oxbridge biology personal statement

How to Write a Biology Personal Statement Worthy of Oxbridge!

By U2 Tutor, Holly (Cambridge Biological Natural Sciences graduate and current Graduate Medic at St George’s Hospital Medical School)

Writing a personal statement can be overwhelming - there’s so much pressure to ‘sell yourself’ to the universities in just 4000 characters. In this blog we’ll discuss how to structure your personal statement, as well as tips to simplify the writing process and make your personal statement stand out.

How to Structure your Biology Personal Statement

Paragraph 1: This should be motivation focused i.e. why you want to do Biology above any other course.

Paragraph 2: This should demonstrate your aptitude for the course - explore what you have done so far and the skills you’ve gained from it, in order to show that you’re suited to university learning.

Paragraph 3: This should be a continuation of paragraph 2, ideally discussing some other areas of biology or other skills.

Paragraph 4: Brief discussion of extra-curriculars, but only if they also demonstrate skills which suit you to the course.

Writing the Perfect Biology Personal Statement Introduction

If you take anything from this guide, it’s to avoid clichés! The most important thing you can do is convey your genuine interest in the subject, and saying you’ve wanted to do biology since you were a child isn’t the way to do this (even if it is the case). Equally, try not to exaggerate with your wording, as this can also come across as less authentic. Just try and explain your motivations clearly and honestly, and focus on showing this motivation through your experiences and beyond syllabus knowledge.

Writing the opening sentence can be the hardest part, so is often best left until the end . There’s a misconception that you have to write a captivating, attention-grabbing opening sentence - this isn’t the case, especially not for the sciences! It’s completely fine to start simply, such as with ‘I was first drawn to Biology when I studied x…’ and go from there. Remember you have a character limit, so it’s best to just go straight in!

Forming a First Draft of Your Personal Statement

Don’t put pressure on yourself to write a full draft on your first attempt. There will be lots of redrafting and restructuring and that’s okay! Give yourself plenty of time to allow for this.

The best way to start is to write down everything you want to include in your personal statement - include everything you can think of from an academic and extra-curricular perspective. Try not to include anything beyond the last few years, as this is unlikely to be relevant . For each point, determine what skills you gained from these experiences and what you learnt from them .

Then compare this to the skills/ qualities most sought after for the courses you’re applying to (this is likely to be very similar between universities). Whilst it can seem overwhelming at first, it’s a quick way of narrowing down what is worth including in your personal statement. From there you can work out how to elaborate on these experiences. Try to group them together in themes if possible, so that you can organise your paragraphs accordingly.

Ideas to Show Your Interest

You might be thinking that your list of things to include in your personal statement is going to be rather short - you hopefully have plenty of time to rectify that! If you’ve not yet had a chance, it’s important to explore Biology in more depth - this is to distinguish you from your classmates doing the same subjects. Remember the universities will also see your grades through UCAS, so you’re wasting some of the precious word count by mentioning these. Instead, you need to discuss co-curriculars - evidence that you’ve explored the subject and have a genuine interest. Try and find 2-3 broad areas of Biology that you’re interested in and ideally match with some of the modules offered as part of the courses you’re applying to . There are plenty of ways you can do this…

Books - these have been divided into some broad topics within some of the popular Biology courses:

Biomedical:

Do No Harm - Henry Marsh

Fragile Lives - Stephen Westaby

The Body: A Guide for Occupants - Bill Bryson

The Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins,

The Epigenetics Revolution - Nessa Carey

Genome - Matt Ridley

Psychology:

Any of Oliver Sacks books, particularly The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat or Awakenings

The Psychopath Test - Jon Ronson

On the Origin of Species - Charles Darwin

Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari

Epigenetics: The Wisdom of Whores - Elizabeth Pisani

Cognitive sciences: Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow

Essay competitions

There are yearly competitions hosted by Minds Underground to allow you to explore topics you might not have encountered before.

Many Oxbridge colleges also run their own essay competitions , as well as biological societies e.g. Royal Society of Biology and British Society for Cell Biology . Essay competitions are particularly relevant to Oxbridge applications as supervisions often require you to write similar essays.

Biology Work Experience

It can be useful to get work experience, such as in a lab, but don’t feel like this is an essential - universities understand it can be very difficult to find, especially in the post-covid era. If you do have experience, be careful not to just list what you did during work experience. Focus on the skills you gained, and how you could use these at university e.g. familiarity with different lab-based techniques.

Research Projects (Minds Underground)

Similar to Extended Projects offered by some schools, you could write your own research project exploring a topic of your choice. It can be difficult to decide on a title - it might be easier to use your A-level content as a springboard, and design a project to investigate something you’ve learnt about. For example, you could design a literature review to analyse existing research on a topic, in order to identify gaps in current research and inform future research opportunities. You could also design your own experiment (although there obviously limits to this!) such as investigating conditions needed by different plants.

Minds Underground can guide you through this with a Biology expert… https://www.mindsunderground.com/work-research-experience

Biology Summer School (Minds Underground)

Summer schools can be an exciting way to get a taster of a variety of different university level biology subjects, from genetic engineering and cancer therapies to ecology and behaviour. Minds Underground hosts an amazing Biology summer school run by Oxbridge graduates, allowing you to broaden your knowledge of Biology whilst gaining useful personal statement and interview material.

Talks and podcasts

Online lectures can also give you a taste of university courses - these are widely available from universities and sites such as Ted Talks . Podcasts are increasingly popular, and are an easy way to keep up to date with current development in Biology. We recommend The Infinite Monkey Cage (less Biology specific, but very interesting!) and Radiolab .

Extra-curriculars

In the past there’s been a focus on the ‘all rounder’: someone who is academic, musical and sporty. This is not really the case any more, and so extracurriculars shouldn’t take up a significant proportion of your personal statement. The purpose of mentioning these should be to show what skills you’ve gained, and how you could apply these to your course or university life. For example, your weekly football match could have helped develop your team working skills and communication skills, something which is essential in a lab environment. Equally, it could allow you to switch off for a few hours and maintain your high work ethic - this is just as important, as universities (particularly high achieving ones) increasingly want to see that you can maintain a work-life balance.

Applying to Oxford for Biology? Here’s What You Should Also Do

To craft a standout personal statement for Oxford Biological Sciences specifically, it can be helpful to gear your personal statement to specific qualities and details that the university values. Here are some tips to enhance your Biology personal statement with an application for Oxford in mind:

1. Demonstrate Academic Rigour:

Highlight your passion for biology through academic achievements, relevant coursework, and independent research.

Discuss specific topics or scientific concepts that have captivated your interest and showcase your understanding of advanced material. You could have a look through the 1st year Oxford Biology modules and see if anything you have explored links to material you may cover at the university.

2. Emphasise Independent Thinking:

Discuss instances where you've independently pursued scientific inquiry or engaged in co-curricular activities related to biology.

Oxford values students who can think critically and contribute to discussions, so emphasise your ability to approach problems independently.

3. Reflect on Your Reading:

As detailed above, mention books, articles, or research papers that have influenced your understanding of biology. However, don’t just list them - make sure you give your independent analysis and opinion on everything you have included in your personal statement.

Oxford is known for its tutorial system, and demonstrating that you've engaged with challenging material beyond the standard curriculum can set you apart.

4. Discuss Your Practical Skills:

Describe any laboratory work, experiments, or field studies you've been involved in.

Showcasing hands-on experience is crucial, as it aligns with Oxford's emphasis on practical learning.

5. Showcase Interdisciplinary Interests:

Oxford appreciates interdisciplinary approaches. If your interest in biology connects with other disciplines, explain how and why.

Mention any relevant projects or coursework that spans multiple scientific domains.

6. Make It Personal and Reflective:

Share personal anecdotes or experiences that sparked your interest in biology.

Reflect on how your unique background or experiences contribute to your perspective as a future biologist.

7. Highlight Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving:

Illustrate instances where you've had to think critically, solve problems, or overcome challenges.

Oxford seeks students who can navigate complex issues and contribute meaningfully to academic discussions.

8. Address Your Motivation for Oxford:

Clearly articulate why you want to study biology at Oxford specifically, without mentioning the university explicitly as the personal statement also needs to be relevant to your other university choices.

Discuss the aspects of the Oxford programme (again, without mentioning the university explicitly) that appeal to you and how it aligns with your long-term goals.

9. Prepare for Interview Discussion:

Anticipate questions that might arise from your personal statement and be ready to discuss your ideas in-depth.

Consider how your experiences and perspectives can contribute to academic discussions at Oxford.

A standout personal statement for Oxford is not just a list of achievements but a narrative that demonstrates intellectual curiosity, a passion for biology, and the potential to thrive in Oxford's academic environment. View the personal statement as a springboard for engaging discussions during interviews!

Biological Science Personal Statement Example

Siddhartha Mukherjee's "The Gene: An Intimate History" ignited a profound curiosity in the intricate tapestry of genetic inheritance and molecular mechanisms. Mukherjee's narrative skilfully brought to life the historical context and societal impact of genetics, serving as a catalyst that fuelled my exploration into the foundational works of molecular biology. Inspired by Mukherjee's narrative, I expanded my exploration of genetics through literature, delving into Carl Zimmer's "She Has Her Mother's Laugh." This broadened my perspective on the broader implications of genetic inheritance, touching on topics from heredity and evolution to the societal impact of genetic discoveries. Zimmer's adept blend of scientific rigour and accessible storytelling not only deepened my understanding of genetics but also prompted me to critically analyse the ethical implications of manipulating genetic information, shaping my conviction to approach the rapidly advancing field of genetics with a thoughtful consideration of its societal ramifications. In delving into Watson and Crick's seminal paper on the structure of DNA, I also found myself captivated by the meticulous unravelling of the double helix. This exploration propelled me beyond textbook learning into an understanding of the molecular foundations that govern life. This foundational knowledge took on practical significance as I engaged in a genetic engineering project that utilised CRISPR-Cas9 technology to manipulate bacterial DNA. . This hands-on experience not only solidified my laboratory skills but also deepened my appreciation for the practical implications of gene editing, fueling my commitment to ethical scientific practices. I learn about the delicate balance between scientific innovation and responsible ethical practices, shaping my perspective on the potential impacts of cutting-edge technologies in the biological sciences. This awareness was further honed during a summer school class dedicated to the revolutionary CRISPR technology. Here, I explored the nuances of gene editing's potential applications, ethical implications, and the ongoing discourse in the scientific community. This exploration sparked a particular interest in the potential application of CRISPR technology for targeted gene therapy, a revolutionary avenue with transformative implications for treating genetic disorders at the molecular level. This newfound fascination with gene therapy, particularly in the context of CRISPR technology, has propelled my desire to contribute to the evolving landscape of biomedical research and therapeutic interventions, further solidifying my commitment to exploring the intersection of cutting-edge science and ethical considerations. My interest in biology extended beyond the microscopic realm into the intricate interplay of species within ecological systems. I recently watched an online lecture on ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity, which delved into the relationships that shape ecosystems. This exploration found resonance in a podcast episode titled "Ecology in Action," where real-world ecological projects illuminated the practical applications of ecological principles I had studied. I am particularly interested in the study of symbiotic relationships in ecosystems, exploring how mutualistic interactions between species contribute to the resilience and sustainability of ecological communities—a concept that I find particularly fascinating for its broader implications in conservation biology and ecosystem management. Each aspect of my exploration into the world of biology has added a layer to my understanding, creating a solid foundation for further academic pursuits and a future dedicated to advancing the frontiers of biological knowledge.

Looking for a Personal Statement Tutor or Support For Your Wider Biology or Biological Natural Sciences Application?

Biology personal statement support.

U2’s Oxbridge-educated mentors have a close insight into what admissions tutors like to see in a Biology personal statement, and can help students to convey their skills, motivations, and long term goals, in order to stand out from other applicants. The statement should be the candidates own work, but our mentors will provide direction and guide you through the process of content building and writing. We offer offline drafting as well as tuition sessions.

Oxbridge Biology Tuition

We offer Oxbridge Mentoring for students looking for support throughout the application process (book a free consultation to discuss options). We have a large team of Oxford Biology and Cambridge Biological Natural Sciences tutors including 1st Class, Master’s and PhD level graduates.

The Process:

1) We suggest an Oxbridge-educated Biology tutor and send their full CV for review. Our mentors are deeply familiar with the admissions process to study Biology at Oxford and Cambridge Biological Natural Sciences, and are well-placed to guide you through Biology personal statement curation and the interview process. We may suggest a range of application tutors to choose from with slightly differing rates depending on qualifications and level of experience.

2) We typically suggest beginning with a 1.5 hour diagnostic session , where the tutor will informally assess the student’s current performance level for application. Following this, we issue a report with feedback, and structure a plan to best prepare.

3) U2’s approach for regular Biology application sessions: The main focus of tutorial sessions will be to explore material that can be discussed in the personal statement and at interview - this may sometimes stretch from A-Level standard to First Year Undergraduate. Mentors ensure each student refines their interests within Biology, and is exposed to a range of key concepts and topics.

Frequency of sessions can be decided between student and tutor. Students can take either ad hoc sessions, or we structure a full programme for preparation, which may include further co-curricular opportunities such as our research projects , Biology Summer School and Oxbridge mock interview days . Honing the skills necessary to succeed for Oxbridge ideally requires long-term preparation and mentoring presents a wonderful opportunity to learn from some of the very best Oxbridge has produced.

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Medicine Personal Statement Inspiration – Duranka (Oxford)

Home » Application Guide » Medicine Personal Statement Inspiration – Duranka (Oxford)

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This is part of a series of blog posts wherein members of the 6med team attach and comment on their own medicine personal statements. Duranka (instructor at   UCAT Crash Course ) applied to Oxford, Imperial, KCL and Barts, and received offers from Imperial, KCL and Barts. 

Please be aware that these examples are meant purely for the sake of inspiration, and should absolutely NOT be used as a model around which to base your own personal statement. UCAS have a rather strict system that detects plagiarism .

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Medicine Personal Statement Analysis

Discovery in its many guises has always been important to me and has strongly driven my actions. From reading “Sherlock Holmes” through to the history of cancer treatment in Siddhartha Mukherjee’s “Emperor of all Maladies”, I have become inspired to do some discovering of my own. It is therefore my firm belief that studying medicine would be extremely fulfilling for me, as its intrinsic dynamism will challenge the boundaries of my learning, application and empathy so I can help those whom sickness has made most vulnerable to the best of my ability.

“It’s useful to start your personal statement with your primary motivation for doing medicine. It allows you to introduce your character in a way that can be developed through the various other things you mention later on. The name-dropping of famous and well-regarded books is good too (so long as you’re prepared to be asked about them).”

My interest in the subject has developed largely in the last four years as I studied English, Biology and Chemistry. With English, analysing poems and novels has helped me understand how abstract ideas are created and come together. This helped when I critiqued “ADHD at your Fingertips”, an advice booklet for teenagers with the condition, prior to its national publication. It has also allowed me to add more depth to my personal work, fulfilling my childhood love of creative writing; as of now I am currently 40,000 words into my first novel. Biology, Chemistry and my reading Frank Ryan’s “Virolution” have also refined my understanding of the fundamental construction of the body and disease, even down to the atomic level for Polio. Having enjoyed these major constituents of the human engine, I thought it would only be logical to continue learning about its malfunctions in greater depth by reading medicine at University.

“As it happens, that novel was eventually consigned to the Recycling Bin, but the point of this paragraph is to simply relate the subjects you do at A-Level to your broader thinking. Though a lot of medicine depends on memorising things, the endgame is being able to practically apply what you’ve learned. Showing you’re already doing this, relating your experiences in A-Level subjects to specific hobbies and your extra reading, makes you look way more mature than the average applicant.”

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In addition, volunteering for two weeks at a special school and at a centre for disabled adults weekly for a year has helped me see how handicapped people could lead normal lives, thanks in no small part to their dedicated support staff. Also, as a St. John Ambulance cadet of three years, I have had a basic introduction to frontline treatment from my community duties. I believe the aim of medicine is to raise people, if possible, to a state of both physical and mental wellbeing; participating in teaching and treating people has encouraged me to believe that, as a doctor, I could fulfil my desire to do this on a wider scale.

“You don’t need to mention specific names of places. That’s a waste of time. What’s more important is how long you did each thing. Medicine requires dedication, and the people in charge of applications want to see that quality in you. The second thing to notice is how I show how my experiences furthered my desire to do medicine. A lot of people tend to list the things they did to try and look good. The advice I got while writing my statement was, quite simply, “Please don’t.”  You’re selling yourself, not what you did, so always try and relate the ‘what’ to the ‘why’.”

Of equal value to me were the discussions with my friend about the science and ethics of her ongoing struggle with Fowler’s Syndrome, visiting topics from hospital politics to misdiagnosis while also testing my scientific inquisition and understanding of patient experience. This and my volunteering convinced me to take up placements at Southend Hospital to see how the doctors put medicine into practice. Their job both endeared and devastated. Watching clinical trials in Rheumatology research, it was amazing seeing doctors deal with complex new theory and yet still pass it on to their patients’ maximum satisfaction. However, when I met a war veteran with metastatic rectal cancer, I was truly humbled by his calm acceptance of death and gratitude towards the doctors who made it bearable. This was my first sight of the job’s emotionally difficult side, but having met such a character, I’m more determined than ever to study medicine and hopefully make a difference in the lives of people like him.

“Here I just talk about more medically specific experiences. It’s worth saying that each new thing you mention acts as a signpost that the interviewers can pick up on. Most of the time, they’ll just ask you generally about what you did and what you saw, but Oxbridge in particular is very, very anal about the details. If you mention a specific disease, be sure that you’re comfortable answering any questions about it including symptoms, diagnosis (how/when etc) and basic biology.”

My studies have also been deeply enriched by my extracurricular pursuits. Aside from playing tennis weekly for my local club, I have passions for music, drama and public speaking that allow me to express my personality. These, in addition to my civic duties as a prefect, have led me to contribute heavily to my school’s wider life. Having given several assemblies, I have become more confident and at ease in front of strangers, and by directing a production of “Frost/Nixon” as well as a group of amateur Year 8s to House Drama victory, I learned the value of motivation, leadership and teamwork for both others and myself, especially under pressure. After six years, I have also come to lead the school Sinfonia on the First Violin and have sung jazz at several charity events.

“Standard extracurricular activities section. As has been a running theme in this commentary, try and link back to medicine, especially in terms of the buzzword skills you learn. Be sure to list things you actually care about though. You get people who proudly claim to be on the netball team…when they played netball once after school. Don’t be those people.”

I look forward intently to the challenges of studying medicine at University and beyond.

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Hard Science Personal Statement

It’s that time of year again, and you’re hopefully looking at a set of AS Level results capable of propelling towards a possible Oxbridge place. Now it’s time to start your Personal Statement to show the universities how strong a candidate you are, and that you’re not just a string of exam results. 

The aim of a Personal Statement is to show your desire to study the subject you’ve chosen, and everything included should be relevant to this. For example, there is no point including a Biology book you’ve read if you’re applying for Engineering.

For your first draft, include everything and don’t worry about the limit. It’s much easier to cut things out than add filler.

Also, get different people to read it. You want it to be relevant and interesting, which can be a difficult combination (please hold comments about this blog).

In this entry I will attempt to break the Personal Statement down.

Introduction

The introduction should sum up why you want to study your subject. This doesn’t need to be longer than two or three sentences. So perhaps keep that meaningful Neil deGrasse Tyson quotation for a post on social media.

Along with random quotations, avoid the classic clichés “For as long as I can remember” and “Since I was a child”. Neither adds much to your statement, both use up space, and neither makes you stand out. 

Keep it short, keep it simple. Write your introduction after you’ve completed a first draft of everything else. This will stop you writing a lengthy paragraph as you’ll be able to see how tight on space you are.

This is where you really show your strengths as a candidate. Finalist for a design project? Wrote a prize-winning essay about cell division? Do you have a relevant work experience? Include it all here. Start with your most recent or your most relevant item and try to keep it focused on yourself.

For example, if you have a relevant work experience, state your role and not the company’s. If you were part of a team, don’t say “the team did … and I did ….” just say “I did ….”.

1)      What?

2)      Where?

3)      How did your actions help/affect the company/team (positive)?

4)      Whether this linked to another relevant work experience or project.

For Oxbridge (but relevant to all), number 3 is the most important. They want to see if you are a problem solver, and can think for yourself.

When applying for hard science subjects, you want to avoid just listing relevant books. Instead, say what book you have read, what areas you found interesting, and how it affected you (did a chemistry chapter make you perform an experiment?). There isn’t really a prescribed reading list, so rather than asking what to read, pick what you find interesting. This may be one chapter of a book rather than the whole thing, or even online project blogs from engineering websites.

Just make sure you say why you found it interesting, and what it led to.

Given that you may be asked about what you’ve written in an interview, do not claim to have knowledge that you do not have. Make sure you’ve read a book you claim to have read – you may have the author interviewing you. If you also include that you are passionate about airplanes, make sure you know how a wing generates lift.

There is no need for a proper conclusion paragraph in your Personal Statement and it can just end after you’ve gone through your relevant experience, projects etc. However, if you are involved in extra-curricular activities that aren’t directly related to your subject (captain of a football team, netball coach etc.) this is where you should include it.

Having a short paragraph to show that you’re a rounded person is a nice way to end a focused Personal Statement.

There is a warning with this however: do not waste characters . It will not help your chances of entry if you describe in detail your path to the 2014 national badminton final by beating the county favourites in the second round.

The important point to remember here is to keep it relevant . It’s surprising how quickly those 4000 characters are used (for reference, this blog entry has used 4238).

Click here  to read what  Oxbridge Applications’  former Head of Programmes, Rebecca Williams, had to say about common mistakes in Personal Statements in her interview with The Telegraph. 

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Home › Study Tips › 11 Tips to Improve Your Research Skills for Academic Success

11 Tips to Improve Your Research Skills for Academic Success

• Published May 24, 2024

Table of Contents

Strong research skills are a must-have skill for academic success. Why are research skills important?

They’re essential for academic success. You need them for all term papers, research reports, and assignments. These skills also help to deepen your understanding of all the topics in your curriculum. 

By design, research questions are not answerable by simple Google searches. They require planning, hypothesis evaluation, data or information analysis, critical thinking, information synthesis, logical and well-thought-out presentation, and more.

With these skills, you can produce credible, logical, accurate, and plagiarism-free research efficiently and promptly. 

Moreover, being a skilled researcher is not only necessary for academic success. It is a lifelong competency that would remain helpful in your future career and personal life. 

Some tips you can adopt to improve your research skills include understanding the research process, using library resources, effectively searching the internet, adopting proper citation and referencing, developing your analytical skills, managing time efficiently, utilising academic support services, enhancing your note-taking capabilities, using primary sources only, and avoiding confirmation bias. 

Below, we examine these strategies to help you improve your research skills. 

1. Always Create a Research Strategy Document

Think of strategy as a roadmap highlighting how you want to attack the research problem. We believe creating a strategy before diving knee-deep into research provides clarity and saves you time.

Some of the constituents of the strategy document include:

• Research goals
• Research deadline
• Rewriting the research problem the way you understand it, in your own words and simple terms. Then, translate the research problem into a research question. “HR managers are struggling to attract and keep top talent with top talent spending an average of 6 months in each role” is an example of a research problem, while “What strategies and techniques can HR managers adopt to better attract and retain top talents?” is an example of a research question.  
• Outline the major outcomes the research must fulfil. For example, “The research must provide a nexus between company actions and top talent loyalty, in addition to providing actionable tips for HR managers.”  
• Identify the type of research you’re doing. There are three categories of research: basic vs applied, exploratory vs explanatory, and inductive vs deductive research. 
• Findings from preliminary research. We recommend quick preliminary research to see the resources, including scholarly knowledge, readily available in the public domain. This step can help identify a new angle to pursue your research from or drop if you reckon other researchers and authors have adequately dealt with the question, preventing you from wasting time and resources on research that adds no additional value to the body of existing knowledge. 

2. Understand the Research Process

The research process consists of six major stages, including topic selection, literature evaluation, refining the research topic, relevant information gathering (could also include sampling and recruitment, depending on the topic or research focus), data analysis, and knitting everything together. 

Topic Selection

Sometimes, your tutor may provide the research topic. However, you’ll likely need to work with your supervisor to choose a topic for your thesis and undergrad projects. 

For your choice of research topic, it’s imperative to think of your current interests and future ambitions. 

Beyond top grades, your undergrad research may serve as evidence of your interest in a particular area and be helpful for future academic and career progression. 

Every research topic or question starts from a broad problem statement, which you can then fine-tune after exploring the existing body of knowledge in that field. 

Overall, a great topic has the following characteristics:

• Focused on a single issue. However, you may subdivide the issue into several interconnected but related problem statements.
• Researchable with credible sources. For example, requiring proprietary data that is not readily available may seriously hamper your success. 
• Feasible and specific. Additionally, ensure that you have adequate time and resources to complete the study before the due date. 
• Avoids value judgement questions like “Is vitamin D better than magnesium in treating bone issues?”
• Not close-ended such that the answer is a simple yes or no. The lack of clear answers provides room for robust investigation and is where your arguments shine. 
• The answer to your question should not be readily available. It must require rigorous work and iterative problem-solving to complete. 
• The topic must be original and address a relevant industry or niche problem. Originality doesn’t mean other researchers haven’t attempted something similar but that you’re presenting a new angle. 

Literature Review

The goals of conducting the literature review include:

• To ensure other researchers haven’t answered the research question before and that the study will contribute significant value to the existing body of knowledge.
• To identify gaps in existing works and determine how your project will fill that gap. In essence, the research must considerably add to existing knowledge or improve on earlier methodologies. Without meeting these standards, most research journals will not accept your work. 
• The third goal is to help you evaluate the research methods, research design, data sources, and key concepts other researchers adopted for their work. 

A literature review is a lot of work and requires scouring through numerous academic journals, books, and online publications. 

You can leverage AI tools like Elicit AI, Research Rabbit, Semantic Scholar, and Connected Papers to find papers, summarise studies, conduct citation-based mapping, find similar research papers, and more. 

Refine Research Topic

Armed with more information, context, potential data sources, availability of reliable and credible data, and the scope of work required from your literature review, you often need to refine your topic. 

For example, your research question may be too narrow if you find very few credible papers and books on the subject. Your research topic could also be suffering from being too broad. 

You can finetune a broad project topic by asking the why, what, who, where, and when questions. 

Which group of people are you targeting for the research? What geographic location would the study be limited to? Why do you think the research is relevant? What period would you limit the research to?

For example, “What will be the impact of climate change in the United Kingdom?” is quite broad. What kind of impact are we talking about? Economic? Migration? Health? 

A more specific variant of the question would be: “How will climate change affect net migration between the UK coastline and major cities in the next 20 years?” 

Data Gathering

Collecting data is the heart of the research process. This step allows you to gather variables essential for reaching conclusions. Depending on your research question, these variables can either be qualitative (non-numerical) or quantitative (numerical). 

You may gather data through one or more of the following methods:

Surveys are a series of questions used to extract specific data from a sample of the target population. When running surveys, you should take note of the following:

• Sample size: Ensure the number of participants adequately represents the population. 
• Bias: Ensure the questions do not tilt respondents in a particular direction or the sampling is not based on subjective measures. For example, assuming the age of shoppers who walk into a store can lead to bias. 
• Ambiguity and clarity: Avoid ambiguous questions that are prone to personal interpretation. “Do you drink plenty of alcohol during the week?” is subjective because the answer depends on who you ask. 
• Resource management: The larger the sample size, the more expensive and time-consuming the survey process is. 

Experiments

Experiments will be your go-to research method if you’re in any natural and physical sciences programme. It’s easier to establish a cause-and-effect relationship with experiments than with surveys. 

A typical example of an experiment involves splitting test subjects into a control and an experimental group. The researchers then give the latter group a medicine, drug, or treatment or subject them to changes. 

The researchers then evaluate the two groups for a specific variable. If the variable varies significantly, then suffice it to say that the changes made to the experimental group are responsible for the significant differences in the observed variable. 

Observational Studies

Observational studies are more popular in social sciences for obvious reasons. They involve going to the field to observe the attitudes and behaviours of a specific group in the natural habitat. 

Observational studies may either be participant observation or nonparticipant observation. The former involves the researcher staying in the same habit as the group they’re observing, while the latter is the reverse. 

Participant observation may influence how the target population acts. So, it’s imperative to conduct the study such that your presence is not disruptive to the data collection process. 

Existing Data

In every sector or industry, there’s existing data that can help with your research. Need economic activity data on the UK? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is perhaps the most credible primary source on the subject matter. 

What about data on the UK environment? The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs data services platform (DSP) is your best bet. 

Beyond facts and figures, court records, medical records (without personally identifiable information), and police interview tapes can also be excellent sources of information. 

Data Analysis

You have gathered all the data you need to answer your research question. Now, this is where you begin to look for clues, determine relationships between variables, establish trends, find patterns, and more. 

For numerical variables, you’ll need complex statistical techniques to extract insights from the data. Tools like Statistical Analysis System (SAS), R, Python, MS Excel, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) can help with quantitative data analysis. 

Some tools can help with most qualitative methodological techniques. Examples of these tools include nVivo and ATLAS.ti. It’s imperative to note that while these tools are helpful, you’ll need to put on your sound critical thinking cap to ensure your analysis is accurate. 

Result Discussion

The data analysis above will provide evidence to prove or disprove your hypothesis or question. The discussion section helps you convey these results in a deeper conversation. 

What results do you have? What are the implications of such results? How relevant are the results from both a statistical point of view and practical applications? 

These and many more questions are the answers this section should provide. Furthermore, share the limitations of your research and potential avenues for further exploration. 

If there’s any additional tip we would leave you with here is to stay with the facts and provide your findings in context with previous studies. Doing this strengthens your argument and makes your research more credible and citable. 

3. Use Library Resources

Librarians curate only authoritative and credible sources. These sources include books, journals, and databases. 

Another benefit of using library resources is that they are organised, making it easy for you to find the resources you need. 

As a college student, you should never pay out of pocket for any resource. Your school library probably already provides access to that resource. If not, you can make a request, and it’ll most likely be granted. 

So, what kind of resources are available?

• A searchable library catalogue tool, basically a search engine for academic sources
• Access to third-party databases
• Extensive collection of e-books
• Access to conference papers, newspaper articles, and other credible publications
• Subject Librarian to help you with resources not in the library catalogue
• Reference management tools and resources on how to use them

Tips to Search Databases

• Use the truncation symbol (*) and the wildcard symbol (?) to broaden your search to ensure you do not miss out on relevant results due to spelling or plural versions. For example, “agricultur*” will provide search results that include the following words: agriculture, agricultural, and agriculturalist. “Lab?r” will search for resources with both “labor” and “labour” in them. 
• Use boolean operators. We discuss this extensively below. The same principles apply here. 
• Use inverted commas to search for a specific phrase together. We also explain this below. 
• Leverage proximity search: This tells the database to return results that have words within certain distances from each other. For example, typing “labour same union” on Web of Science returns publications with “labour” and “union” in the same sentence. Typing “labour union ~4” on JSTOR retrieves records where “labour” and “union” are only separated by four words. 
• Combine the methods above to create more sophisticated search queries.

4. Effective Internet Research

The internet is a treasure trove of information and resources. That said, you must be cautious of every page on the internet, especially in the age of AI content. 

Every source for a research project must be up-to-date, factual, unbiased, and from a credible source. True story: we’ve seen students quote data from satirical publications. 

Moreover, most pages on the internet don’t go through a review process and may be rife with misinformation. 

Just because a page appears on number one of your search results doesn’t make it a great resource. The article author or publisher may just be great at search engine optimization. 

Assessing a Website’s Credibility and Accuracy

Many people create websites to make money. While some provide some measure of value, others simply do not care. 

Moreover, some of these websites may present information from the owner or author’s bias. For the most part, it’s best to stick with non-academic resources provided by government agencies and reputable organisations. 

You can evaluate a website’s credibility by examining:

• The About Us page: Who or which group owns the website? What are their goals?
• The author bio: Who’s the author, and what’s their qualification and experience to authoritatively speak on the subject? You may do further Google and social media (LinkedIn in particular) investigations to assess the author’s qualifications. 
• Domain ownership: Use whois.net to track who owns a website. This information may or may not be available. 
• Articles dates and recency: Avoid undated websites and articles using dated facts to draw recent conclusions.  

Internet Search Techniques

Here are a few techniques to help you find relevant pages that answer your search queries. 

Use Inverted Commas

Search engines will treat each word in your search query as individual keywords without inverted commas. 

So, you may get web pages that only contain the term “anatomy” or only “heart” if you type heart anatomy without quotation marks.

However, encasing your keyword in quotation marks, like this: “heart anatomy” only returns results with the exact phrase, thus providing fewer web pages to examine. 

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators include AND, OR, and NOT. They can be a powerful way to hone in on the sources you need. 

Boolean Operators 

Example 

Search result includes web pages containing keywords joined by AND

“Traffic data” AND “London” 

Search result includes pages with one or all the keywords linked by OR

“Manager” OR “Coordinator” 

NOT or – 

Excludes web pages with a particular term from the search result. Helpful when a term skews your search results

-animal or “NOT animal”

Used to include a term that must be included in the results. Helpful for narrowing a broad search query

2024 United Kingdom Elections report +fraud +voting pattern

Brackets ()

Powerful for combining boolean operators. Helpful when a keyword also has a popular synonyms or alternative

Project (manager OR coordinator)

Site: 

Provide search results from the website you provide only. Helpful when searching a website like the ONS for data

site: https://www.ons.gov.uk/

Search Engine Tools

Search engines have additional tools to help you refine your search. Google, for example, has tools to limit the results to those published within a specified date range. 

You may also limit results to a particular file type, such as images, books, videos, and news. 

Use Different Search Engines

Each search engine has its own unique algorithms (set of rules to arrange web pages in search results). Trying a new search engine may just be the trick you need. 

Examples of other search engines to try include:

• www.duckduckgo.com
• www.bing.com
• www.ask.com

Use Google’s Advanced Search Tool

Google’s advanced search tool allows you to enter multiple parameters to refine your search. Behind the hood, the tool simplifies the use of boolean operators. Instead of typing boolean operators, you simply enter terms in textboxes. 

You can specify other parameters like the last time the authors updated the website, region to target, and language. 

5. Citation and referencing

Any idea, words, data, images, infographic, or information you take from any source requires a reference. Without citations, you’re practically stealing someone else’s ideas and thoughts. 

Many schools have strict rules against plagiarism, including formal warnings, suspension, admission withdrawal, and other penalties. 

Aside from helping you avoid plagiarism, citations also make your work more authoritative and persuasive. 

There are multiple referencing styles, including AMS (American Meteorological Society), APA (American Psychological Association), Chicago, Harvard, MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association), OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities), and others. 

Your student handbook will usually provide which of the above styles your programme uses. 

Tips For Managing Citations and References

• Make a list of your references and cite them as you write.
• Add notes to each reference, highlighting the sections, paragraphs, and pages you’re most interested in.
• Be consistent with the reference style you use. 
• Familiarise yourself with the project’s reference style.
• Use referencing tools. Examples include EndNote, Zotero or Mendeley. Practice with the program to ensure you know the type of information required and where to input it.

6. Develop Analytical Skills

Per the Rockwell Career Centre, “ analytical skills are problem-solving skills that help you parse data and information to develop creative, rational solutions.”

Analytical skills are essential to every step of the research process, especially in objectively analysing the problem and the result of your experiments. 

Analytical skills require critical reasoning, understanding different concepts (including complex and abstract ones), explaining or articulating your thoughts, applying what you read to tackle problems, and much more. 

Strategies for analysing and synthesising information

1. gain foundational knowledge.

Nothing strengthens your ability to critically analyse the data you’ve gathered than having a solid grasp of the basic concepts in the area you’re investigating. 

For example, you can’t discuss recidivism without understanding the court and prison process.  

2. Create an information matrix

An information matrix is a table that helps organise your sources by major themes. Identifying key ideas from sources is an integral part of information synthesis. 

Here’s an example with five sources:

Theme 

Quality time

Words of affirmation

Acts of service

Physical touch

For each source, enter what they say about each major theme you identified. Leave the corresponding cell blank if a source is mute on a theme. 

Create a new row if any of the sources present a compelling key theme that aligns with your research. 

3. Summarise and Paraphrase the Original Source

Summarise and paraphrase important ideas and quotations you lift from sources. This primarily means presenting your original thoughts and interpretation of the content in the source. 

To paraphrase, you must understand the original source. So, this is good practice for information synthesis. If you’re struggling to paraphrase or summarise an idea, maybe you do not understand it yet. 

Doing this keeps quotes to a minimum, which can help you achieve better grades. Additionally, it promotes the use of your own voice more and to avoid plagiarism. 

4. Improve your comprehension skills

Some of the ways you can improve your comprehension skills include:

• Broadening your vocabulary often by reading widely and critically
• Recollecting the main points and critical details about the text from memory
• Reading in a distraction-free environment
• Slow down and embrace active reading. The Open University defines active reading as “ reading something with a determination to understand and evaluate it for its relevance to your needs.” This process involves highlighting key texts, raising questions, explaining the text to others, self-testing with flashcards or help from a colleague, and more. 
• Summarising and identifying key ideas

5. Identify the Context of Each Source

While two papers may speak about the same topic, they may approach the subject from totally opposite angles. This makes it hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison. Identifying the context helps you avoid this pitfall. 

7. Time Management in Research

Strategies and tips for effecting time management in research include:

1. Setting Realistic and Attainable Goals

Earlier, we mentioned how it’s imperative to choose a research topic that you can complete within the deadline provided by your tutor. Doing otherwise will only lead to poor time management. While you may complete the research, other areas may suffer. 

2. Fix Regular Schedule

Creating a schedule helps you devote ample time to the research daily. Consistent attention is better than last-minute rushes. A regular schedule helps avoid procrastination, interruptions, and lack of discipline.  

How many hours you commit daily will depend on your other commitments and the research deadline. It’s important to design your schedule such that you’ve completed your research report far ahead of the deadline. 

3. Incorporate Task Lists for Each Block of Time

Approach each block of time you schedule with a task list. Doing so helps you focus and prioritise important tasks. 

4. Avoid Multitasking

Focus on one task at a time and finish the same before doing something else. Multitasking is often unproductive and can be a source of stress when you fail to achieve anything noteworthy. 

5. Leverage Technology

Tools for project management, to-do lists, and calendar apps can help you implement the time management strategies shared above and help you stay organised.  

6. Ask For Help

Ask for help from your tutor, coursemates, and librarian whenever you’re stuck. Also, use the numerous free resources available to you. 

7. Take Breaks and Reward Yourself 

Bake breaks into your schedule to alleviate stress and ensure you operate optimally. Additionally, reward yourself for completing the tasks on your to-do lists. 

8. Utilise Academic Support Services

Most universities offer programs to help students achieve academic success, including those geared towards how to conduct research and improve research skills.  

If you’re unaware of the academic support services on offer, it’s important to ask. There’s no shame in asking for help. You’d be amazed at how much help these centres offer. 

One of the best ways to identify the areas you need to work on is to ask your tutor for feedback and help. 

Typical academic support services include:

• Writing guidance
• Peer tutoring
• After-school programmes
• Counselling
• Academic monitoring
• Experiential learning

9. Enhance Note-Taking Techniques

Note-taking is essential during research projects as it’s a vital tool for information synthesis. Note-taking helps you organise the points in the sources you’re reading. It also helps avoid being overwhelmed by the volume of resources you must review. 

Here are some tips to make note-taking fruitful:

1. Think Of Your Research Goals

Your research goals will determine what you prioritise during note-taking. There’s no point in extensive note-taking if the content doesn’t help you strengthen your arguments or answer your research question. 

2. Use Headings, Subheadings, and Numbered List to Organise Key Ideas

This is similar to the information matrix we discussed above. However, this is more like a fleshed-out version. Use indenting and numbering to create idea hierarchies that distinguish major points from minor ones.  

3. Adopt One of the Many Note-Taking Methods

Examples of note-taking methods include the mapping method, the Cornell Method, the sentence method, and the outlining method. Diving into each of these techniques is beyond the scope of this article.  

4. Use Colours and Symbols

Create a colour code for identifying themes and crucial sections. You may also underline important keywords or circle data points that buttress certain themes. These colours and symbols help simplify and visualise ideas. 

5. Create Linkages Between Ideas

Highlight ideas or variables that have clear relationships. The relationship can be causal or correlational. State what this relationship means for your research question. 

6. Leave Space For Future Comments And Questions

Leave room to add more information, such as comments, questions, and reactions. As you read more, you’re likely to come across new information that may challenge or buttress the ideas you found earlier. 

10. Engage with Primary Sources

You may find the answer to a search engine query in a news article or even a random article. It’s advisable and more prudent to search for the primary source. 

So the Guardian can publish details about digital imaging delays in the United Kingdom, but NHS England is the primary source of that information. You must cite the latter and not the former. 

The same applies to academic sources. A paper may make a statement and cite another author or study. You must track the other study to cite it as a separate source in your bibliography. 

One of the importance of using primary sources is the secondary source may have taken the information out of context or reported the same to fit a particular narrative. 

Reading the primary source yourself ensures you have all the contexts and the data as the primary authors presented it. 

11. Avoid Confirmation Bias 

Simply searching for papers and studies that align with your position is a limiting research strategy. 

We recommend seeking studies and sources that challenge your assertion. This is a far more enriching prospect that adds depth to your research. 

Research projects don’t necessarily have to be right or wrong but a means to provide informed arguments based on facts, logical reasoning, and strong analytical skills. 

Research studies enhance ongoing conversations, adding a new point of view to the existing body of knowledge. 

Master Research Skills for Successful Research Reports

Academic success at all levels require research skills that can translate any topic into detailed, coherent, logical, and credible reports, whether it’s quantitative or qualitative research. 

We believe the tips outlined in this article can transform your research skills, but it requires putting them into practice. 

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Teacher of Biology with Psychology (Head of Biology might be considered for a candidate with suitable experience)

• Pitsford School
• Northamptonshire
• Quick apply

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Pitsford School for an enthusiastic and forward thinking Biology Teacher to join our busy Science Department.

The successful candidate for this post may be considered for Head of Biology.

The person appointed will be able to encourage students to enjoy and succeed in Biology at all levels, from Year 7 up to Year 13, including Oxbridge preparation.

They will also have the ability to teach KS5 Psychology as well as being able to teach all sciences up to KS3 and another science subject up to KS4.

In addition to the teaching post, the Head of Biology post would also entail additional duties including; teaching across year groups, supporting colleagues in the department, they will be expected to have oversight of the progress of students in their subject and to report on results annually to the Headmaster.

Pitsford School is a co-educational independent school for students aged 3 – 18 years old.  The school offers a very attractive working environment based in delightful rural parkland setting of some 30 acres, close to Northampton.

Attached documents

• Job Description 715.21KB
• Person specification 609.53KB
• School prospectus 3.46MB
• Inspection report 9.1MB

About Pitsford School

• Pitsford Hall, Moulton Lane, Pitsford, Northampton
• United Kingdom

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Pitsford School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 3-18 years old.

Set in 30 beautiful acres in the Northamptonshire village of Pitsford, our state-of-the-art buildings are surrounded by green, open spaces.

The school is a rare environment: deliberately small, we are dedicated to providing every child with the individual support they need to succeed. At Pitsford every pupil is known and cared for, and their talents and interests are identified, developed and cherished.

Our philosophy of education is relational, personal and bespoke. We offer a wide range of subjects, including three separate sciences. Our exam results are amongst the best in the country.

Pitsford School was rated “Excellent” in its last ISI Inspection. Some key comments from inspectors included:

“The school is highly successful in meeting its aim to recognise each pupil as an individual.”

"Most pupils, in particular the sixth form, demonstrate strong initiative and independence in their approach to learning.”

“Pupils form very positive and productive relationships with each other and their teachers, irrespective of culture or background.”

Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy .

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10 Top Oxford Engineering Personal Statement Tips

What makes you different from all the other applicants? Your engineering Oxford personal statement is a crucial component in your university application. It gives you a chance to articulate why you’re interested in Engineering and to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Additionally, it offers the interviewer a focal point to base discussions about your personality, interests and deduce your commitment to the subject you’re applying for. To help guide you through the process, our Oxford application experts have compiled a list of top 10 tips for everything you should do and not do for your Oxbridge Engineering Personal Statement for the 2024/25 application cycle. 

The Engineering Science programme is a four-year course, leading to the degree of Master of Engineering. The first two years are devoted to topics which Oxford believes all Engineering undergraduates should study. In the third and fourth years there is scope for specialisation into one of six branches of engineering. These include Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Information and Mechanical. Decisions about which of these will be your specialisation can be deferred until the third year.

All candidates must take the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) as part of their application. Find out more about this here .

For the first time, for entry in October 2023 Oxford offered a Foundation Year route to access Engineering Science. So if you’re interested in studying Engineering Science but your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades, then choosing to apply for Engineering Science with a Foundation Year might be the course for you. More information can be accessed here .

Top 5 Tips for an Oxford Engineering Personal Statement

1. tell your story.

Your story will be what makes your UCAS personal statement stand out. In your Engineering personal statement Oxford admissions tutors will be looking for you to outline the reasons as to why you want to study Engineering, along with relevant experience and skills for the subject. Some ways to do this include thinking about your plans for the future, why you have decided to pursue Engineering, and any relevant experience you have.

2. Choosing a discipline

Oxford offers six branches of Engineering- (Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Information and Mechanical). While you can still write about your interest in Engineering more broadly, both academically and as a professional field, you can also narrow down on your chosen discipline and discuss some skills and experiences specific to this branch. This will show the Oxford Admissions tutors that you have a clear plan for your studies and where you hope your degree will take you in your career.

3. Read around the subject you’re applying for

Students who carry out extra-curricular work are more impressive to Oxford admissions tutors than those who do not. Podcasts such as ‘ The Engineering Commons ’, or those produced by the University of Oxford itself are useful for students. Additionally, reading research, such as that from ‘Engineering Science and Technology, an International Journal’ could act as a talking point at an interview.

4. Proofread & read aloud your work

Once you’re happy with the content of your engineering Oxford personal statement draft, check it, check it and check it again! Certain people such as a current Oxford student, a teacher of Engineering, or an Engineering student would be useful in proofreading your work as a fresh pair of eyes can pick up improvements that you may have glossed over.

5. What makes you suitable

In your engineering personal statement Oxford tutors will also be looking for what qualities you possess that means they should grant you a place on an Oxford Engineering course. Think back to any relevant skills or experience you have undertaken on placements and link these to your future career. Relevant skills would include problem-solving and teamwork, as well as more.

Top 5 things to AVOID for your Oxford Engineering Personal Statement

1. writing a list of achievements.

Avoid listing things for the sake of it. Make sure each point in your Oxford Engineering personal statement is relevant and backed up by evidence. Expand on statements in order to explain why you’re an ideal candidate. It will look more impressive if you are able to reflect on your experience because it will show that you have learnt and understood a little of the Engineering speciality.

2. Write anything that isn’t true

Don’t exaggerate. You may be asked to provide evidence of your stated achievements, or if you are interviewed you may be asked detailed questions about things you’ve mentioned. It will reflect badly on you if you are asked questions about an event that didn’t happen, so don’t exaggerate for the sake of trying to impress the Oxford admissions tutors.

3. Copying other people’s personal statements

Don’t plagiarise. Do not copy someone else’s UCAS personal statement or use something you have found on the internet. UCAS uses software to check every personal statement for plagiarism. Not only will this reflect badly on you, but it won’t sell your personal statement as being authentic.

4. Not reflecting on or justifying your point

Write succinctly and explain points without repeating yourself. Don’t tell the admissions tutor what they already know – instead, expand on how you’ve acquired certain skills and why they’re important. Remember, quality is always better than quantity- it’s better to expand on a few points than to list every point you can without going into detail.

5. Don’t sound unprofessional

Steer clear of slang, clichés and quotes. It will sound repetitive to Admissions Tutors to hear about how students are “passionate” about their subject or that they have a “thirst for knowledge”. Write about your personal experience with your Engineering journey, and allow the Admissions Tutor to do the rest.

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Teacher of Biology

10 days remaining to apply, start date details.

September 2024 or January 2025

Closing date

3 June 2024 at 9am

Date listed

23 May 2024

Job details

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Working pattern, contract type, full-time equivalent salary, what skills and experience we're looking for.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative teacher of Biology, with strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to achieving high standards within a thriving department. Sciences are a popular option for students with combined and triple science offered at GCSE and multiple A Level sets in all three disciplines. The successful candidate will have a strong academic background and be an excellent classroom practitioner who is capable of inspiring and motivating students and who can confidently teach Biology at A level and GCSE.

All students study Science at GCSE with triple science growing in popularity. We currently have over 100 students studying Sciences at A level, in 8 sets. A large number of students apply to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities to study Medicine, Dentistry and a broad range of other science related subjects. The Science team comprises 16 specialist teachers, plus four technicians and the Department is housed in 13 labs in the centre of the main building. The Science Department runs a wide range of super curricular opportunities for students in KS4 and KS5 including the UKBC Biology Olympiad, the RSC Chemistry Olympiad and the British Physics Olympiad. We have also run the Cambridge Chemistry challenge for our 6th form students. These are in place to inspire and challenge students who enjoy the sciences. We have recently started giving our students the opportunity to develop their research by participating in Institute of research in schools (IRIS) projects. We also run weekly and oversubscribed extra-curricular opportunities for students at KS3 and 4 in the form of a weekly STEM club and dissection club.

What the school offers its staff

We are committed to supporting staff wellbeing in a variety of ways. The good working relationships within the staff body, and between staff and students is why many colleagues have chosen to stay with us for the long term. We are also strong in supporting staff career development and colleagues are successful in securing promotions at all levels. We support colleagues in pursuing NPQs and offer a secondment programme onto the Senior Leadership Team for middle leaders.

Although we achieve excellent results year on year and are heavily over-subscribed, we are not complacent. We know there is always more to do, and we work together to continuously reflect upon our successes and areas for development. We are keen to hear the voices of all our stakeholders.

Mill Hill County High School is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

Admission into Year 7 is offered to children of staff with two or more years’ service

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

Please download the application form using the link below, and once completed send to [email protected]

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

About Mill Hill County High School

Mill Hill County High School Worcester Crescent, London NW7 4LL

One of London’s most over-subscribed schools 11-18 Mixed, Partially-Selective Academy 1666 on roll (423 in the Sixth Form)

Arranging a visit to Mill Hill County High School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email [email protected] .

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• ESAT vs NSAA & ENGAA: What’s Changed?

Last Updated: 20th May 2024

Author: Matthew Amalfitano-Stroud

• Admissions Test

Table of Contents

In 2024, the Engineering & Science Admissions Test (ESAT) was announced as the successor to the Natural Sciences Admissions Test (NSAA) and Engineering Admissions Test (ENGAA) after their removal following the 2023 Cambridge admissions cycle .  

With this change, many questions have been asked about how similar – or different – these tests will be from one another. With the release of the ESAT specification and official practice test, the comparison is now very easy to make. This guide will compare the old and new admissions tests to highlight all of the changes you need to be aware of and whether the older preparation materials for the NSAA and ENGAA are still relevant.  

ESAT Changes: An Overview

The differences between the ESAT and the NSAA/ENGAA can be split into four major categories:

The ESAT will be used by more universities than just Cambridge, with Imperial College London being the first to implement it.  

The format of the ESAT has changed from a two-section exam to five distinct subtests, three of which must be taken.  

Presentation

The ESAT is computer-based rather than paper-based, which presents a few major changes to consider.  

Specification

The ESAT spec is very similar to the NSAA, though the requirement for advanced science knowledge has been removed.  

Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these changes so that you are aware of what is and isn’t required for the ESAT.

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ESAT Usage Changes

The NSAA and ENGAA were both Cambridge-exclusive exams, being used for the the following courses:

NSAA Courses

• Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology
• Natural Sciences
• Veterinary Medicine

ENGAA Courses

• Engineering

The ESAT will still be required for all of these Cambridge courses, though there is not a separate test for Engineering applicants. Instead, Engineering applicants will not be given a choice of subtests to complete (more on this soon).

These tests were only used in the Cambridge admissions process, but the ESAT will be required by other universities. Specifically, Imperial College London was announced to be implementing the test as part of the initial ESAT announcement. Applicants for the courses in the following   departments at Imperial will be required to sit the test:  

Imperial College London ESAT Courses

• Department of Physics
• Department of Aeronautics
• Department of Chemical Engineering
• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Department of Design Engineering
• Department of Mechanical Engineering

In a press release from Pearson VUE , the director of University Admissions Tests UK (UAT) , who will be operating the ESAT, stated the following:  

“We are excited about the number of universities that have already shown interest in using both the TMUA and the ESAT for the 2026 application cycle and beyond”

With this quote, we can assume that other universities have taken an interest in utilising the ESAT in their admissions processes in some form, so it’s likely that we’ll see more universities either requiring or accepting the ESAT in future admissions cycles.

ESAT Format Changes

The NSAA and ENGAA had different formats from one another and the ESAT has differences from each, so let’s take a look at the format changes compared for each of these exams:

ESAT vs NSAA - Format:

The NSAA was split into two sections, which were further split into separate parts. The format was as such:

NSAA Section 1

• Part A: Mathematics
• Part B: Physics
• Part C: Chemistry
• Part D: Biology

NSAA Section 2

• Part X: Advanced Physics
• Part Y: Advanced Chemistry
• Part Z: Advanced Biology

There were seven parts in total covering the three core sciences, mathematics and the advanced variants of each science. This test was used for Cambridge Natural Sciences, so having a wider range of covered subjects was important.  

All applicants were required to complete Part A but would then have the choice to complete one of Parts B – D and one of Parts X – Z (no additional marks were gained for completing questions in extra parts. There would be 20 multiple-choice questions in each part.  

Timings in the NSAA were not determined by part but by section, with applicants having 1 hour per section, 2 hours in total. In Section 1, time spent between the two parts could be allocated however the applicant saw fit, although time did not carry over between Sections 1 and 2.

It’s clear that the ESAT is heavily inspired by this format, but there are a variety of small differences that will alter how applicants approach the test.  

Firstly, there are no longer sections in the ESAT, although the test is still split into parts, or subtests. In the ESAT, there are now five parts covering science and mathematics:

• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2

There are two fewer parts than the NSAA. This is because of the removal of the three advanced science parts and the addition of Mathematics 2, which is essentially an advanced mathematics part. Applicants are still required to take Mathematics 1 and must choose two additional parts to take, just the NSAA.

However, each part now has its own time limit of 40 minutes, rather than the 1-hour time limit for sections in the NSAA. There are also more questions in the ESAT, with 27 questions per part rather than 20, although they are still multiple-choice. The time between each part does not carry over to the next.

The one element that has remained relatively consistent between the two tests is the scoring system. Single questions in each test are worth one mark, which are added together and converted into a score on a scale between 1.0 and 9.0. There is also no negative marking in either test. The only element of scoring that will be different is the conversions between raw marks and final scores, as the ESAT has more marks to consider.  

Below is a summary of the changes between the ESAT and NSAA:

ESAT vs ENGAA - Format:

The ENGAA was a far simpler test than the NSAA as it was dedicated to a single subject, Engineering. In the ENGAA, there were two sections consisting of three parts, all of which were required to be completed.  

ENGAA Section 1

• 1A - Mathematics & Physics
• 1B - Advanced Mathematics & Physics

ENGAA Section 2

• Advanced Physics

Each part had 20 multiple-choice questions, making 60 in total. The only subjects covered were mathematics and physics, although Section 1 features a mixture of both maths and physics questions in each part. 

While the ESAT format isn’t changed for ENGAA, Cambridge Engineering applicants do not get to select which parts they take, emulating the ENGAA’s format. These applicants must take Mathematics, Mathematics 2 and Physics in their ESAT, which is different from the ENGAA as subjects are split into individual parts rather than being mixed together, as seen in Section 1 of the ENGAA. Advanced Physics is also replaced with Advanced Mathematics (Mathematics 2). 

There are still seven more questions per part in the ESAT, meaning applicants will be answering 21 extra questions overall.  

The scoring system for the ENGAA was the same as the NSAA, meaning it’s also the same as the ESAT. Below are the changes and similarities between the ESAT and ENGAA formats:

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ESAT Presentation Changes

The presentation of the ESAT is potentially the biggest departure from the NSAA and ENGAA. This is because the ESAT is fully computer-based, compared to the older tests which were traditionally paper-based. This change in the system means that the ESAT feels very different to complete.  

The ESAT is run on the testing system developed by Pearson VUE, and functions almost identically to the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) , another Pearson VUE computer-based admissions test. Below you can see a screenshot of the system.  

ESAT Testing Platform

As you can see, the answer options are selectable check boxes and there are a variety of features along the top and bottom of the page. These include navigation options, a timer and an option to change the system’s colour scheme (the “View Solution” option will not be included on the actual test, this only appears on the practice test that this screenshot is taken from).

Meanwhile, the NSAA and ENGAA were spread across multiple papers, including two question papers (one for each section) and an answer sheet.  

NSAA Example Page

Engaa example page.

These papers featured all of the questions in the test for that year, which is different from the ESAT, which will only display the questions from the parts you’re taking. This is generally better as it means you won’t accidentally complete any questions you’re not meant to.  

However, there are more differences than this. Firstly, and more obviously, completing a computer-based test requires various different skills compared to a paper test. There are some key advantages to computer testing, such as the ability to quickly and easily change your answer, compared to having to erase your answers on paper.  

The computer testing system also has a number of unique features that make testing easier, including an accurate timer that counts down how much time you have left, a review screen that lets you see your progress through the entire part and a flagging feature to clearly highlight pages you want to come back to. All of these things were possible with paper, but the computer system makes everything a little bit more convenient.  

However, computer testing isn’t ideal for everyone. Looking at screens for an extended period of time may be uncomfortable for some, which can end up slowing their progress and affecting their score. There’s also the issue of working out, which is impossible to do on the computer system. You should still be given paper to complete rough work, but this may feel more clunky than working on the actual question paper.  

It’s important to note that calculators and other supporting materials have never been allowed in the NSAA or ENGAA, and they also won’t be allowed in the ESAT.  

The main takeaway from this is that you should learn to use the computer system effectively before your testing date. While it isn’t going to make a huge difference, being able to quickly navigate the system will save you small amounts of time throughout the test and could be the difference between getting a few extra marks or not.

ESAT Specification Changes

Lastly, we have the ESAT Specification . This is the least changed element of the test out of everything we’ve discussed, although it’s still important to understand the differences.  

For the most part, the ESAT specification is identical to the NSAA (the ENGAA’s specification was also the same, minus the Chemistry and Biology Sections). The primary change in the ESAT is that there is no more Advanced Physics, Chemistry or Biology. These sections have been completely omitted from the ESAT specification, so you won’t need to be prepared for anything from these parts.  

However, the Advanced Mathematics portion of the NSAA specification remains, being covered in Mathematics 2. Not only this but it has also been upgraded to a full part, as there was no dedicated Advanced Mathematics part in the NSAA or ENGAA despite featuring in the specifications. It was included there to act as a guide for the mathematical knowledge you would need to answer the other advanced parts.  

The only other change to note is the addition of one sentence in the Mathematics 2 specification for the ESAT. Under MM8.2 (Graphs of Functions), the following has been specified:  

“Knowledge and use of the notation f ( g ( x ))”  

This wasn’t featured in the NSAA or ENGAA specifications, so you should keep this in mind. However, there isn’t really any reason to be using these older specifications, as the most recent ESAT specification is easily available to access.  

So that covers all of the major differences between the ESAT and NSAA/ENGAA that could impact your preparation. However, there’s one question that you may be wondering that we’d like to address:

Can I Use NSAA/ENGAA Resources For The ESAT?

Yes, you can. However, you will want to consider how you use them, as the tests aren’t one-to-one with each other. Firstly, using NSAA and ENGAA past papers to complete mock exams may be helpful to you, but there are various differences that will make this method of preparation less effective:  

• The NSAA/ENGAA past papers aren’t in a computer format, so the testing experience will be different (some non-official question banks have converted these papers into a computer format similar to the ESAT).
• Content Section 2 of the NSAA and ENGAA is not included in the ESAT (excluding advanced mathematics, which does not have a dedicated part in either exam).
• The number of questions and time limits for each part are different in the ESAT compared to the NSAA/ENGAA.

For these reasons, it will usually be better to use NSAA and ENGAA past papers to gather practice questions rather than completing the whole test.  

NSAA/ENGAA question banks, books and guides are still very relevant to the ESAT for the most part, as the specification and question structure are almost identical. This means that revision and practice materials like these are still going to be very useful.  

In fact, Pearson VUE actually encourages applicants to prepare with older resources, as they have provided a bank of NSAA and ENGAA past papers on the official ESAT website. Considering that the only official ESAT preparation materials currently available are the five practice tests made available on their site, seeking out these additional materials will be very valuable.  

Keep in mind that some external services have already developed specific ESAT practice materials, including UniAdmissions, which has published an ESAT book and developed an ESAT question bank. Both of these resources are available as a part of the ESAT Programme , which also features one-to-one tuition, a live ESAT course and much more.  

That concludes our look at the ESAT versus the NSAA and ENGAA. While there are a lot of differences between the exams, there are just as many similarities which make them far less distant from each other. We hope that this guide has helped you understand what is and isn’t suitable for your ESAT preparation so you can make the most of the time you have available.  

We wish you the very best of luck with your ESAT and invite you to check out our other ESAT guides, including our exam overview. Thank you!

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