- D'Overbroeck's College
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d'Overbroeck's College, Oxford Established 1977 Type Independent School Principal Sami Cohen Chairman of Governors James Noel Founder Malcolm van Biervliet Location Banbury Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
England
Gender Male and Female Ages 11–18 Telephone +44 (0)1865 310000 Website www.doverbroecks.com 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.'[1]
The College has three main parts, all based on different sites in North Oxford:
- 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 English courses to prepare international students for their A level/International Baccalaureate studies in the UK. Students are typically 14-17 years old.
The Swan Building, 111 Banbury Road
Contents
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, 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 schools[2]
In the academic year 2009-10 the Sixth Form achieved a contextual value added score of 1,102[3]. 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'[4]
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, 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 Leeds
- 2 Oxford Brookes University
- 3 University of Oxford
- 4 University College London
- 5 Cambridge University
- 5 University of Edinburgh
- 5 Imperial College London
- 5 London School of Economics
- 9 University of York
- 10 King's College London
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 school 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.
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 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'[5]
Uniform
Unlike the Sixth Form, students at Leckford Place do wear a 'light touch' uniform.
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 school.
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 Council 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[6]
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, 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 Council (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).
References
- ^ 'The Good Schools Guide', 2008, 13th edition, p. 304
- ^ The Daily Telegraph, Independent schools' A-level results, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/7976166/Independent-schools-A-level-results.html
- ^ The Department for Education, Key Stage 4 to 5 Value Added: http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/group_09.pl?Mode=Z&Type=P&Begin=b&No=p344&Base=b&Phase=2&F=1&L=50&Year=09
- ^ 'The Good Schools Guide', 2008, 13th edition, p. 304
- ^ 'The Good Schools Guide', 2008, 13th edition, p. 302-4
- ^ 'EL Gazette', April 2010
External links
Categories:- Education in Oxford
- Schools in Oxford
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