Resources
Inspire Digital
Inspire Digital is an open interface for secondary school pupils and prospective university applicants, which is designed in the format of an online magazine consisting of articles, critical thinking questions, puzzles and more. We have also provided useful links to information and resources on how to make a competitive application to a highly selective university, as well as contact details of members of the Access and Admissions Office at St John’s.
What you can find on Inspire Digital:
- Thought-provoking articles written by Oxford academics
- Critical thinking and interview-style questions set by St John’s tutors as well as secondary school teachers
- Super-curricular material to help pupils delve deeper into their favourite subjects
- Information on applying to the University of Oxford, with tips and advice for interviews and admissions tests
- News articles and updates on St John’s access and outreach work
- Information and alerts on events and opportunities at St John’s and at the University of Oxford
The Inspire Programme for Year 10 and 11
This online engagement programme, open to all Year 10 and 11 pupils from non-selective state schools, features a series of online classes consisting of articles written by Oxford researchers and academics, supplemented by interview-style questions, games, puzzles, polls and competitions. These classes are meant to supplement pupils’ GCSE preparation by allowing them to engage with a variety of subjects critically and creatively.
This year’s topic is: “Why does evolution matter?” Each class will examine this question from the perspective of a different set of academic subjects, with a few short articles and several interactive elements such as puzzles, games or short writing questions, for which winning entries will receive Amazon vouchers. Issues will also include reading recommendations and resources for studying for GCSEs.
The programme is free and registered pupils in Year 11 will be invited to apply for a place on one of our Summer Schools taking place in 2021. Full details for the programme, including a schedule of issue release dates, can also be found on the St John’s website here, or on the course webpage here.
Registration for the 2020-21 programme will open in November 2020.
University Resources
The University of Oxford runs a large number of widening participation, widening access and student recruitment events each year, across the UK and internationally. These events are coordinated by colleges, departments, museums, the student union and a central Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach team.
The University of Oxford has an online diary of Outreach Events for pupils and teachers. It includes events in Oxford, around the UK and in other parts of the world. You may want to bookmark this page and check it regularly for events of interest.
The best way to learn about Oxford life is to be fully immersed in it. UNIQ is designed to help you do just that, taking you behind the college gates, into lecture theatres and giving you access to Oxford’s top academics. UNIQ is open to pupils studying in their first year of further education, who are based at UK state schools/colleges, and has a summer school and digital component. You can find out more about UNIQ here.
Oxplore is an innovative new digital outreach portal from the University of Oxford. As the ‘Home of Big Questions’ it aims to engage those from 11 to 18 years with debates and ideas that go beyond what is covered in the school classroom. Big questions tackle complex ideas across a wide range of subjects and draw on the latest research undertaken at Oxford. Oxplore aims to raise aspirations, promote broad thinking and stimulate intellectual curiosity.
