Outreach and Access for Schools and Teachers
The Outreach Team at St Anne's College hosts school visits from state schools in our link regions of Hillingdon and Southwark in London and the North East of England throughout the year, as well as arranging opportunities to visit state schools in our link regions. We offer a wide range of talks and workshops relating to Higher Education, the University of Oxford and critical thinking resources.
You can view a brochure of our school workshops and activities here. We are also happy to adapt any of these to your students and their requirements. If you would like to start arranging a session with us then please email us.
Below you can also find useful information and guidance for university applications, and advice on how best to support your students.
If you are a teacher or adviser in one of our link regions, you can also join our mailing list of opportunities and events in Oxford and in your region.
Important Notice for Schools about Admissions Tests:
As of 2024, all Oxford University admissions tests will be online, delivered in partnership with Pearson VUE via its established network of test centres.
Candidates must register themselves free of charge with Pearson VUE test centres between 15 August and 4 October.
The University’s guidance on admissions tests and how to sign up can be found here.
Our Work With Schools
If you would like to arrange some activities with St Anne’s Outreach – whether that would be an online session, a visit to us, or a visit from us to your school – please email: outreach@st-annes.ox.ac.uk, or call us on 01865 274825.
If you are looking for resources to help with teaching at home, or to use in online classrooms, please visit our Super-Curriculars and Resources page.
Our three link regions are Hillingdon, Southwark (both London) and the North East of England (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland) – and we appreciate that each region has entirely different needs and experiences with Higher Education and Oxford.
If you have ideas for bespoke activities for your school, we’d love to hear from you too!
Visit Oxford: Discovery and Taster Days
We offer regular visits throughout the year for state schools in our link regions to visit the college, to experience life as a student and find out more about studying at Oxford. You can request a visit via email.
The timetables below give a rough idea of how a typical Discovery or Taster Day runs, and we are happy to amend timings and sessions to suit your school.
KS4 Year 9/10 Discovery Days
10:00-10:15 – Arrive at St Anne’s College
10:30-11:30– Information, advice and guidance session (focusing on the Russell Group, Oxford, GCSEs, A Level choices and careers)
11:30-11:45 – Refreshments
11:45-12:30 – Tour of College and Q&A with current undergraduate students
12:30-13:15 – Lunch in the dining hall
13:15-14:30 – Interactive session at an Oxford University Museum
15:00 – Wrap-up, final questions and depart from St Anne’s College
KS5 Year 12/13 Taster Days
10:00-10:15 – Arrive at St Anne’s College
10:30-11:30 – Information, advice and guidance session (focusing on Oxbridge and Russell Group applications)
11:30-11:45 – Refreshments
11:45-12:45 – Academic taster session (we will aim to provide a choice of subject sessions, which will typically be one STEM and one Humanities session)
12:45-13:30 – Lunch in the dining hall
13:30 -14:00 – Tour of College and Q&A with current undergraduate students
14:15-14:45 – Tour of a second Oxford College
15:15 – Wrap-up, final questions and depart from St Anne’s College
In Your Region & Online
We offer a variety of talks and workshops for state schools in our link regions (North East of England, Hillingdon and Southwark). We regularly spend a week in the North East visiting schools. All of our talks and workshops can be delivered online, so please let us know if this would work better for your school!
If you are looking for resources to help with teaching at home, or to use in online classrooms, please visit our Resources page.
If you would like an online or in person visit, please email: outreach@st-annes.ox.ac.uk.
Higher Education Explained – Exploring university and what it is like to live and study there.
Oxplore Workshops – using resources from the Oxplore website, these workshops promote critical thinking, reasoning and debate.
University and Future Choices – GCSEs, A levels and how they link to university courses and careers.
Why University, Why Oxford – the purpose of university, finances, myth-busting and an introduction to the University of Oxford.
Oxplore and Debating Workshops – using resources from the Oxplore website, these workshops promote critical thinking, reasoning and debate.
Making a Competitive Application to University – what competitive universities are looking for, introducing super-curricular activities, information about Oxford and Cambridge.
Oxford and the Application Process – an Oxford and Cambridge-specific session, explaining how to apply, choosing a course and choosing a college.
Super-Curricular Activities Workshop – what they are, where to find them and how to make the most of them.
Personal Statement Workshop – suitable for students considering competitive applications, Oxford and Cambridge – advice, guidance and tips.
Oxplore Workshops – using resources from the Oxplore website, these workshops promote critical thinking, reasoning and debate.
Personal Statement Workshop – suitable for students considering competitive applications, Oxford and Cambridge – advice, guidance and tips.
Admissions Test Workshops – offering information and guidance about how best to prepare for Admissions Tests.
Interview Workshops – During October-November, we run a number of interview workshops for state schools in our link regions. We ask schools to host these visits, and students from across our link regions are welcome to attend.
Teacher CPD/IAG – how to support an Oxford or Cambridge applicant: the application process, writing teacher references and personal statements, admissions tests and interviews. Q&A with an Outreach Officer.
Parent/Carer Engagement and Information – Applying to Oxford or Cambridge, supporting an applicant, the application process and Q&A with an Outreach Officer.
Join Our Mailing List
To keep in touch, please sign up for our Teachers’ Newsletter, where we send out roughly monthly updates on the weork we’re doing, opportunities for your students to get involved in (such as competitions, work experience, admissions test practice), and events for you to join, such as our Teachers’ Forums.
Teacher Training CPD
As well as working with students, we recognise the longer-term impact our work can have by training teachers to help your students across many cohorts. This is why we run regular Teacher CPD sessions both to train and refresh teachers on the latest advice and guidance for you and your students. For example, we run sessions on the new UCAS Teachers References, since they have changed for the 2023-24 round of applications onward, as well as some interview training on how to deliver up-to-date, accurate and useful mock interviews to well-prepare your applicants.
If you would like to arrange a teacher training event in your school, or would like to join one of the regional events, then please get in touch or sign up to our newsletter.
Advising Your Students
Helping with Applications
Supporting your students through their applications to universities and other Higher Education routes can be confusing and often overwhelming – especially since the process can vary so much between universities.
That's why we've put together resources and guidance through the application process, particularly making Competitive Applications to institutions like Oxford. This timeline takes you through the resources that can help boost their applications, teachers' references, and finally the specifics of making an Oxbridge application.
If you are looking for advice for your students directly, please refer them to our For Students page.
For Students Page
Writing...
Teachers' References
To try and make the Teacher's Reference a more effective tool for providers, UCAS have introduced some changes to the structure and information required about the student and their school. From 2023-24 entry cycle UCAS will replace the free text reference with three structured questions. For those who we haven't organised a session with, here is our presentation for Teachers on the new references.
For teachers wanting more specific guidance on writing these new references, you can sign up for one of our online Teacher Training CPD sessions by email or phoning 01865 274825. If you think others at your school would also benefit from one of these sessions, please email or fill out our event request form and we may be able to arrange an in-person CPD session in your school.
Experience Oxford as a Student
UNIQ
UNIQ is the University of Oxford's largest Access Programme, providing support and guidance for students with high academic potential from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford. The programme consists of a residential here in Oxford during the summer at the end of their Year 12, and sustained online support for the admissions process through Year 13.
Not only is this an incredibly valuable opportunity to help your students' applications, UNIQ offers an enjoyable opportunity for them to learn more about Oxford and their subject while getting a taste of the Oxford student experience.
Learn more about UNIQ
Have they considered...
Astrophoria Foundation Year
The Astrophoria Foundation Year is fully-funded with lowered entry requirements, allowing students who pass that year to progress onto the standard-entry course. The programme is specifically for state school students with high academic potential but who have faced disruption in their education. Find out more here.