If you are expecting to receive the highest grades in your GCSEs and are interested in applying to the most prestigious universities, then the High Achievers + Programme at Carmel is for you.

It will support you, it will challenge you and it will inspire you to be the best you can be academically and to succeed in your chosen path beyond Carmel.

High Achievers + Videos

Click the video below to watch a short introduction to our High Achievers + Programme.

Click the button below to listen to what our students say about the Programme

What our students say video

How do I become a part of the High Achievers + Programme?

• You need an average GCSE points score of 7 or above.
• You can be identified by your subject teachers as Gifted or Talented and you will be invited to participate in the High Achievers + Programme through the HA+ Super Curriculum

How is the High Achievers + Programme delivered?

• Delivered by a Curriculum and a Pastoral Team
• Support and challenge are at the heart of our High Achievers + programme
• Every student in the High Achievers + Programme will be part of a High Achievers tutor group

What is the HA + Super Curriculum?

• All students on our programme participate in our HA+ Super Curriculum
• Delivered by your teachers, the Heads of subjects and the High Achievers Programme Co-ordinators.
• The High Achievers Co-ordinators are teachers who specialise in specific curriculum area progression, advice and opportunities. They co-ordinate and deliver an outstanding super curriculum offer across all our subject areas.

Super Curriculum

HIGH ACHIEVERS + PATHWAYS:

Our programme offers bespoke pathways for students that wish to aim for:
• Oxbridge Pathway (Oxford and Cambridge)
• Russell Group and Sutton 30 universities Pathway
• Medicine, dentistry and veterinary science (MDV) Pathway
• Talent Pathway (Art, Design including Architecture, Performance and PE)
• Vocational career access Pathway (High calibre apprenticeships and opportunities)

Oxbridge and Russell Group/Sutton 30 Pathways

Talent Pathway

Vocational Career Access Pathway

Med, Dent, Vet Pathway

Careers advice and Work experience

A key part of the success of our programme is the high calibre careers advice available and the opportunity to engage in work experience placements.

Additional AS Levels

All High Achieving students will be able to study for an AS level in Further Maths, French or Spanish in lower sixth (dependent on meeting the entry criteria and progression advice).

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

This sought-after qualification is offered to all High Achievers and will demonstrate your subject enthusiasm and can even lower your UCAS points offer. Find out more about EPQ.

A snapshot of some super curricular work in different areas across the college

English/MFL/Law

  • Work experience placements in France.
  • Links with the University of Salamanca and guest speakers have visited Carmel to give seminars to our High Achievers.
  • An insight into linguistics programme, designed by the University of Birmingham, for High Achieving Spanish students.
  • Pathways into Law programme offered by the University of Liverpool.
  • Mock trial competitions.
  • English literature lecture and seminar programme on specific aspects of unseen texts

Former French student, Aiden Dillon, has recorded 2 vlogs with advice about studying French and applying to Oxford

Aiden Dillon’s French advice
Aiden Dillon’s Oxford advice

Mathematics

  • Participation in UKMT Challenges and Events
  • MathsSoc Sessions to investigate and explore Maths in the real world.
  • Opportunities to discover the wide range of the Mathematical Sciences with talks from guest speakers
  • High-Quality preparation for MAT/TMUA/STEP tests
  • UCAS Oxbridge Interview Practice sessions
  • Pathways into Banking and Finance delivered through the Sutton 30 Trust is encouraged for those lower sixth students interested in this field

Humanities

  • Opportunities for work placements with local MPs.
  • Opportunities to participate in Debating Society and ESU Schools’ Mace debating competition.
  • List of wider reading and extra resources for wider curriculum.
  • Eligibility for pre-university Economics course at the University of Manchester
  • Educational trips to Jaguar factory, London financial area and University of Manchester Business School

Social Sciences

  • Online course provided by UK Parliament on Law-Making – optional course available to students during Enrichment
  • Programme of careers talks from business industry experts
  • Profiles, case studies and talks from inspirational former Business students
  • Visits from top accountancy firms including KPMG regarding higher apprenticeship support

Science and Engineering

View the SciSoc video
View the Med, Dent, Vet Programme video

Art and Digital

  • Largest Creative Careers Event in the UK (hosted at Carmel).
  • Free Creative careers book for all High Achievers which includes inspiration case studies on Alumni and Industry leaders.
  • UAL progression partner workshops, interview preparation and University visits.
  • Outstanding department organised Work Experience opportunities including CISCO UX Design and the Open Eye Gallery.
  • Participation in Degree level lectures and events including the Fieldwork Photography Symposium.
  • Bespoke workshops with prestigious Drama Schools for audition techniques including Mountview, ALRA, RADA, LIPA, Royal Central School of Speech and drama and Royal conservatoire of Scotland and Wales.
  • Participation in the National Theatre Connections Festival (working with NT to perform a specially written play, performed in house and this year at The Lowry)
  • Participation in the National Theatre New views project and Barbian Box project.
  • Working professionally as a Designer as part of ‘Carmel Graphics’

Destinations of High Achievers + Alumni

Our Oxbridge 2021 success!

Jack Hale, St Edmund Arrowsmith (Whiston), University College Oxford, Law
Aiden Dillon, De La Salle, New College Oxford, French
Elise Don, Broughton Hall, Hertford College Oxford, French & Spanish
Eleanor Reece, De La Salle, St Peter’s College Oxford, Engineering
Ben Atchison, Christ College Cambridge, Chemical Engineering
Maddie Bailey-Moyes, Padgate Academy, Gonville & Caius College Cambridge, Mathematics

A snapshot of progression routes for recent High Achievers + students

Charlotte Bond, Great Sankey High School , University of Cambridge, Human, Social and Political Sciences
Eva Carroll, Notre Dame Catholic College, University of Cambridge, English
Ethan Powell, Broadgreen International School , Durham University, Philosophy, Politics and Economics
Lauren McGrath, St Edmund Arrowsmith (Ashton), Ernst and Young, Degree Apprenticeship
Yasmin Baker, Belvedere Academy, Imperial College London, Medicine
Hannah Moss, Wade Deacon , University of Leeds, Medicine
Kaitlin Naylor, Rainford High, University of Leeds, Chemistry
Lauren Cheung, Great Sankey High School , University of Liverpool, Law
Shaun Lockett, Rainhill High , University of Liverpool, Aerospace Engineering
Isobel Saunders, Tower College , University of Liverpool, Veterinary Science
Billy Maddox-Ogden, Rainhill High, University of Liverpool, Dentistry
Steven Dodd, Rainhill High, Newcastle University, Modern Languages
Harry Natton, Woodchurch High School, Newcastle University, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American studies
Beth, Laidlaw, Rainford High , University of Nottingham, Pharmacy
Faye Kirwan, Lord Derby Academy, University of St Andrews, English
John Redman, Golborne High School, UAL Central St Martins, Fashion Design with Marketing
Alanah Connor, St Edmund Arrowsmith (Whiston), University of Edinburgh, MA History of Art
Lauren Morton, Rainford High, University of Edinburgh, MA Fine Art

High Achievers News

The offers are in for our Oxbridge hopefuls

Councillor Kate Groucutt delivers Aspire to Oxbridge talk

High Achievers prepare for uni interviews

Students prepare for Oxbridge interviews

High Achiever’s Trip to St Peter’s College

Oxford Professor delivers Maths Workshop

Interview preparation for our High Achievers

Cambridge talk for High Achievers

Fulbright Commission USA College Day

St Peter’s College Schools Ambassador Project

High Achievers experience life as an Oxford student

Andrew tells us about life at Oxford Uni

Oxford Open Day Visit

Russell Group Offers for MDV High Flyers

Talented Physicists top the charts

Our brightest mathematicians defend their winning title with another great victory

Oxbridge Success

Oxford Biology Project

Senior Maths Challenge Winners

Former student returns as Dr Keele Good

Stem students take part in Nuffield placement

More high achievers information

For more information contact Dan Saunders, Head of High Achievers at daniels@carmel.ac.uk

View Russell Group Informed Choices for guidance about choosing your A-Levels so you make the best choices for your future career.

Russell Group Universities

University of Cambridge website

University of Oxford website

High Achievers Leaflet

 

 

What Our Students Say

“Coming to Carmel is the best decision I have ever made. My subject tutors have inspired me to branch out of my comfort zone and to apply to universities I would have previously only dreamed about! Through the High Achievers’ Programme there are countless enrichment opportunities which I have been able to take part in. These sessions help to develop the skills needed to successfully apply to the most prestigious universities, such as writing a personal statement, giving presentations and techniques to answer difficult interview questions. The staff at Carmel are so dedicated; they constantly offer extra support, encouragement and revision sessions.”

Jade Edwards, Chemistry at the University of York