Access & Outreach
Our Access & Outreach programmes continue to go from strength to strength, thanks to the commitment of our alumni donors, and the experienced leadership of our Access Fellow, Dr Foteini Dimirouli, and our Access Officer, India Collins-Davies.
This year £222k was raised towards the running of our Access activities, and the associated staffing costs. The results of this funding can be seen in our admissions figures for 2022-23:
18%
from areas of low progression to HE, against Oxford University average of 16.4% and in the top 7 colleges
69.5%
from state schools, against Oxford University average of 66.5%
16.3%
from socio-economic disadvantage – in line with Oxford University average and in the top 14 colleges for this metric
24.3%
students from BME backgrounds against Oxford University average of 25.3%
Interview with Dr Foteini Dimirouli, Research Fellow in English, and Access Fellow
“I believe that a higher education institution, especially a highly selective one, is responsible for doing something about the unequal distribution of cultural and economic capital in society. What exactly can be done? We know that a single college, or an entire University for that matter, cannot altogether change or ‘fix’ society. But we also know that a well-organised and strategic outreach programme can have a huge impact on equal representation.”
Access Snapshot
91 in-person events and 43 online events
100 interactions on the online Ambassador Platform
1,457 pupils
visited Keble
2,042 pupils
engaged with live online events
86 individual schools engaged with Keble
Additionally, pupils from hundreds of schools engaged directly independent of their schools through Subject Taster Days, partner events, and the webinar series.
Programme Partnerships
Our access programmes provide multiple opportunities for disadvantaged young people to consider applying to Oxbridge and get the support they need throughout their education — from providing first-hand insights into university life, offering advice on subject choices and delivering intensive academic tutoring at GCSE and A-Level, to supporting strong university applications, and providing essential bursaries and robust study skills tuition for students accepted to Keble.
Our programmes include: Target Oxbridge, who work with high-attaining year 12 and 13 students of mixed or sole black African and Caribbean heritage to increase their chances of getting into Oxbridge; The UNIQ Summer School, the University of Oxford’s flagship access and outreach residential programme for academically promising year 12 students at state schools who meet access and outreach criteria; The Access Project, offering consistent mentoring and guidance for students through a dedicated team of school-based Access Officers; and The Brilliant Club which mobilises the PhD community to share its expertise with state schools that most need help.
Ambika Bhargava, 2021 PPE
“When I was in Year 6 my school enrolled me into the Brilliant Club, an outreach programme which let me experience tutorials and visit Keble College for the first time. I remember eating in Keble dining hall and telling my friends at that age how I was sure I wanted to apply to Oxford, and Keble because it was so gorgeous. When it came to my application process, I knew for certain that Keble would be the right place for me and having just finished my second year here, I can see how I was so right.”
Kit Brownlees, 1967 Jurisprudence
"I contribute to the Keble School Visit Scheme because I recognise the difficulties students from socially disadvantaged communities have in contemplating an Oxford education because of " imposter syndrome”. Actual visits to Oxford (Keble) can go a long way to overcome and dispel such concerns and give them the necessary confidence to apply. During such visits they can meet a wide variety of students and relax and understand that they are quite capable of integrating successfully into the college lifestyle both academic and social. In my business career I was always very keen to give internships to similarly disadvantaged applicants and it was hugely rewarding to see them fulfill their potential."
Volunteer with The Access Project
Could you give an hour a week, online, to help a student access a top university?
Keble College is working with The Access Project, who are looking for volunteers to tutor until July 2024, for one hour a week. The Access Project will give you everything you need to succeed as a tutor, including comprehensive training, lesson plans and increased confidence in a subject of your choice. They’re looking for volunteers who achieved A Levels (or equivalent) in a range of subjects and who would be happy to support a young person at GCSE. If you are interested, and would like to start as soon as possible, please sign up here.
If you would rather just express interest, please contact the Keble Access Fellow foteini.dimirouli@keble.ox.ac.uk with your name, connection to Keble, and subject background in order to attend an information session.
Any questions? Please contact volunteering@theaccessproject.org.uk.