Oxford for West Midlands
At the University of Oxford, we have a long history of working with schools and students from across the West Midlands. We are now launching a new approach to improve how the university collaborates with these schools and to encourage more students from the West Midlands to make successful applications to Oxford and other top UK universities.
Oxford for West Midlands brings together three Oxford colleges with established links in the region: Keble, Oriel and University. Together, we’ll work with pupils, teachers and families to provide bespoke support where it’s needed, from helping raise attainment to offering professional advice about applying to university.
Local Authorities covered by Oxford for West Midlands are - Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Warwickshire, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Herefordshire.
Oxford is strongly committed to providing opportunities for you to discover what it is like to study here. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic we have been developing digital outreach experiences, including our digital resource hub and our Virtual Open Days. At the moment, we are reintroducing in-person events, and plan to run these alongside virtual options for the foreseeable future. We have also created a newsletter for prospective applicants. If you would like to receive tips, advice and the latest news on Oxford undergraduate admissions, please sign up here.
We will share events, both in-person and virtual, with you as they become available. We know this has been a stressful time for students and those who support them, and we are eager to continue to provide whatever support we can to those who need it: you might find it useful to look at our online outreach opportunities. In the mean time, we hope that you stay safe and well, and that we will be able to welcome you and your family or school to Oxford soon.
For more information about the colleges involved in Oxford for West Midlands, and to find out more about our aims, please visit the About Us page. If you are from the West Midlands (or have a query about the Oxford for West Midlands initiative) and would like to know more or ask a question about Oxford, please get in touch.
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.
