Oxford for East England

Open Days

Who for: Students (Y11-13), Teachers, Families  |  When: 26 and 27 June and 20 September 2024   |  Where: Oxford

The University holds three Open Days, two in June or July and one in September, each year. All colleges and departments are open for prospective students to visit and there's plenty of opportunity to ask questions. While you do not need to apply to visit us on an Open Day, sessions in some academic departments will require you to register in advance.

Find out information about what the Oxford for East England colleges have to offer here: Balliol College, Hertford College, Wadham College

Balliol College Discovery Programme

Who is it for?

The programme is designed for able and motivated Year 10 students who are willing to engage in all of the academic sessions and complete the pre-session tasks to gain the most from the programme.

We will give priority to the most disadvantaged schools and schools from our link regions of Norfolk, Suffolk and Hertfordshire for the live sessions. Schools form all regions of the UK are welcome to apply.

How does it work?

There are two options to choose from. Schools can request to attend the live workshops which run on Thursdays between 3.30−4.30 from 21 March until 13 June or schools can opt to receive the recordings of the sessions to use as part of their wider teaching.

What will the programme cover?

The programme will introduce topics that students will not usually have covered in school. Content will cover humanities, and the sciences.

In our 2024 programme we will cover:

• Art History
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Economics
• English
• Maths
• Philosophy
• Psychology

Each workshop involves a short assignment to be completed beforehand. This usually involves reading, watching a video or listening to a podcast.

When are the 2024 workshops?

The workshops will run every Thursday (excluding school holidays) from 21 March until the 13 June.

How can I register my school for the live sessions?

Teachers who are interested in signing a year 10 group up for the live talks or to receive the recordings to use in their teaching should complete this form by 5pm on Friday 15 March 2023.

Teachers who would like to request the complete recordings of the 2023 Discovery programme to use in lessons can do so by completing this form.

School Access Programme

Who for: Students (KS3-5), Teachers, Families  |  When: Year-round  |  Where: Your region

We visit a large number of state schools across the East of England every year. We’re pleased to be able to offer a wide range of presentations and workshops, which can include the following:

• Introduction to higher education (KS3)
• Oxplore and critical thinking workshops (KS3-4)
• Introduction to Oxford (KS4-5)
• Exploring beyond the curriculum
• Personal statements workshop (KS5)
• Oxford interviews workshop (KS5)
• Introduction to Oxford for parents and carers

We are not usually able to attend individual school careers fairs but will be happy to discuss other ways in which we can support your students. Get in touch for details of events your students can join this year and to discuss hosting events for students in your area through your Local Authority link college at the top of the page.

Aspiration and Taster Days in Oxford

Who for: Students (all years), Teachers  |  When: Year-round  |  Where: Oxford

Oxford for East of England warmly welcome all state primary and secondary pupils to attend a school visit during University term time. These visit days are designed to give pupils a taste of University life and can be adapted for all year groups. There is no charge for these days. An example of a visit might include a talk about the University of Oxford, meeting current undergraduate students, and academic taster sessions at a museum or department. We’re happy to adapt our visit days to meet the needs of any particular group of pupils, so please do get in touch to discuss more through your Local Authority link college above.

KS3 Learning Days

Who for: Students (Y7-8), Teachers  |  When: Year-round  |  Where: Oxford

Balliol and Hertford Colleges collaborate to run subject-specific KS3 Learning Days for state school students in Years 7 and 8. Students are introduced to universities and the online Oxplore platform, and also experience an academic workshop and optional museum visit.

Unsung Heroes of Science Teachers' Resources

Who for: Teachers  |  When: Year-round  |  Where: Online

Hertford College have put together some resources to help you and your students to explore unsung heroes of science, discovering the stories of lesser-known scientists. There are one-slide profiles of 40 Unsung Heroes – that’s enough for one a week for the school year. You could include them in lessons or assemblies and broaden your students’ understanding of what a scientist looks like. There are also some activity plans that use the competition videos as their starting point. These could work well with a range of ages and groups, with short activities as well as full lesson plans.

Download all the resources on the Unsung Heroes of Science pages of the Hertford College website.

Oxbridge Student Conferences

Who for: Students (Y12), Teachers  |  When: Spring  |  Where: Your region

These day events are aimed at Year 12 students who are studying for their A Levels (or equivalent) and are beginning to consider their options for study beyond sixth form. The conferences are designed as Open Days on the road, and bring experienced admissions staff, subject specialists and current students from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge to venues around the UK.

These full day events provide up to date information about our courses, clearly outline the admissions process and provide students with the opportunity to hear first-hand how our current undergraduates find life at Oxford and Cambridge. The events also include specific presentations for teachers on outreach and admissions.

Teachers can organise to take a group of their students to their local student conference - find out more here: Oxford and Cambridge Student Conferences

Regional Teachers’ Conferences

Who for: Teachers  |  When: Summer  |  Where: Your region

The University organises free CPD accredited Regional Teachers’ Conferences. During these conferences, we welcome the chance to talk with teachers and advisers about supporting your students through all aspects of considering and applying to Oxford. Sign up to attend the next conference in your region or email [email protected]

Ignite: Oxford’s Free Careers Education Programme for Schools

Who for: Students (KS3-5), Teachers  |  When: Year-round  |  Where: Online

Ignite is a career confidence programme for schools and colleges from Oxford University Careers Service. It aims to help develop pupils’ assertiveness and confidence in academic, extra-curricular, family, social and eventual career activities. The programme is aimed at secondary school pupils (ages 11-18) and to be delivered within the school by teachers/PSHE tutors. It is available in modules to be applied and used as appropriate.