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Oxford college targets Merseyside with access programme

26 October 2012

Oxford University is targeting bright Merseyside students with an ambitious year-long programme to help get more state school students from the area into Oxford.

St Peter’s College is launching a Merseyside Oxford Access Programme to encourage and support sixth form students in applying to Oxford. Over the course of a year, students will take part in a series of free events designed to help them make successful applications to Oxford – including a two-night residential stay in Oxford, interview practice sessions, and academic mentoring by current Oxford students.

Around 30 students from Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helen’s and the Wirral will be able to take part, and applications for the programme close on November 2.

Alice Wilby, Schools Liaison Officer for St Peter’s College said: ‘We really want to give bright students from the Merseyside area as much information and support as possible to help them make a successful application to Oxford. There are lots of myths out there about what Oxford is looking for and what it takes to get in here, and we want students to know that what really matters is your talent and passion for your subject – not where you come from or where you went to school.

‘The Merseyside access programme will help students understand the Oxford admissions process and how to make the strongest application possible, from writing personal statements to thriving at the admissions interview. It’s also about showing students what being a student at Oxford is all about, and pushing them to think about how to make the most of their academic talents and passions.’

Rebecca Lea, a first year Biochemistry student at St Peter’s who attended Broughton Hall High School said: ‘During the interview process, and now during my first few weeks at Oxford, it became obvious that where you're from and what schools you have attended has absolutely no impact on whether or not you're likely to be accepted. All that matters to the university is that you have an honest passion and aptitude for your chosen field of study and that they can see, within you, an ability to flourish in Oxford University's uniquely stimulating environment.’

Starting in January 2013, students selected for the Merseyside access scheme will have access to a year-long programme of academic and application support, including a launch event with parents, two-night residential and academic challenge at St Peter’s College, online mentoring from current undergraduates, and an end-of-year event in Liverpool with academic presentations and awards. Throughout the following autumn students will have access to application and interview support in their local schools from outreach staff and Oxford undergraduates.

The programme will select around 30 students from schools in the Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helen’s and Wirral areas. The events are targeted at students with the grades and interest in applying to Oxford, and should be predicted AAA at A Level.

For more information, please contact Julia Paolitto in the Press Office, Oxford University on 01865 280 531 or press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk

Notes for Editors:

 For more on the programme see http://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/text/380/regional_outreach.html

The Merseyside events are being organised by the Schools Liaison Officer at St Peter’s College, Oxford, with current and former students and Oxford academics taking part.

As part of the University of Oxford’s ongoing commitment to engage with schools, each Oxford college is linked to a Local Authority to ensure that each school has a first point of contact within the University. The Merseyside activities are part of St Peter’s College work with the local authority as one of its regional links. For more on the links between local authorities and colleges see:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/events_and_outreach/information_for_teachers_and_advisors/contacts/school_and_college_1.html

The yearlong programme includes the following events:

2 November 2012 – Deadline for applications

16 January 2013 – Launch event for students and parents in Liverpool

10-12 April 2013 – Residential in Oxford at St Peter’s College

April –October 2013 – ongoing e-mentoring with current Oxford students

3 July 2013 – Subject presentations and awards event in Liverpool

October 2013 (various dates) – Application and interview support in local schools

The residential event in April will include college tours, meeting with current Oxford students and academics, as well as an ‘academic challenge’ that will push students to research a subject that interests them that they will present at the end-of-year event in July.