Inspire Critical Thinking

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Date 3 October 2022

We are delighted to open registration for Inspire Critical Thinking for 2022/23! Inspire Critical Thinking is open to all non-selective state school pupils across the UK in Years 9, 10 & 11.

Last year, we had over 1,800 pupils from across the UK take part in our programme, and this year we are inviting even more Critical Thinkers to join in! Inspire Critical Thinking is a free online course run by St John’s College and Somerville College in collaboration with Oxford for South East, and open to all pupils at non-selective UK state schools in Years 9, 10 & 11. The course focuses on a central theme which is approached from a variety of subject viewpoints, and each virtual workshop includes articles, interviews, recorded lectures, and challenges developed by University of Oxford academics and students! The theme for Inspire Critical Thinking 2022/23 is ‘Is Sport Ever Fair?’ By taking part in the programme, pupils will have the opportunity to explore their interests in depth, discover new and exciting topics which they might not have studied before, and develop confidence in their ability. Pupils will also have the chance to submit responses to each class’s challenges to be in with a chance of winning prizes!

This year’s Inspire Critical Thinking includes a range of exciting and engaging resources, with articles ranging from ancient Roman gladiators to the autonomic nervous system. We also include interviews with current researchers and students, and further links to help pupils hone their critical thinking skills and develop their CVs. The aim of Inspire Critical Thinking is to develop pupils’ ability to think critically about the world around them by encouraging them to advance their analytical, reflective, and creative abilities, all while having fun and learning more about the world around them.

Following the online classes, all registered pupils will be invited to attend our Inspire Virtual Summer School. For pupils in Year 11, there is also a competitive application process for a free Inspire Residential Summer School at St John’s College! You can read all about our Inspire Summer Schools by following this link.

The course takes place on our website, Inspire Digital. You can access the course homepage by following this link.

St John's College Inspire Critical Thinking