As part of our commitment to excellent progression opportunities for students, we were delighted to welcome New College Oxford to the sixth form today presenting to a packed audience about their Step Up programme. Daniel Powell , Head of Outreach at New College Oxford introduced the programme.
New College's Step Up programme is designed to inspire and support state school students achieve their full potential. It attempts to ensure that these students, of high academic potential, recognise Oxford as a realistic and achievable option for them in the future, and are fully equipped and effectively supported to make a competitive application.
Crucially, it is a sustained contact scheme. Students have regular, consistent contact with the College's Outreach team over 2 years for students attending a sixth form college. This not only allows New College to support students across the many stages of a university application process but also helps students view the University of Oxford, as less intimidating and more achievable.
Over 7 steps, either at their school or at New College, the college will familiarise them with what being an Oxford student is really like and support them to build a competitive application to top universities, whether that ends up being to the University of Oxford or not.
Newcastle Sixth Form College has identified over 35 students who have the ability to progress to Oxford and they have started this seven step programme, which covers all the following stages.
Step 1 - an introductory session about universities and challenges students' existing perceptions of the University of Oxford.
Step 2 is hosted at New College. Students have the chance to see three different colleges, meet current students and academics, and have a session on their current and future options.
Step 3 gets students talking and writing about their favourite subject - a good introduction to the interviews and personal statements which will come in the future. It also builds analytical reading and critical thinking skills.
Step 4 is an alternative Open Day, hosted and run by current New College students, including academic sessions, social activities and a sample freshers' fair.
Step 5 helps students make a start on their personal statements, analysing existing statements to see what works well, what doesn't, and the kind of activities they could be doing to further their own subject interests.
Step 6 is based around the University of Oxford Open Day. Students will have the opportunity to stay at the College for the first time, before learning more about their chosen subjects and a variety of different colleges by visiting them!
Step 7 introduces students to Oxford interviews, informing them about the process and helping them prepare
We look forward to working with New College Oxford over the next year, as the only Sixth Form College in the North East on the current programme.
