically performed in a professional theatre.
Students also have regular sports/activities sessions.
Outcomes
By the end of the GCSE Programme, students are equipped with academic credentials and English language skills to ensure success at A level. The majority of students on the GCSE Programme go on to study at the d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form. Others have gained places at other UK boarding schools.Accreditation
d'Overbroeck's College is affiliated to the Independent Schools CouncilIndependent Schools Council
The Independent Schools Council is a non-profit organisation that represents 1,234 schools in the United Kingdom's independent education sector...
(ISC) and in membership of both the Independent Schools Association
Independent Schools Association
The Independent Schools Association is a grouping of schools primarily based in Sydney, Australia, for the purposes of sporting competitions.Members of the ISA often compete with members of the Great Public Schools and Combined Associated Schools in trial and representative fixtures.Of NSW's 130...
(ISA) and the Society of Heads of Independent Schools (SHMIS).
The International Study Centre is Accredited by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
as an international study centre, and is a member of the British Association of International Study Centres (BAISC).