Skip to main content

Go to our other sites

Change language / country
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Cambridge Assessment International Education

Main navigation

  • About us

    About us

    • What we do
    • Our management team
    • Our regional teams
    • Our standards
    • Careers
    • Examiners
    • Our history
  • Why choose us

    Why choose us

    • Benefits of a Cambridge education
    • Where do Cambridge qualifications take you?
    • Support for schools
    • Information for parents and students
    • Find a Cambridge school
    • Join Cambridge
    • Cambridge Associates
    • The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
    spacer
    Material from Join Cambridge Welcome pack

    Join Cambridge

    Find out how to become a Cambridge school

  • Programmes &
    qualifications

    Programmes & qualifications

    • Cambridge Primary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Lower Secondary

      • Curriculum
      • Classroom support
      • Assessment
      • Resource list
    • Cambridge Upper Secondary

      • Cambridge IGCSE
      • Cambridge O Level
    • Cambridge Advanced

      • Cambridge International AS & A Level
      • Cambridge Pre-U
      • Cambridge AICE Diploma
      • Cambridge IPQ
    • Other

      • Recognition and acceptance
      • Cambridge Global Perspectives
      • Bilingual education
  • Exam
    administration

    Exam administration

    • Cambridge Exams Officers' Guide

      • Phase 1 - Preparation
      • Phase 2 - Entries
      • Phase 3 - Coursework and Moderation
      • Phase 4 - Before the exam
      • Phase 5 - Exam day
      • Phase 6 - Results and certificates

    Other

      • What to expect on exam day
      • Results
      • Private candidates
  • Support & training
    for schools

    Support & training for schools

    Support and resources

    • Teaching and learning during Covid-19
    • Support for teachers
    • Support for new schools
    • Teaching Cambridge at your school
    • Endorsed resources
    • Communications toolkit

    Professional development and conferences

    • Professional development courses
    • Professional development calendar
    • Cambridge Professional Development Qualifications
    • Cambridge Schools Conference

    Other support

    • Resource Plus
    • Test Maker
    • Great teaching toolkit
  • Working with
    governments

    Working with governments

    • What we do
    • How we work
    • Our experience
    • Talk to us
  • News & blog

    News & blog

    • Latest news
    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • eNewsletter sign up
    • Media contacts
    • What's new February 2021
    spacer
    Cambridge Outlook magazine front cover

    Cambridge Outlook magazine

    Keep up to date with news from Cambridge and its schools around the world.

  • Help

    Help

    • Novel coronavirus - Information for schools about the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak
    spacer
    spacer

Programmes & Qualifications

  • Case studies
    • Edward Tranter
    • Sasha Arridge
  • Case studies
    • Edward Tranter
    • Sasha Arridge
  • Home
  • Programmes and qualifications
  • Cambridge Advanced
  • Cambridge Pre-U
  • Case studies
  • Sasha Arridge

Case study, Sasha Arridge, University of Oxford

VIDEO: Sasha Arridge studied Cambridge Pre-U Global Perspectives & Research at Shrewsbury School, UK. He is now studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of Oxford.

Sasha Arridge studied Cambridge Pre-U Global Perspectives & Independent Research (GPR), together with four A Levels, at Shrewsbury School in the UK, before reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University. We spoke to him in April 2018.

'At Shrewsbury School, all sixth-form students have the option to study either Cambridge Pre-U GPR, for one year or two, or take the one-year Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The two-year Cambridge Pre-U GPR course was perceived as being more demanding, which is why I decided to take it. The course gave me the same freedom as the EPQ to explore and research a topic in depth, but also – in the first year – taught me the skills I needed to research effectively. I studied Maths, Further Maths, English and Philosophy & Theology at A Level. Alongside English, Cambridge Pre-U GPR proved to be my favourite sixth-form course.

University preparation

'Cambridge Pre-U GPR prepared me for university. It taught me many useful research and critical thinking skills, especially how to read critically a ‘proper’ academic paper. The course also improved the clarity and concision of my writing, the importance of which only really became apparent at university. The assessment format is also very relevant – the final exam asks you to critique material presented to you, and the independent research report (IRR) and presentation are useful introductions to the world of academic research, an area I want to go into after my degree.

'Cambridge Pre-U also helps prepare you for university interviews by teaching you how to approach new material analytically – an indispensable interview skill – and gives you the ability to get to grips with new information very quickly. Above all, however, Cambridge Pre-U GPR gives you the independent study skills that universities want – it’s evidence of your aptitude for the type of learning demanded by universities, and can really set your application apart.

'Now that I’m an undergraduate, I know that university study involves a lot of independent learning, especially in the humanities. Cambridge Pre-U GPR teaches you how to find the most relevant research sources and how to digest information. Much of my university work follows a similar process to researching and writing the IRR, so having a ‘taster’ of this process at school definitely made the transition to university much smoother, and I’m still using these skills as I work on my undergraduate dissertation.

Independent Research Report

'For me, the Independent Research Report (IRR) was when the fun really started – a chance to use all the skills I had developed so far, and my first real opportunity to study a subject I really enjoyed, in depth and in an academic context. The subject of my IRR was:‘Will the ISDS (Investor-State Dispute Settlement) provisions in the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) agreement undermine democracy in EU member states?' TTIP was being negotiated at the time I was deciding on my IRR topic, and the ISDS (whereby a company could sue a government if its policies had reduced the company’s profits) was not widely publicised, despite its potentially profound impact in the EU and USA. I’m very interested in democratic theory and practice, which made the implications of ISDS fascinating and important, and the lack of publicity around this issue motivated me to find out more.

'Although my IRR turned out very well, I did waste time at the start of the process and should have made a better plan – this proved quite stressful but made me understand the value of proper time management, something I’m still working on today. However, I was very proud of my IRR when it was finished, and I’m still proud of it today.'

About us

  • What we do
  • Help
  • Our social media channels

Useful links

  • Join Cambridge
  • Book a training course
  • Communications toolkit
  • Log in to secure sites
  • Careers

View Related Sites

  • School Support Hub
  • Cambridge Primary support site
  • Cambridge Lower Secondary support site
  • Cambridge International Direct
  • eSubmission
  • Online Learning – professional development
  • Assessment Specialist support site
  • Online Learning – student support

Copyright © UCLES 2021

  • Sitemap
  • ISO 9001 Certificate
  • Privacy and legal
  • Statement on Modern Slavery
  • Contact us
Back to top
We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept