Christ Church launches North East Oracy Programme

The initiative was designed to support students in preparing and delivering presentations on topics of personal or academic interest. In doing so, it helped them develop key skills, including communication, confidence, critical thinking, and teamwork.

15 students were selected from each of three partner schools: Monkwearmouth Academy, Washington Academy, and St Thomas More Roman Catholic High School. The programme began with two in-school sessions led by the Christ Church Access team between January and March. These sessions introduced students to the fundamentals of effective presentation, including how to structure arguments, design engaging slides, manage nerves, and collaborate when presenting as a group.

These preparatory sessions were followed by a residential visit to Oxford from 23 to 25 March 2026, attended by 45 students in total and accompanied by two teachers from each partner school. During their stay, students learned about post-16 choices and university, participated in academic taster sessions, and visited museums. They also had the opportunity to hear first-hand from current Christ Church student ambassadors about life at Oxford.

The highlight of the residential was the students’ final presentations. Topics were impressively varied, ranging from ‘Emojis’ and ‘Skiing’ to ‘Quantum Mechanics’ and ‘Ancient Greek Mythology’. One presentation asked the question: ‘Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?’.

Student feedback on the programme was overwhelmingly positive. One participant commented, ‘Before this, I would never have thought of speaking in front of a group as an appealing task, but I am surprised to find that I actually enjoyed presenting.’ Another wrote, ‘The residential made university feel achievable.’ A third student reflected, ‘I learned how to organise my ideas and speak clearly.’ Their teachers also noted significant growth in students’ confidence and presentation skills. One commented, ‘We would strongly recommend this programme and would love to be involved again in the future.’

As part of Oxford for North East initiatives, T-the North East Oracy Programme is an exciting step in Christ Church’s ongoing commitment to widening access and supporting students to realise their academic potential.