Christ Church is excited to be working with St Anne’s College and Trinity College on Aim for Oxford – an access and outreach programme for Year 12s attending state schools in the North East of England. Our ambition is that Oxford should be the home of choice for the brightest and most ambitious students from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse student population is the best student population and that diversity in itself is a rich source of learning. This includes geographical range, and we are committed to increasing applications from students from areas that are currently underrepresented at Oxford. Aim for Oxford – a programme for ambitious sixth formers in the North East – is one of the ways that we will do this. Aim for Oxford will offer up to 60 high-ability students the opportunity to participate in a two-year scheme of work designed to support them in their studies and to help them make competitive applications to Oxford. All events and activities will be offered free of charge.
Aim for Oxford is a two-year-long programme, which supports over 50 high-achieving state school students from the beginning of Year 12, through making strong applications for, and then arriving at, Oxford.
In 2019-20, 37% of full programme participants who went on to apply to Oxford received an offer.
What is the programme?
Aim for Oxford offers the opportunity to explore subjects with university researchers, experience academic and social life at Oxford University, receive expert advice on how to apply, and be supported throughout the process.
The programme is completely free for Year 12 students attending state schools in the North East of England (Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland).
Applications for our third cohort are now open and will close on 5 November 2022, with teacher references due by 18 November 2022.
We aim to contact all applicants with the outcome by 2 December 2022.
We expect to hold a series of four academic enrichment, information and guidance sessions across four Saturdays between January and April 2023, followed by a four-night summer school at Oxford University (21-25 August 2023).
Participants who decide to make applications to Oxford will progress to the Year 13 programme (September 2023 onwards).
We anticipate running the 2022-23 programme in person, but have the experience and resources to move this online as required.
Who is it for?
To make a successful application, your GCSE results should show strong academic potential (preference for grades 7/ 8/ 9)
We will also consider other criteria, including if at least one of these applies to you:
- Your POLAR postcode score is 1 or 2
- Your ACORN postcode score is 4 or 5
- You have been eligible for free school meals
- Your parents did not go to university
- You are from an ethnic background that is underrepresented at Oxford
- You have been, or currently are, in care
- You are a young carer
Applications
Year 12 Applications for Aim for Oxford 2022-23 are now closed.
Please direct any queries to access@chch.ox.ac.uk or oxfordfornortheast@admin.ox.ac.uk.
Learn more about Aim for Oxford
Jennifer Yee, Tutor in Modern Languages at Christ Church:
Christ Church is delighted to be collaborating closely with St Anne’s on the new Aim for Oxford programme and we are really keen to work with students in the North East and welcome them to residentials in Oxford. The sustained contact programme is a brilliant way to support young people in their aspirations and visiting Oxford will help them discover what a diverse and friendly place it really is.
Helen King, St Anne’s College Principal:
This ambitious and exciting new initiative will provide talented students from the North East with insights and the best possible support so that they can aim for Oxford. We are looking forward to working with schools, students, and the local community to open up the University, and reaching those students whose talent we are currently missing.
Samina Khan, Director, Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach:
Oxford wants to ensure that students from different backgrounds and regions are welcomed to Oxford. This programme will help to support students in the North East to feel Oxford is for them, and I’m looking forward to seeing more academically talented students from this region coming to study at the University.
You can read more about Aim for Oxford in our programme brochure and our Aim for Oxford 2022-2023 flyer.
