St Anne’s College would like to congratulate all students who have today received an offer of a place to study here.
For the third year in a row, all Oxford interviews took place online, with our tutors working hard over the course of the interview period to ensure the process was as fair and enjoyable as possible. They praised the calibre and commitment of the applicants, all of whom should feel proud of their achievements, whether or not they were ultimately successful in gaining a place. Despite the educational disruption caused by the pandemic, the students who interviewed with us showed confidence, acumen and ambition, and we have no doubt that they will all go on to thrive, whatever University they attend. We wish all applicants the best of luck with their studies and other activities for the remainder of the academic year. We would also like to thank the schools and colleges which helped ensure that candidates from all backgrounds enjoyed a smooth and straightforward interview process.
Since its earliest beginnings as the Society of Home Students, St Anne’s has set out to be the home of choice for the best and brightest students from all backgrounds. We are pleased to share the news that 75% of this year’s UK offer-holders are state-educated, with 8% of these eligible for Free School Meals. 42% of our UK offer-holders come from households categorised as economically disadvantaged. Our offer-holders come from comprehensive schools, Sixth Form and FE Colleges, grammar schools, academies and independent schools, and from all across the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A record eight offers were also made this year to students from the North East of England, a St Anne’s link region which is significantly under-represented at Oxford and where our sustained contact “Aim for Oxford” programme has so far focused its efforts. Across the region in 2022, our Outreach team made contact with around 4,000 students, and ran Oxford for North East application workshops for 200 Year 12 and 13 students with an interest in applying to Oxford. Of these, 90 students went on to apply to Oxford, with 29% receiving an offer, compared to an average success rate of 20% for applicants from the North East.
We are proud to participate in the University’s pioneering Opportunity Oxford scheme, now in its fourth year of operation, and to have made 15 Opportunity Oxford offers this year. Opportunity Oxford makes offers to students from under-represented backgrounds and includes specially-developed bridging support materials to assist students’ academic transition. You can read more about Opportunity Oxford here.
Beyond Opportunity Oxford, we recognise that the students coming to us since 2020 have suffered significant educational disruption which sometimes leaves them in need of greater academic and welfare support than pre-pandemic cohorts. To mitigate this, we have created the new role of Outreach and Academic Support Officer. The first postholder will provide ongoing academic and other support to current students, as well as assisting our Senior Outreach Officer with our Access and Outreach Programme. The new member of staff will join a hardworking Academic Office and Welfare team committed to ensuring all our offer-holders succeed in their studies and are able to transition smoothly to higher education. We will also be holding an in-person Offer-Holder Event in March – with an online event to follow – which will allow our offer-holders to meet our student ambassadors, ask questions and learn more about what St Anne’s has to offer.
Congratulations once again to all our applicants – we look forward to welcoming our offer-holders to St Anne’s in October.
In addition to its usual undergraduate intake, St Anne’s is delighted to be offering a number of places on the Astrophoria Foundation Year, which will admit its first cohort of students to start in October 2023. We would like to remind potential applicants and their teachers that the selection process for this will take place later this term, and applications are still open. This is a one-year fully-funded foundation programme for UK state school students with significant academic potential, who have experienced severe personal disadvantage and/or disrupted education which has resulted in them being unable to apply directly for an Oxford undergraduate degree programme. It will enable motivated students to perform at the highest possible level through a supportive and challenging course aimed at developing their skills, self-belief and academic confidence.
If you, or someone you know or teach, would like to apply for this opportunity, you can find more information here: Astrophoria Foundation Year.
Applications must be made through UCAS by 25 January 2023.