Gearing up for university life
EPSOM College in Malaysia (ECiM) recognises that there are key periods in students’ lives during which they require extra support. One such time is in Sixth Form when students are preparing to move from school to university – one of the biggest transitions of their lives.
ECiM assumes the role of equipping students with the skills they need to thrive independently at university.
A space of their own
ECiM created an exclusive space for its Sixth Formers – the Grayling Centre. Its three main sections are the study area, social area and tutorial rooms.
The tutorial rooms were designed to resemble the study spaces at universities. The rooms are used by the students and staff for a variety of purposes, be it to practise public speaking, work on group projects, engage in seminars or have meetings.
What goes on outside the buildings of the school is equally important. Students are encouraged to be involved in a wide range of cross-curricular activities.
They stay healthy by participating in sports and develop leadership, problemsolving and teamwork qualities as well as resilience and determination.
ECiM’s focus on cross-curricular activities saw several of its Sixth Form students achieving the Gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.
Developing independence
At university, students are expected to hold their own in group discussions and presentations. ECiM requires the same as it wants its students to fully engage with their study material and discuss and debate it with teachers and peers.
To complement teachers’ efforts in encouraging students to ask and answer questions in class, ECiM offers several crosscurricular activities such as the English Speaking Board, debate, Model United Nations and TED-Ed Club.
ECiM offers the Horizons programme for Sixth Form, which allows students to challenge themselves intellectually beyond their A-Levels subjects. One way they can do this is through a series of academic lectures called Rubber Head Talks presented by visiting academics, ECiM teachers and even some students.
Topics of previous lectures include experiences in the Falklands War, the Hampton Court Palace, music in computer games, the economics of supermarket shelves, the Rwandan genocide and the literature of Joseph Conrad.
A plus of being at a boarding school is that students can gather in the evenings or early mornings for events such as Beanbag Talks where they watch documentaries, films or live events in a relaxed setting, after which they discuss elements of what they have watched.
Beanbag Talks screenings in the past 18 months include Hidden Figures, the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum results (Brexit), the United States election results, Icarus, Exit Through the Gift Shop and The Act of Killing.
Valuable insights
Every September, three subject mentors from British universities join ECiM for a few weeks. These subject mentors are undergraduate or postgraduate students who support ECiM students in their studies and university applications.
During the year, workshops are offered on topics such as debate, Oxbridge, personal statement writing, SAT versus ACT, Australian, Canadian and US university applications and visa applications.
International English Language Testing System lessons are also offered for students to maximise their potential in the language test, which is a required qualification for many student visas.
On top of their A-Levels studies, ECiM expects the majority of its A-Levels students to complete the programme’s Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). It believes that students who complete the EPQ are better prepared for university and their careers.
When students leave ECiM as Old Epsomians, they will have gone through a rich, supportive programme. Through the support offered to them during their time in the Sixth Form, they can develop into undergraduate students who can thrive on the challenges they will face in higher education.
For more information, call 06-240 4188, e-mail enquiries@epsomcollege.edu.my or visit www.epsomcollege.edu.my
ECiM offers the Horizons programme for Sixth Form, which allows students to challenge themselves intellectually beyond their A-Levels subjects. One way they can do this is through a series of academic lectures called Rubber Head Talks presented by visiting academics, ECiM teachers and even some students.