EXTRA DARREN’S TRADING ACADEMY ACCESS
Oxford Academy Trading Strategies
A complete visual training library for Darren’s Trading Academy members. Every method below includes the market logic, best conditions, exact confirmation process, stop-loss placement, profit targets, invalidation rules, common mistakes and a worked example.
Universal risk rules
- Daily trend guides H1 trades; H1 trend guides M15 trades.
- Use SMA 50 and SMA 200 as filters, not automatic signals.
- Green TrendFlow conditions favour buys, red favours sells and amber means wait.
- Risk is calculated from entry to invalidation. Never move the stop farther away to avoid a loss.
- A 1% maximum is for academy training; beginners and funded accounts may require substantially less.
- Record every attempt in the Student Journal, including screenshots and the result in R.
1. TrendFlow Fibonacci Pullback
What the method is designed to capture
Use only after a clear impulse has created higher highs and higher lows for a buy, or lower highs and lower lows for a sell. Price, SMA 50 and SMA 200 should support the direction.
Recommended chart structure
H1 entries using the Daily bias; M15 entries using the H1 bias.
Exact entry confirmation
Draw from the latest completed swing low to swing high for buys, or swing high to swing low for sells. Wait for price inside 50%, 61.8% or 73%, then require a rejection candle to close.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the swing that invalidates the trend idea, with a small spread allowance—not at an arbitrary pip distance.
Take-profit and management
TP1 at the previous swing; TP2 at the 127.2% or 161.8% expansion if momentum remains healthy.
When not to trade it
Do not trade a deep retracement that has already broken the trend structure.
Worked example
EURUSD is bullish on Daily and H1. Price returns to 61.8%, prints a bullish engulfing candle and closes above its high. Entry is above the signal candle, SL below the swing low, TP1 at the old high.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
2. Inside Bar Breakout
What the method is designed to capture
A strong mother candle followed by a candle whose high and low remain inside the mother candle. The best setups pause inside an established trend.
Recommended chart structure
H1 or H4; M15 only in a liquid session.
Exact entry confirmation
Enter only after price closes or triggers beyond the inside-bar boundary in the higher-timeframe direction. Conservative traders wait for a retest.
Stop-loss placement
Opposite side of the inside bar for an aggressive stop, or opposite side of the mother bar for more breathing room.
Take-profit and management
Nearest structure first, then trail behind new swing points.
When not to trade it
Skip patterns directly beneath resistance, above support, during very low liquidity, or immediately before major news.
Worked example
GBPUSD trends upward, pauses with an inside bar above support and breaks its high during London. SL is below the pattern; TP is the next H1 resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
3. Turtle Donchian Breakout
What the method is designed to capture
Price approaches the highest high or lowest low of the previous 20 completed candles after a period of containment.
Recommended chart structure
Daily or H4 for classical trend following; H1 for academy practice.
Exact entry confirmation
Buy a confirmed break of the 20-candle high or sell a confirmed break of the 20-candle low. Avoid anticipating the breakout.
Stop-loss placement
Use an ATR-based stop or the most recent structure point so normal volatility does not stop the trade prematurely.
Take-profit and management
Trail behind a 10-candle exit channel or completed swing structure; this method seeks occasional large trends.
When not to trade it
Avoid late entries after several oversized candles or breakouts directly into a major weekly level.
Worked example
Gold closes above its 20-bar H4 high. Entry follows the close; SL sits below the breakout structure; the position trails until the shorter channel breaks.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
4. Jesse Livermore Pivotal Point
What the method is designed to capture
A historically important high, low or consolidation boundary where a decisive move could change market behaviour.
Recommended chart structure
Daily, H4 or H1.
Exact entry confirmation
Require a strong close beyond the pivotal level, or a successful retest that demonstrates the old level has changed role.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the pivotal level and the retest swing. Exit quickly if price returns decisively through the level.
Take-profit and management
Next major support/resistance, then trail if the move develops into a new trend.
When not to trade it
Do not call every minor intraday line a pivotal point. The level must be visible and meaningful on the higher timeframe.
Worked example
USDJPY breaks a major H4 high, retests it as support and prints a bullish rejection. Entry is above rejection; SL below retest; TP at the next weekly resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
5. Toby Crabel NR4 Breakout
What the method is designed to capture
The latest completed candle has the narrowest high-to-low range of the latest four candles, signalling compression.
Recommended chart structure
H1 and H4 work well; M15 requires strict session filtering.
Exact entry confirmation
Mark the NR4 high and low. Trade the first confirmed break that agrees with TrendFlow and higher-timeframe structure.
Stop-loss placement
Opposite side of the NR4 candle or beyond the nearby structure if the candle is unusually small.
Take-profit and management
Use the next structure level or a fixed 1.5R–2R objective, then trail if expansion is strong.
When not to trade it
Avoid taking the opposite direction after a clean first break and avoid NR4 candles inside chaotic news spikes.
Worked example
AUDUSD forms the narrowest H1 range in four bars above demand. London breaks the high; SL below NR4; TP at 2R or the next supply zone.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
6. W-Pattern Support Reversal
What the method is designed to capture
Two lows form around a proven support zone. Ideally the second low sweeps liquidity but fails to continue downward.
Recommended chart structure
H1 for structure; M15 for the refined entry.
Exact entry confirmation
Mark the reaction high between the lows as the neckline. Enter after a body close above it, preferably on a bullish retest.
Stop-loss placement
Below the second low or liquidity sweep—the point that disproves the reversal.
Take-profit and management
TP1 at the next resistance; TP2 can use the pattern height projected above the neckline.
When not to trade it
Avoid buying before the neckline breaks or when the higher timeframe remains in a powerful bearish trend.
Worked example
EURGBP forms two lows at H1 demand. The second low sweeps the first, then price closes above neckline. Entry on retest, SL below second low, TP at resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
7. M-Pattern Resistance Reversal
What the method is designed to capture
Two highs form around resistance. The second high may sweep the first before sellers regain control.
Recommended chart structure
H1 for structure; M15 for entry confirmation.
Exact entry confirmation
Mark the reaction low as the neckline. Sell only after a close below it or a failed retest from underneath.
Stop-loss placement
Above the second high or sweep.
Take-profit and management
TP1 at nearest support; TP2 uses the pattern height if space remains.
When not to trade it
Avoid selling before confirmation or directly into nearby support.
Worked example
GBPJPY makes a second high above H1 resistance, rejects it and breaks the neckline. Entry on retest, SL above sweep, TP at the prior H1 low.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
8. Supply and Demand Zone
What the method is designed to capture
Find the final base or opposing candle before a strong displacement that breaks structure. Fresh first returns are preferred.
Recommended chart structure
H4/H1 zones with M15 confirmation.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for price to revisit the zone and show rejection, engulfing behaviour or a lower-timeframe structure shift.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the far edge of the zone and beyond the true invalidation point.
Take-profit and management
Opposing zone, prior swing or liquidity pool; take partial profit when appropriate.
When not to trade it
Avoid repeatedly tested zones, weak departures and zones formed without a structure break.
Worked example
XAUUSD returns to fresh H1 demand that launched a structure break. M15 turns bullish; entry follows, SL below demand, TP at opposing H1 supply.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
9. Wyckoff Mean Reversion
What the method is designed to capture
A mature range with clear support, resistance and midpoint. Look for a spring below support or upthrust above resistance.
Recommended chart structure
H1 or H4 range context; M15 trigger.
Exact entry confirmation
Enter after price re-enters the range and confirms a structure shift away from the swept edge.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the spring or upthrust extreme.
Take-profit and management
Range midpoint first, then the opposite boundary only if price remains balanced.
When not to trade it
Never fade the edge when strong displacement and acceptance show a genuine breakout.
Worked example
Price sweeps below range support, closes back inside and breaks M15 structure upward. Entry on retest, SL below spring, TP1 at midpoint.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
10. ICT Fair Value Gap
What the method is designed to capture
A three-candle displacement leaves an imbalance between candle one and candle three and breaks meaningful structure.
Recommended chart structure
H1 context with M15 execution.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for price to retrace into the gap. Require rejection or a lower-timeframe shift; do not chase the displacement candle.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the structure or swing that invalidates the displacement idea.
Take-profit and management
Prior high/low, external liquidity or the next opposing imbalance.
When not to trade it
Avoid tiny gaps in sideways price and gaps that did not accompany displacement or a structure break.
Worked example
EURUSD breaks H1 structure upward and leaves an M15 gap. Price fills part of it and rejects; entry above rejection, SL below swing, TP at buy-side liquidity.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
11. EMA Pullback with Supply and Demand
What the method is designed to capture
Price and fast EMA should be on the trend side of the slower EMA. A fresh zone overlaps the expected EMA pullback area.
Recommended chart structure
H1 direction and M15 entry.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for the zone/EMA confluence and a candle close back in the trend direction. The EMA is a filter, not the entry by itself.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the supply/demand zone, not directly on the moving average.
Take-profit and management
Previous swing first; trail if structure continues.
When not to trade it
Skip flat, crossing averages and entries where the pullback has broken trend structure.
Worked example
USDCHF is above both EMAs. Price pulls into H1 demand near the fast EMA and rejects; entry above candle, SL below zone, TP at old high.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
12. High-Impact News Break-and-Retest
What the method is designed to capture
Pre-mark the range and levels. Allow the first spike, spread widening and erratic movement to finish.
Recommended chart structure
M15 or H1 after the release; experienced traders only.
Exact entry confirmation
Require spreads to normalise, a candle to close beyond the range, and a controlled retest with confirmation.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the retest structure, allowing for realistic slippage risk. Use reduced size.
Take-profit and management
Next major liquidity or structure level; protect the trade if volatility collapses.
When not to trade it
Never enter the first spike, use a pending order through news, or assume the planned stop price is guaranteed.
Worked example
After CPI, EURUSD closes above its pre-news range. Spread normalises and the range high holds on retest. Reduced-risk entry, SL below retest, TP at next resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
13. Bollinger Band Squeeze
What the method is designed to capture
Bands contract visibly while price forms a tight, organised range, showing volatility compression.
Recommended chart structure
H1 or M15 during liquid sessions.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for a body close outside the range with bands starting to expand; align with higher-timeframe bias.
Stop-loss placement
Back inside the range or beyond the opposite side, depending on volatility and position size.
Take-profit and management
Measured range projection or next structure; trail while bands expand cleanly.
When not to trade it
Avoid wick-only breaks and squeezes immediately before unpredictable scheduled news.
Worked example
NZDUSD compresses on H1, then closes above the range as bands expand. Entry after close/retest, SL inside range, TP at next H1 resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
14. RSI Divergence with Structure
What the method is designed to capture
Bullish divergence: price forms a lower low while RSI forms a higher low. Bearish divergence is the reverse.
Recommended chart structure
H1 context and M15 confirmation.
Exact entry confirmation
Divergence is only a warning. Enter after market structure breaks and a retest confirms the reversal.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the divergence swing.
Take-profit and management
Nearest opposing structure first, then trail if a new trend forms.
When not to trade it
Avoid entering solely because RSI is overbought/oversold or divergence appears against very strong momentum.
Worked example
Gold makes a lower low at Daily support while RSI makes a higher low. M15 breaks upward structure; entry on retest, SL below low, TP at H1 resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
15. London Session Range Break
What the method is designed to capture
Mark the completed Asian-session high and low using broker-time conversion. Prefer pairs liquid in London.
Recommended chart structure
M15, using H1/Daily direction.
Exact entry confirmation
Require London to break the range, close outside and, ideally, retest the boundary in the higher-timeframe direction.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the retest swing or back inside the range.
Take-profit and management
Next H1 level or a measured range extension.
When not to trade it
Avoid trades after an oversized pre-London move or just before UK/euro high-impact news.
Worked example
GBPUSD breaks the Asian high with Daily bullish bias, retests it and rejects upward. Entry above rejection, SL below retest, TP at H1 resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
16. New York Liquidity Reversal
What the method is designed to capture
London has extended into a major level. New York sweeps the London high or low but fails to hold beyond it.
Recommended chart structure
M15 with H1 context.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for price to return through the swept level and confirm a lower-timeframe structure shift.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the sweep extreme.
Take-profit and management
Internal session liquidity first, then the opposite side of the London range if momentum supports it.
When not to trade it
Avoid fading a move when New York accepts beyond the level with sustained displacement.
Worked example
London rallies into H1 resistance. New York sweeps the high, closes back below and breaks M15 structure. Sell retest, SL above sweep, TP at range midpoint.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
17. Breakout and Retest
What the method is designed to capture
A horizontal level has multiple reactions and sufficient open space beyond it.
Recommended chart structure
H1 level with M15 or H1 confirmation.
Exact entry confirmation
Require a candle-body close beyond the level, then a controlled retest and rejection from the new side.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the retest swing and back through the broken level.
Take-profit and management
Next major structure or 2R if that target remains inside clean space.
When not to trade it
Avoid wick-only breaks, late chasing and breakouts directly into the next barrier.
Worked example
USDCAD closes above H1 resistance and retests it as support. Entry above bullish rejection, SL below retest, TP at next H1 supply.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
18. Swing Failure Pattern
What the method is designed to capture
Price trades beyond an obvious prior swing where stops are likely resting, then fails to accept beyond it.
Recommended chart structure
H1 level with M15 trigger.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for a close back through the old swing and a lower-timeframe structure shift away from the sweep.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the sweep extreme.
Take-profit and management
Opposing liquidity or the nearest major structure level.
When not to trade it
Avoid calling a normal breakout a failure before price has actually returned through the level.
Worked example
GBPJPY sweeps a prior H1 high, closes below it and breaks M15 structure. Sell retest, SL above sweep, TP at the prior low.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
19. Moving-Average Trend Continuation
What the method is designed to capture
For buys, price is above SMA 50 and SMA 200 with SMA 50 above SMA 200; reverse for sells. Structure must agree.
Recommended chart structure
H1 or H4; M15 execution if needed.
Exact entry confirmation
Wait for a controlled pullback to structure or the average area and require a rejection candle.
Stop-loss placement
Beyond the pullback swing—not directly on the moving average.
Take-profit and management
Previous swing, next structure or a trailing exit as the trend develops.
When not to trade it
Avoid flat averages, frequent crossings and entries after an extended candle far from structure.
Worked example
AUDUSD trends above both averages, pulls back to H1 support near SMA 50 and rejects. Entry above signal, SL below swing, TP at prior high.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
20. Multi-Timeframe Confluence
What the method is designed to capture
Daily provides directional bias and major levels. H1 identifies structure and the setup zone. M15 provides the trigger.
Recommended chart structure
Daily direction, H1 setup, M15 execution.
Exact entry confirmation
Enter only when the timeframes agree or when a fully confirmed higher-timeframe reversal has completed.
Stop-loss placement
At the M15/H1 structure point that genuinely invalidates the setup; size the position from that distance.
Take-profit and management
H1 target first, then Daily structure if the trend continues.
When not to trade it
Avoid mixing signals from unrelated levels or forcing a trade because one timeframe looks attractive.
Worked example
Daily EURUSD is bullish, H1 pulls into demand and M15 breaks upward structure. Entry on M15 retest, SL below H1 demand, TP at Daily resistance.
Journal prompt: Did the higher timeframe, structure, session and confirmation candle all agree before entry?
Oxford Academy Final Checklist
- Higher-timeframe bias is clear.
- The setup is at a meaningful level.
- The confirmation candle has closed.
- News and spread conditions are acceptable.
- The stop is at true invalidation.
- Position size is calculated from stop distance.
- The target offers sufficient reward.
- The trade will be recorded and reviewed.