Study Skills & the Evening Entertainment Programme on our Summer Course 2024

Study Skills

For the Summer Course 2024, the Study Skills timetable included 4 x 35-minute morning sessions, Tuesday to Friday, and 1 x 50-minute afternoon session, taking place on a Tuesday.  Study Skills combined with Registration and was the students’ chance to sign in for the day and to get themselves into a state of study, ready to start their first tutorial. 

We kicked off an exciting new timetable for our Summer Course 2024!

Let me run you through the main features of the timetable for the Summer Course 2024:

• What type of learner are you?
• Problem Solving Workshops
• Study Skills Workshop
• Wellbeing Talk
• University & Careers Talk
• University insights for a choice of:
  • Physical Science and Maths
  • Biomedical Science and Molecular Medicine
  • Social Science, Commerce and Humanities

Now let me delve into some more detail on a couple of these!

Understanding what ‘type of learner’ you are can be fundamental to your studies and revision.  Our workshop introduced the different types of learners and, via use of a quiz, allowed students to work out their own individual learning type.  We then provided some suggestions on the best ways to learn for each type of learner, be that visual, auditory, kinaesthetic or reading/writing.  To find out more about this, and for examples of the advice that students would have received on effective learning techniques, please read our blog specifically tailored to this.

Some feedback from our students on our ‘Types of Learner’ workshops:

‘I found it interesting to learn about the other ways to learn.’

Read our blog – ‘Types of Learners’

Our Problem Solving workshops gave students the chance to work together, in small teams, before appointing a speaker to present back to the class.  A great way to work on skills such as teamwork, critical thinking and public speaking!  One task involved planning the construction of a new city, for roughly 20,000 inhabitants.  The students had to think strategically about factoring in the right infrastructure, keeping sight of their budget.  Our students came up with some original and innovative ideas, and there were rounds of applause when students presented their ideas.  The student collaboration and support was wonderful to see! 

Some feedback from our students on our Problem Solving workshops:

‘Fun to do and a good way to interact with others.’

‘A good bonding experience.’

‘Helped me come out of my shell.’

Our Study Skills workshops focused specifically on the areas of:

• How the brain learns – Short term vs Long term memory
• Driving your own brain
• Mental Health. Managing your expectations

These introduced concepts that could be crucial to understanding how best to learn and how best to revise, giving key takeaways for students to consider for future learning and studies. 

Some feedback from our students on our Study Skills workshops:

‘This was very detailed and biologically oriented, which made it useful.’

‘The metacognition talk was interesting and informative.’

‘How the brain learns – this gave good information for revision techniques.’

Our Wellbeing Workshop, focused on areas such as Healthy Living, looking at the UK public health guidelines for our students age group, and focusing on the science, real world practices, and some speaker insight to expand on this.  When studying at GCSE, A Level and IB, and in later life, it is important for students to understand how to maintain a healthy work-life balance and these workshops were aimed at providing some useful ideas here, incorporating healthy eating, fitness and exercise, and sleep.

Some feedback from our students on our Wellbeing workshops:

‘This was very inspirational and calming.’

‘Useful as I struggle with exam stress.’

Our University and Careers talk sent students away with some valuable weblinks that they could use to help pinpoint their interests and identify what university courses might be most ideal for them (look out for our new blog coming soon on ‘Choosing the right University for you’).  As well as other weblinks that provide comparisons of courses and universities, for use once they have established what they would like to do. Additional weblinks were provided for sites that give detailed description of a wide range of careers, for students to better understand where a certain course could lead them and what they could be doing in the years to come.  This talk provided some forward-thinking ideas, to prepare students for what is ahead and to get them thinking about their ‘next steps’. 

Our expert tutors shared their valuable insight when it came to the types of university courses and careers paths open and available to students.  These sessions where split into the three subject groups of Physical Science and Maths, Biomedical Science and Molecular Medicine and Social Science, Commerce and Humanities, for students to attend as suitable.

Here at OXSS we are firm believers in maintaining studies and tasks throughout the year, allowing students to think through their options and keep on top of their studies, avoiding last minute revision cramming and, in the same spirit, ensuring well thought out decisions, for future studies.  These sessions aimed to give students some starting blocks, ideas as to the type of things they could think about or look at, or use for guidance in their coming studies.

Although the course that you are looking to attend may not feature these exact workshops and talks, we hope that this at least gives you an idea as to the spirit of the offering, and the type of areas that could be covered during this small aspect of the timetable.  These sessions act as a way of getting the students ready for their day, starting their thinking process and preparing them for their learning time, as well as hoping to provide some useful insight for their future studies and learning. 

Evening Entertainment Programme (ENTZ)

It really is what it says in the title, a programme of evening entertainment for residential students, that we refer to as ‘ENTZ’.  A way to bring some additional fun to their summer learning programme.

There is of course a heavy focus on academic study on an OXSS course, that is essentially what we are here for – an intensive revision or introductory course, to provide a structured learning environment, for students to study their chosen subjects and topics, filling in any missing gaps, gaining exam practice and boosting confidence.  We also like to look towards the side of personal development too, with the evenings presenting the opportunity not just for students to relax and to have fun, but also to build on those personal and social development skills.  To take part in different activities, to spend time with students of other backgrounds or cultures, to make new friends and to further build confidence. 

This programme is compulsory for all students aged 15 and below, and optional for students aged 16 and above.  We do appreciate that students can get tired or may wish to continue their studies of an evening, especially on the Easter Course in the run up to exams, and it is of course possible to retire to sleep, or to self-study instead.

The students of our Summer Course 2024 made great use of their evenings, getting to know one another, making new friends, and building on their social developmental skills.  Movie nights, magicians, waffles and ice cream, and of course some Olympic Games inspired activities, all helped to make the course a fun and enjoyable time, for those involved. The karaoke machine was a huge hit this course, with most desperate to have a go!  Students also loved taking the opportunity to better get to know Oxford, with a walking tour of the city.  They were spoilt with glorious weather – it did get particularly warm with temperatures rising to 31 degrees! 

Some feedback from our students on our Evening Entertainment Programme:

‘The Karaoke – I love it, the best thing ever, so fun!’

‘The Magician was very good!’

‘Loved the walking tour.’

A comment from one of our House Parents:

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of students enjoying themselves quite so much as the Summer Course students singing karaoke!’

Some more general feedback on tuition over our Summer Course 2024:

She was ‘extremely helpful and supportive, provided beneficial advice and study techniques to help my studies, I have learned so much over the course of the week with her’

She was ‘helpful as a tutor and able to amend the teaching style to fit my learning; really enjoyed our sessions’

He was ‘a brilliant tutor, I definitely learned a lot and I really enjoyed the passion he has for teaching physics, it was inspirational as a student’