Unlock Oxford welcomes over 200 students to St Edmund Hall

St Edmund Hall was delighted to welcome students from a number of schools to St Edmund Hall as part of our flagship Unlock Oxford programme this March and April. This marks the fourth year of this initiative.

Developed by St Edmund Hall, Unlock Oxford is a sustained-contact outreach programme working with state schools in Leicestershire and Derbyshire. It aims to raise aspirations and attainment among students from backgrounds that are currently under-represented at Oxford. Students are selected using a range of indicators of disadvantage, ensuring the programme reaches those most likely to benefit. Alongside this, participants are chosen based on their GCSE (or predicted GCSE) performance, ensuring they are on track to make a competitive application to a leading UK university, like the University of Oxford.

In tenth week of Hilary Term, the Admissions Office ran two residential visits for Year 12 students in urban areas of Leicester and Derby. Their short stay included a tour of the Hall and the city, an overview of the Oxford application process, an interview workshop, and opportunities to speak with tutors and current students. By the end of the visit, students had developed a strong understanding of Oxford’s tutorial system and admissions process, as well as a greater sense of belonging and confidence in their potential to thrive here.

In -1st week of Trinity Term, St Edmund Hall hosted two one-night residentials for Year 10 students from our link regions. The programme introduced students to university life as well as Oxford more broadly, alongside workshops on student finance and A-level choices. Students also took part in an academic taster session within a University department, offering a first-hand experience of what life as an undergraduate is like.

Across both residentials, we were pleased to host over 200 students from eleven schools, making this our largest year to date in terms of student participation. We are very grateful to everyone who contributed to the continued success of this programme, including our Student Helpers, Tutors, teachers, and all those who support access and outreach work at the Hall through donations.

Visit our Schools and Outreach page for more information about St Edmund Hall’s outreach programmes.

“The fact that I was able to come and visit was amazing… For so long people have this perception that somewhere as prestigious as Oxford is near to impossible [to get in to]… but programmes like Unlock Oxford really open it up for great minds all around the country and show that Oxford isn’t some fairytale, it’s somewhere you can experience for yourself if you put the work in. After this trip I’ve really felt a sense of ‘Yeah, I can do this… I can make it into Oxford!’ and it’s motivated me to keep going” – Year 10 Student, Leicester