About us
Who are we?
Every year the University of Oxford receives many high-quality applications from students from the West Midlands. When we look at these applications in more detail, however, it is clear that we attract more applications from some parts of the region than others. We wanted to establish a new approach to encourage and support more excellent prospective applicants from the region, which draws upon the expertise, enthusiasm, and existing regional knowledge of the Oxford colleges already working within the West Midlands.
Oriel, Keble, and University colleges are combining forces to launch Oxford for West Midlands, our new community outreach programme for your area. These colleges are focussing their support on state schools throughout the region, and have an ambitious programme that will provide better and more bespoke support for students of different ages, their teachers and their families.
Aims
Our aims are ambitious and focus on supporting students from backgrounds that are underrepresented at Oxford, and their schools. OXWM will develop outreach programmes which:
- Support raising primary level, GCSE and A level attainment of students
- Offer educational opportunities to explore big ideas, current educational goals and ambitions,
- Offer information and skills development to support studying in FE, HE and the University of Oxford
- Encourage more students from underrepresented backgrounds to aim for top universities and to achieve their goals
- Support increasing the number of students from under-represented groups from 15% to 25% of Oxford's UK undergraduate intake.
- Promote the University of Oxford as a realistic goal for anyone with academic talent and commitment.
For more details on the research underpinning these commitments, please see the University of Oxford's Access and Participation Plan.
Working together
In 2020-21 we expect to continue our work across the West Midlands, with a particular focus on non-selective state schools and colleges located in the following areas:
Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Warwickshire, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Herefordshire
We are also developing partnerships with local authorities, multi academy trusts, community organisations, local universities and social mobility organisations.
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.
Our colleges will also continue their outreach work targeting under-represented groups of students who live in London.
All schools, sixth form and further education colleges have a point of contact within University of Oxford who will be happy to provide information and advice on admissions and outreach. You are also welcome to contact Oxford for West Midlands via the contact form.
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 the West Midlands and publish an annual impact report on this website.