Our unique approach to education

Our mission statement

The aim of CATS College is to encourage all students to realise their potential, fostering independence and maturity in order to prepare them for their future as Global Citizens.

Our unique approach to teaching and learning has been called ‘exemplary’ by recent government inspectors. We take the time to find out in detail what your aims and potential are, and then develop an individual learning plan to support your progress at every stage of your learning.

Find out more about:

How we analyse your potential Unique skills you'll learn Guaranteed
University place Free & unlimited
extra tuition Oxbridge
Gifted & Talented University application
support

It starts with you, the individual

• Your abilities, aims and aspirations are our starting point
• We help you achieve beyond your predicted grade
• You will have an individual learning plan

All students are different, so we start by finding out about you and your individual strengths and needs. Through careful analysis, we’ll discover how you learn best, your academic aims, career aspirations, preferred degree or university and the best subjects and study programme to prepare you for that.

We will assess you using the most highly respected GCSE and A level performance expectation predictors, developed by Durham University called YELLIS/ALIS. This system predicts exam grades based on past academic performance. Our aim is to help you achieve better results than predicted.

This personalised assessment process will help us to develop an individual learning plan for you, based on educational research from Cambridge and London Universities. Tailor-made to your needs, it gives you clear targets and educational objectives in all subjects. Your performance will be measured regularly through weekly assessments and monitored against these agreed targets. You’ll always know exactly what you need to do to be successful.

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We’re as committed to your success as you are

• A contract of achievement
• A guaranteed university place

At CATS College, we demonstrate our commitment to your success with a remarkable pledge.

When you join, we will ask you to sign our Student Contract of Achievement. This is your promise to maintain the highest standards of behaviour, performance and attendance. It is a serious document; after all, we expect you to take your studies seriously.

In return, we will make a promise to you: provided you have met fully the conditions of your Contract of Achievement, we confidently guarantee to find you a place at university. If we cannot find you a university place, we will refund your tuition fees in full.

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Everything is designed for highly effective learning

• Your own Personal Tutor
• Teaching with maximum participation
• Learning to work smarter, not just harder

We believe nothing should get in the way of effective learning, so you’ll meet with your Personal Tutor (PT) regularly to help solve any problems, academic or personal. Your PT will be supported by an experienced welfare team and will care for you throughout your time at CATS. This relationship will be key to your success.

Our classes provide for maximum personal attention. Everything is arranged to promote active participation and discussion and you will be exposed to a range of different teaching and learning methods. The aim is to achieve a tutorial experience that is challenging, progressive, exciting and enjoyable.

To help you work more effectively, we teach a series of proven study techniques. With these you can dramatically improve your recall, reading speed, critical thinking and creative thinking, as well as your effectiveness in exams.

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Extra support is standard

• Regular progress checks and reports
• Weekly revision opportunities
• All the extra tuition you need

In our view, it is not enough to teach a course well: effective learning requires effective follow-up. Every week, we test your understanding of a subject, so if there’s any problem, corrective measures can be quickly taken. The aim is to increase your levels of knowledge, understanding, exam technique and confidence.

Weekly subject workshops are open to everyone for revision or topping up knowledge, and at regular intervals we produce reports that measure your progress against your predicted exam grades. This means you always know how well you are doing and what steps should be taken to achieve your target grades.

If you need extra tuition or simply wish to enhance your understanding in a subject in your Individual Learning Plan we will give you as much as you need, free; provided, of course, you have fulfilled the terms of your Contract of Achievement.

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Helping you achieve your full potential

• Specific help for gifted and talented students
• Specialist programme for prospective medical students
• Dedicated preparation for Oxford and Cambridge

We help all students reach their potential, but some have extraordinary abilities or ambitions, so for these we provide special help.

Students identified as high achievers benefit from our Gifted and Talented Programme. This fosters the independent thinking and studying skills prized by top universities. It develops skills in accelerated reading, critical thinking, argument and lateral thinking and specific subject knowledge. The Programme helps build the confidence and technique necessary for interviews.

Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science are among the most competitive courses at top universities. Our Medics Programme will familiarise students with current scientific, research and ethical issues. Help is provided in gaining relevant work and volunteer experience both in the UK, such as shadowing consultants at leading hospitals such as Addenbrookes in Cambridge; and in students’ home countries. Assistance is given with every stage of the UCAS application process – including individual help with interview preparation.

For Oxbridge candidates, students gain specialist tuition including:

• what makes an ideal candidate
• what courses are available
• how to choose a college.

Detailed and practical help is given with applications, reading and interviews. This is supplemented by college visits and talks from dons and Admissions Tutors and mock interviews.

Find out more about the help we give with University applications.

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