Unlock Oxford
Flagship programme for target rural and urban schools
Unlock Oxford is St Edmund Hall’s flagship outreach programme. Split into two strands, urban and rural, the programme is tailored to the diverse needs of our link areas: Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
The programmes’ aims are as follows:
- To raise aspirations and improve students’ awareness of higher education opportunities;
- To build confidence in students’ academic potential and their ability to make informed choices about their future;
- To support students in making competitive applications to top universities like Oxford.
What is Unlock Oxford?
Unlock Oxford is designed to support select students through a sustained contact programme from Year 10 through to Year 12. We aim to raise participants’ aspiration to study at university, working with them through to the point of University application. The urban programme is built around two residential trips to Oxford, in Years 10 and 12 respectively. The rural programme works with students through remote support, in-person visits to school and a trip to Oxford. As well as support for staff and parents, students can expect to receive advice regarding A-level and degree choices, super-curricular opportunities, student finance and guidance on making a competitive application to a top university such as Oxford. Participants will also get to meet like-minded aspirational students from schools across their city.
Who is it for?
This urban programme has been geared towards inner-city schools in Derby and Leicester, focusing on areas with higher rates of socio-economic disadvantage and diverse ethnic communities.
The rural programme has been tailored towards rural areas across Derbyshire and Leicestershire with historically lower rates of social mobility and progression to higher education.
We aim to work with bright students who may otherwise not have the expectation or tools to progress to higher education. It is important for us to consider pupils who may not be achieving the highest grades but possess the potential to excel in their academic future. As well as academic performance, participating pupils will need to meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Live in an area of low progression to higher education (POLAR 1 & 2)
- Live in areas of relative socioeconomic deprivation (Acorn 4 & 5)
- First generation in their family to go to university
- From a BAME background
- Eligible for Free School Meals/Pupil Premium
- Have been in Local Authority Care
- Young carer
We work closely with schools to help select the best students from the programme.
Key Stage 4
Experience University Residential – Year 10
- Introduction to University
- Tour of St Edmund Hall
- Meet Student Ambassadors
- Post-16 choices workshop
- Interactive academic taster sessions
- Tour of Oxford
- Introduction to Student Finance
Key Stage 5
Experience Oxford Residential – Year 12
- Introduction to Oxbridge
- Application process overview
- Oxbridge interview workshop
- Tutor panel
- City tour
Year 10
Remote Launch Event:
An introduction to the programme open to students, staff, parents and carers.
In-school Visit:
We will run an in-person session introducing university and student finance.
Year 11
Experience Oxford Visit:
During this visit to St Edmund Hall, participants will meet current students, experience university life and learn about making informed A-level choices.
Year 12
Making Competitive Applications:
Before entering KS5, participants will be offered to join a mailing list keeping them up to date on super-curricular opportunities. An application workshop, to be held in-school, will guide students through the admissions process, helping them to make a competitive application to Oxford should they wish to do so.
How do I get involved?
We target schools individually for the programme and so aren’t open for direct requests to take part. However, we would be more than happy to discuss other opportunities with schools across Leicestershire and Derbyshire. Please feel free to explore the wider Schools and Outreach section or contact us on schools.liaison@seh.ox.ac.uk.