About us
Although University of Oxford colleges have been working with schools across Wales for many years, students from Wales are still under-represented at Oxford and we want this to change. It's time for a new approach!
Who are we?
Jesus College, New College and St Catherine’s College, have joined forces to launch Oxford Cymru, our community outreach programme for Wales! By working together, these colleges will ensure that for the first time the University of Oxford is able to offer a coherent outreach programme that covers the whole of Wales. Our aims are ambitious and split in to two key areas:
Outreach Work:
- To ensure that the proportion of outreach work delivered by the University reflects the proportion of schools in each Welsh region by 2024/25.
- To increase the amount of outreach work in Mid, Northwest, and West Wales to ensure it reflects the proportion of all schools in these regions by 2024/25.
- To create a digital and print marketing campaign to reach all Welsh secondary schools by 2023, helping to raise the profile of Oxford University in Wales.
Applications:
- To increase the rate of application growth from Welsh state-school students to 5% per annum by 2024/25.
- To increase applications from South West and West Wales so that they make up at least 25% of total Welsh applications by 2024/25.
For more details on the research underpinning these commitments, please see the University of Oxford's Access and Participation Plan.
Working together
Over the coming years Oxford Cymru will work with schools and colleges in the following areas:
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham.
As well as working with the Seren network across Wales, Oxford Cymru is also developing partnerships with local authorities, multi academy trusts and social mobility organisations.
The colleges will also continue their existing work in other parts of the UK. Please note that if you or your school do not fall into our access categories, there is still plenty of advice and support available for you here and on the University website. All schools, sixth form and further education colleges across Wales are very welcome to contact Oxford Cymru for information and advice on admissions and outreach. Details of link colleges for other parts of the UK are available on the university website.
Impact
We do not expect to make radical changes overnight, but hope to build lasting partnerships across the region which will benefit the whole school community as well as our University.
We will evaluate the impact of our outreach across Wales and publish an annual impact report.
Find out more about outreach at the University of Oxford.
