“The workshops were extremely fun and educational! It was really enjoyable because we got to meet people from different schools and become friends with them when we may never have gotten a chance to ever.”
Dr Sandra Campbell Fellow for Access & Outreach
I took responsibility for St John’s Access programmes seven years ago with a clear belief in the power of education to transform young people’s lives. The commitment to this mission from every member of the College, coupled with the generosity of St John’s, its alumni and friends has allowed us to redefine what is possible for a college to achieve in this sector. I feel privileged to hold this important role for the college.
In my first seven years as Fellow for Access and Outreach I had three priorities set by the Governing Body. The first was to place robust quantitative and qualitative evaluation at the heart of our work and to closely target our interventions to those who needed our help the most. The second was to pilot, and subsequently roll out two flagship sustained-contact programmes for pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11, and – separately – those in Years 12 and 13 in our link regions. The third was to develop a truly comprehensive outreach programme – accessible to any state school pupil, regardless of academic attainment with every non-selective state school pupil in the target age range having an academic pathway they can join.
Our team has exceeded each one of these priorities. The quality, scale and ambition of what we do speaks for itself. Knowing that our programmes have transformative impacts only strengthens our resolve to reach as many target pupils as possible, and we have already widened our reach through partnerships with other colleges. The job, however, is never finished. In 2024/25 we hope to launch a virtual learning environment to host all of our programme strands in one area and to improve the pupil-specific evaluation that we do. We believe that data-driven decisions will be invaluable to the future of our programmes.
We are deeply grateful for the generous support and interest of our donor for the Inspire 9, 10, and 11 programme. This valued contribution has made a significant impact, enabling us to transform the lives of countless young learners by providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed through education.
Inspire Years 9, 10 and 11 Scholars Programme
What is the programme?
The Inspire Scholars Programme for Years 9, 10 and 11 is a sustained-contact programme developed collaboratively with schools in our link regions to help pupils explore their interests beyond the curriculum, develop academic skills and explore their prospects. The programme has several components – from Inspire Clubs to Teacher Conferences, to Parent Information Sessions – to ensure that Inspire Scholars, their schools, and their supporters feel excited by, and engaged with higher education.
1,361
“As a classroom teacher of nine years, I always enjoyed helping pupils to discover a love of learning and nurture their curiosity by engaging in discussions over the ‘whys’, pinpointing them to areas beyond the curriculum to explore their interests. My further responsibilities as Coordinator for More Able students and Assistant Head of Sixth Form necessitated finding relevant super-curricular opportunities for the whole school to access but it was frustrating that many university outreach programmes only offered the odd competition, or short visit with little time for pupils to see what university could offer them. The Inspire Scholars Programme offers so much more and truly understands what is necessary to allow young people to explore academia in an accessible and meaningful way. As Programme Lead, I aim to expand the selection of resources available to pupils, develop their confidence in pursuing their interests, and support teaching colleagues in their professional development and running of the programme, through an established partnership across our Inspire Schools, offering mentorship, celebration events and sharing of best practice.
I have had the pleasure of meeting many dedicated teachers who use their enthusiasm to help foster that sense of curiosity and passion for learning among their scholars. We are fortunate to work with so many schools, and their wider communities, who understand the importance of widening participation and increasing access to higher education.”
Katie Inwood, Programme Lead and School Partnership Coordinator
Inspire Years 9, 10 and 11 Expansion
Our pilot programme worked with selected schools in the London boroughs of Ealing and Harrow, of which 20 schools have continued. Schools across East and West Sussex, Brighton and Southampton were invited to participate from 2022, welcoming nine new schools. The 2023 - 2024 academic year remains our most successful recruitment period as an additional thirteen schools joined the programme.
INSPIRE PARTNER SCHOOLS
Alec Reed Academy
Avanti House Secondary School
Beacon Academy
Bentley Wood High School
Brentside High School
Chailey School
Claverham Community College
Dormers Wells High School
Drayton Manor High School
Durrington High School
Ealing Fields High School
Featherstone High School
Felpham Community College
Greenford High School
Harrow High School
Hatch End High School
Hazelwick School
Heathfield Community College
Ifield Community College
King’s Academy Ringmer
King’s School Hove
Northolt High School
Park High School
Pinner High School
Ratton School
Rooks Heath School
St Andrew’s Church of England High School
St Mark’s Church of England School
St Oscar Romero Catholic School
St Paul’s Catholic College
Tanbridge House School
Testwood School
The Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic School
The Eastbourne Academy
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
The Weald Community School and Sixth Form
Twyford Church of England High School
Uckfield College
Uplands Academy
Villiers High School
Whitmore High School
William Perkin Church of England High School
Woodlands Community College
Schools on the Pilot Programme Schools who joined after the pilot (2022) Schools who joined since 2023
WEST SUSSEX
HARROW EALING
EAST SUSSEX
BRIGHTON & HOVE
SOUTHAMPTON
INSPIRE
CLUB CLASSES
Workshops introducing pupils to topics beyond the curriculum
Expansion of the Scholars Programme
INSPIRE BEYOND
Visits to St John’s College & residential opportunities
INSPIRE STUDY SKILLS
Resources to support their GCSE preparation
The Programme has grown significantly since 2022, and is now made up of six components to ensure all participants, whether they are pupils, teachers or parents, are supported through the three-year journey.
INSPIRE
CRITICAL THINKING
A digital programme open to all non-selective school pupils, with resources to develop critical thinking skills
INSPIRE TEACHER NETWORK
Professional development opportunities
INSPIRE PARENTS & CARERS
Support and guidance with information about higher education
Each school has the option of enrolling a new Year 9 cohort each year, as their initial cohort moves into their second year on the Programme. 34 of the 42 Inspire Schools have at least two cohorts enrolled. We are aiming to recruit eight new schools from the Southampton area, prioritising schools with a significant proportion of Free School Meals pupils, low progression to Higher Education and areas of high levels of deprivation. With this expansion, we anticipate that by 2026 there will be approximately 1,800 pupils on the programme.
Future Developments
● Continue to develop and expand the selection of Inspire Club Classes, offering more debate-style classes with minimum preparation for Inspire Teacher Leads
● Refine the provision for the development of learning skills for each part of the Inspire Scholars programme
● Develop the parent/carer information sessions, drawing upon the expertise of external organisations and charities
● Offer more opportunities for relevant professional development for Inspire Teacher Leads
● Establish stronger links between Inspire Schools through the new regional hub system
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS
TOTAL ENROLLED PUPILS (By end of year)
“We are in our second year of running the Inspire Programme and the students in our Year 10 cohort remain enthusiastic, and the Year 9 cohort partake with such a vibrant energy. This is due to the variety of workshop materials provided – from Norse Lore to Crime and Punishment. The Programme broadens the horizons of our most able – and helps them feel that their future potential is really valued. Delivering the Programme in our school serves as a huge beacon to fellow teachers, parents, and all students – that we care about helping to fulfil and realise the vast potential of our students.”
Dr Belinda Webb-Blofeld, Teacher of English / EPQ, MA, and Oxbridge Pathway Coordinator, St Oscar Romero Catholic School and Sixth Form, West Sussex
2023–2024 Scholars Programme in Numbers
49,085 pupil contact hours
1,341
Y9, 10 AND 11 INSPIRE SCHOLARS
227 SUMMER SCHOOL ATTENDEES
95% of pupils stayed on the programme for 3 years
1,623 INSPIRE CRITICAL THINKING PUPILS
8,641
HITS ON THE INSPIRE CRITICAL THINKING PROGRAMME
38
TRAVEL AWARDS
51 TEACHERS ON OUR PROGRAMMES
200 PARENTS WHO ATTENDED OUR EVENTS
A breakdown of our annual running costs can be found on page 36 – 37
3,224 HITS ON THE VIRTUAL SUMMER SCHOOL
Three Year Impact
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls has been with the St John’s Year 9, 10 & 11 Inspire Programme from the beginning. We have seen a profound positive impact on both our staff and our pupils. We strongly believe that this innovative and engaging programme has provided our pupils with invaluable resources and opportunities. It has also enriched their learning experiences and raised their aspirations.
The programme has equipped our teachers with the tools and knowledge needed to deliver high quality Inspire Club sessions which challenge and engage our pupils. Its focus on critical thinking, oracy, debating skills, and independent learning has helped us to create a dynamic and stimulating learning environment that encourages curiosity and fosters a love of learning.
In the Inspire Club, the emphasis on intellectual curiosity has motivated our pupils to push themselves academically and to strive for excellence in all areas of their education. Its enrichment activities, such as the tailor-made Oxford University visit day and the Aspiration Fund visit to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich have provided our learners with unique opportunities to explore new subjects and to broaden their horizons.
As the Lead Teacher for the Inspire Programme at the Ellen Wilkinson School, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this Inspire family. It has been a source of inspiration and professional growth for me. Through the Lead Teacher Conference, I connected with like-minded educators and experts in the field. It has inspired me to challenge myself and endeavour to promote St John’s aims in our local school communities.
I was also very privileged to join the Steering Committee in February 2024. It was exhilarating to witness the passion, enthusiasm and dedication from the panel of experts and the Inspire team. I was deeply affected by their determination to champion the disadvantaged and underrepresented pupils in state education.
We are thankful for the support and opportunities provided by the St John’s Inspire programme, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Inspire team.
“There is so much more to learn beyond the curriculum and that with enough research we can understand a lot of niche and interesting topics.”
A Scholar from The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
Hong Zhou, Teacher of Maths and Gifted and Talented Coordinator at The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Scholars Visit 2024
Our first Year 11 cohort will graduate from the Inspire Scholars Programme this academic year. Here are some insights into their experience:
“It has given me the initiative to explore concepts outside of school, but also outside the programme. It’s given me an undeniable desire to learn more about whatever may interest me.”
A Scholar from Twyford Church of England High School
“Thank you very much for providing me with the opportunity to experience this programme. It has benefitted me in many ways and has created many core memories. I hope many after me will also get to experience this. I also hope those that struggle more in school get to be inspired by this programme.”
A Scholar from Rooks Heath School
“The main thing I have taken from this experience is that to really get involved and develop your skills can be such a wonderful experience and the best way to enhance your life. I will continue to work on my critical thinking skills to come up with creative solutions and navigate the world. I cannot wait to apply to Oxford and hopefully find myself studying there, something I would never have dreamed of before this programme.”
A Scholar from Claverham Community College
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Aspiration Fund Trip - A journey in Egypt, an immersive expedition in virtual reality.
Inspire Club Classes
Inspire Club Classes are super-curricular classes and workshops designed by our education professionals and delivered by in-school teachers. The Club Classes introduce pupils to topics and themes they wouldn’t typically learn through the national curriculum and invite them to continue their curiosity by providing a series of further resources and prompts for independent study.
We have a full range of classes detailed in our Class Options Booklet, and more classes are being added to the programme all the time.
Classes include:
Exploring Entomology (Biology)
Punishment and Guilt (Psychology)
Portraits Unlocked (Art)
Number Systems (Maths)
“Through Inspire Club, the students gain the opportunity to expand their knowledge beyond the classroom, working both independently and in teams to support and challenge one another. So far this year, our group of Year 10 students have looked at a variety of topics, from the foundation of language and storytelling through Viking lore to the development of music alongside technology.”
Charlotte, an Inspire Teacher Lead
Through generous donations we are able to help schools with the cost of resources or materials they need to supplement the teaching of our Club Classes. Philanthropic funding also enables schools to purchase refreshments for their sessions. Many Teacher Leads have expressed their gratitude for this grant, especially for those who hold their sessions before the school day and can therefore provide breakfast for their scholars. In line with the cost of living, these grants have increased to £600 per cohort per annum. This significantly helped to fully resource the club classes.
Some Club Classes have prompted Scholars to conduct further research. One pupil wrote to their local MP, to ask what their constituency was doing to help the climate change crisis, in response to the ‘There is No Planet B’ workshop. Another pupil was inspired by the ‘Entomology 101’ class.
Schools have fully integrated the Club Classes into their enrichment timetables, building the programme’s reputation across the school.
“My favourite class was the biology class (entomology) as it made the study of insects much more interesting than before. I did research on clinical and medical uses of entomology and its potential for cancer treatment.”
– A Year 11 Scholar
Year 9 work created in response to the Entomology workshop
Inspire Beyond
Inspire Beyond ensures that all Scholars have an in-person encounter with St John’s College. Typically, these are in the form of day visits, funded by the College, whereby Scholars receive information, advice and guidance about Higher Education, engage in a critical thinking session, meet current undergraduates and visit one of Oxford’s Gardens, Libraries and Museums for an interactive workshop. We aim to make these days bespoke to meet the academic interests of the scholars and continue to develop new workshops to maintain their interest.
“The day was so insightful and helped me gain a new perspective. The trip was really fun, but also gave me ambition.”
Jil, A Year 9 Scholar
“The tour of Oxford was very interesting because it gave us an insight into what goes on in the daily life of students as well as how the campus is laid out in St John’s College. I also liked how Oxford was explained to us at the very start since it showed us Oxford in a different light compared to rumours or things said online about Oxford University and how those things aren’t exactly true.”
A
Year 10 Scholar
£12,460 in Aspiration Grants
Inspire Aspiration Fund
The Inspire Aspiration Fund gives Inspire Schools the chance to apply for a grant of up to £650, funded through philanthropic donations, to resource an enriching trip or experience for their Scholars. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis with successful bids facilitating opportunities to learn new skills, to team build, and to experience learning in a new environment. For many scholars, it offers a chance to visit a region outside of their hometown and build up their cultural capital. Last year, fifteen Inspire schools were successful in their bid, and their experiences include:
• A Horizons of Khufu VR experience
• A visit to the Faculty of Divinity in Cambridge
• A team-building opportunity at the Crystal Maze Live Experience
• A rock symphony orchestra concert at the Royal Albert Hall
• A tour and workshop at The Old Operating Theatre
“Today was a spectacular day! The virtual reality experience was one of a kind – it managed to be fun and informative at the same time... St John’s Inspire has been a wonderful chance for me to be able to experience all these extraordinary opportunities.”
Hanan, Year 10 Scholar
Inspire Summer Schools
Residential Summer Schools
Inspire Summer Schools welcome pupils from our Inspire Scholars, Critical Thinking and Year 12 programmes for an opportunity to experience life as an Oxford student, explore a range of subjects and extra-curricular activities, make friends with pupils from other schools and stay overnight in St John’s halls of residence. The Summer Schools take place over 3–4 days and are free of charge. We also have travel awards available to help pupils cover the cost of travelling to and from St John’s College. St John’s fully funds the accommodation and catering for the duration of their stay.
“Without a doubt, the most important and enjoyable part of the Summer School was the opportunity I was given to see and experience what life at Oxford is actually like, encompassing both the academic and social life of an Oxford student.”
Mehrad, A Year 11 Pupil
“I’d just like to thank everyone who made this happen, it was such a wonderful experience and definitely very valuable as I learnt a lot! It’s also great how it’s so accessible, not only is the programme free but the travel bursary is also vital and I’m grateful to have had it!”
Summer School Pupil
Year 9 and Year 10 Scholars started their programme with a lecture on forensic anthropology by Professor Lady Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome. They then attended their pre-selected workshops such as:
• The role of plants in medicine at Oxford Botanic Garden
• Entomology at Wytham Woods
• 3D printing with chocolate
• Gamelan Workshop at the Faculty of Music
• Letterpress printing at the Old Bodleian Library
• Metals under the microscope at the Department of Chemistry
The Year 11 and Year 12 pupils embraced the academic challenge of tutorials and mock interviews. They also experienced a formal dinner and worked together to solve a murder mystery. Feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with appreciation for the range of workshops on offer, the ability to meet and socialise with their peers from other Inspire Schools and, for Year 11, the opportunity to attend academic lectures and gain an insight into learning at Oxford through tutorials led by the student ambassadors.
227
Year 9-11 Pupils attended Summer Schools in 2024
“From the Botanic Gardens, I really enjoyed seeing the section with the giant water lilies and the person leading the workshop told us about the uses of certain plants and their pros and cons. When I went to Oxford Prison, I was absorbed in the complexities of the court case about Mary Blandy. It really gave me insight into law and justice centuries before now. The best part about the chocolate 3D printing and solar boats was that it really made me awaken my sense of perseverance because making the chocolate 3D printer was quite hard for me. But I did it in the end!”
Summer School Pupil
Virtual Summer School
As our summer schools are often oversubscribed, Virtual Summer Schools ensure that all Inspire pupils can access five days of engaging supercurricular content in the form of exclusive videos, academic worksheets, virtual museum tours and career insights. Themes cover:
• The chemistry of fireworks
• How to take a perfect penalty
• Rethinking religion in Ancient Greek literature
• The economics of volcanoes
Each session has been carefully created by Oxford students and academics, covering a wide variety of subjects and themes. This encourages pupils to explore their interests further and consider them from different critical perspectives, and they can use the essay or poster competition to present their research and ideas for a chance to win a prize.
The 2024 poster competition invited pupils to research how fake news has impacted an area of their lives, while the essay competition posed challenging questions, targeting those interested in Humanities, Social Sciences and STEM-based subjects.
By Azka
“I liked ‘How does the environment influence our heritage?’ because it made me consider the impact that both natural and man-made environments have on things that aren’t physical objects, like heritage.”
3,224
Virtual Summer School Views
Inspire Teachers
Scholars Programme
“I found the linking of the Inspire Art History resources with oracy really powerful. Oracy is very big in school right now, and I welcome more ideas in improving children’s oracy in class. I think Katie and the team have done a fantastic job in planning and organising the day. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you!”
When a teacher becomes an Inspire Teacher Lead, they join a community of like-minded teachers who enjoy a suite of benefits and career-enhancing opportunities. As part of this, we offer an annual Teachers’ Conference, a fully-funded Teachers’ Staycation in Oxford, an online Teachers’ Hub, and Teach Meets as well as paid opportunities to develop specialist content for our programmes.
Inspire Teacher Leads Conference
The Inspire Teacher Leads Conference is an annual event hosted at St John’s to promote career development and build the Inspire network. The 2023/24 Conference hosted in March had a packed timetable which included the following:
• A lecture on the forensics of hands by the President of St John’s, Professor Lady Sue Black;
• A workshop on High Learning Potential by Professor Deborah Eyre;
• A session delivered by Talk the Talk on techniques for improving oracy in the classroom;
• A talk on supporting students academically and mentally in their transition to university by St John’s Head of Student Welfare, Hanne Clark;
• Networking opportunities over lunch and refreshments with St John’s Fellows, other Inspire Teacher Leads, and student ambassadors.
Hong, An Inspire Teacher Lead
Inspire Teachers Two-night Staycation
Inspire Teachers are invited to stay at St John’s during the summer months as a token of our appreciation for leading the programme in their schools. Accommodation and breakfast are provided free of charge, funded by the College, with grants available towards the cost of travel and a cultural activity of their choice. We want to increase familiarity with the University and city and ensure Oxford feels as welcoming to teachers on the Programme as it does to pupils.
“We had an incredible staycation! Thank you so much for arranging it. We particularly enjoyed having time to browse the museums and strolling around the Radcliffe Camera. Our favourite thing was our river cruise!”
Hannah, An Inspire Teacher Lead
Termly Teach Meets
Inspire Teacher Leads are invited to Termly Teach Meets to develop connections with like-minded education professionals. These give colleagues an opportunity to discuss best practice and experiences to the Inspire Programme, pedagogy and their professional development.
Inspire Teachers Hub
To encourage more collaboration across the Inspire Partnership, the Hub has been created to enable colleagues to network with fellow Teacher Leads. We are introducing Hub schools in each link region to offer mentorship, celebration events and to bring Scholars together from our Inspire Schools, with a pilot starting with The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing.
“We have seen a profound positive impact on both our staff and our pupils. We strongly believe that this innovative and engaging programme has provided our pupils with invaluable resources and opportunities. It has also enriched their learning experiences and raised their aspirations.”
An Inspire Teacher Lead
Parents & Carers
Inspire Parents Carers
Since the pilot, the programme has branched out into supporting parents and carers of the Inspire Scholars. These sessions, first launched in 2022, have been designed to give parents and carers an insight into what university study looks like now and to address some common concerns such as student finance and the university application process. Around a third of our Scholars have a parent/carer who did not go to university and to help keep the aspiration of university a reality, our sessions help to inform such parents so they can support their child’s aspirations. With further expansion of the programme, the sessions now include guidance for parents and carers on encouraging motivation, effective study and revision techniques and how to help their child find their academic passion.
Each live session, which lasts approximately 45 minutes, is accompanied by a Q&A. Each session is recorded and posted online for parents and carers to access in their own time. Our sessions have been well attended, with over 200 parents watching the introductory session on ‘How to support your child on the Inspire Scholars Programme’.
“What a fantastic programme this is, we think our daughter will really benefit from it.”
Why do parents recommend the programme?
“Because it really encourages students to learn about different topics and visit different places like universities etc. This has given them the opportunity to see what they enjoy and would like to do in the future.”
“Very informative. Provides an opportunity for pupils to stay and learn at a top university.”
“Firstly, it’s an honour to be asked to do it and secondly, it gives children the confidence that they can go to top Universities if they really want it.”
“I would just like to say thank you for running a brilliant Year 9 summer school. My daughter Emily thoroughly enjoyed her time with you. She has come home enthused about forensics from Sue Black’s talk and has started investigating what she would need to do to get into the field in the future! I think it’s wonderful that the St John’s offers them the opportunity to learn out of the classroom and experience the college. Hopefully one day she’ll be joining you.”
A Year 9 Parent
“Our daughter clearly had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed all the lectures and activities she took part in. We know she has gained a great deal from the last few days, especially the new friendships she has made and the self-confidence she has gained. The programme was exceptionally well organised and the communication we received beforehand was very comprehensive and provided a great deal of reassurance. It was clear from our telephone conversations with her during her stay that the students were very well looked after and all staff involved were very approachable. Thank you once again for giving her such an amazing opportunity.”
A Year 11 Parent
“We are really proud of the fact that our daughter has been chosen to participate in the St John’s Inspire Scholars Programme. We are very happy for her to take part in several activities, events, and visits – which in our belief – allows her to deeply explore a variety of subjects and broaden her knowledge and understanding. Over the course of the last year, our daughter has very much enjoyed being a Scholar, and she has certainly gained confidence in her academic abilities, in addition to strengthening bonds of friendship with other participants. As parents who do not have a British background, through the St John’s Inspire Programme we have acquired clarity and understanding of what universities in the UK look like, the application process and other aspects of university life.”
A Year 10 Parent
Inspire Critical Thinking
Inspire Critical Thinking is our online programme that caters for all abilities; all pupils at non-selective UK state schools can join. The course approaches a central theme from a variety of subject viewpoints. Each virtual class includes critical thinking skills sessions, academic articles, interviews, recorded lectures, and challenges developed by University of Oxford academics and students. Pupils also have a chance to submit responses to super challenges and discover more about the University through Oxford Spotlights. All registered pupils are also invited to the Inspire Virtual Summer School.
In 2023/24, pupils explored the enquiry ‘Does Crime Always Deserve Punishment?’, with opportunities to read about themes such as:
• Should the age of criminal responsibility change?
• Can animals commit crimes?
• How much of a threat is cybercrime?
• How has social media affected the courtroom?
This year’s programme also introduced pupils to the critical thinking skills of argument fallacies, credibility and persuasion in the form of entertaining videos to help break down the concepts. Our new character, Ima Lyer, applied these critical thinking skills to more familiar scenarios, bringing these skills to life. Pupils also had opportunities to vote on polls and share their opinions in an online discussion forum.
“It’s
a nice break from school work as it explores different topics you’d not usually encounter in enough detail to secure a good understanding of new ideas and concepts. The articles are well written and I like how lots are written by students as well. The Oxford spotlight section is also very interesting”
Juliette,
Year 10 Pupil
“I would say that my favourite part of Inspire Critical Thinking is the way each article makes you think and want to find out more. Each workshop offers a wide range of articles so there is something for everyone, no matter what interests them. This is so useful, as in my Critical Thinking club it allows us to have deep debates and meaningful discussions about big topics.”
A new Digital Platform
Our ambition for 2024/25
Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in engagement across all of our programmes, with more students and schools enrolling each year. As the programmes expand, so do their content, including new club classes for Inspire Scholars, more academic taster videos for Year 12 and 13 students, and yearly updates to our Virtual Summer School and Critical Thinking programmes. The majority of this content is hosted on our Inspire Digital website. As our content and number of users (including students, teachers and parents) continues to increase, the need for a more suitable host platform has emerged. Initial discovery work has suggested that a web-based app or virtual learning environment will be the most suitable platform, the development of which is being funded through philanthropic donations.
To ensure we are meeting our overarching aim of raising academic aspirations, we have conducted a literature review into ‘learning skills’ within an educational context. From this, we have identified five Inspire Learning skills which will form the framework for the targets across our programmes. Associating our content with these skills will ensure our programmes remain relevant, provide a way for us to evaluate engagement with more accuracy, and create an opportunity for gamification on our new digital platform. This will allow pupils to view and assess their progress as they interact with different content.
“The Inspire App supports the College’s aims of encouraging pupils to reach their full potential and will enable even more pupils to access the Inspire programme.”
Denise Cripps, Director of Communications
Jenna Ilett Digital Platform Development Manager
With a project of this scale, there are multiple factors that we need to consider as we move forward.
THE INSPIRE APP
ACCESSIBILITY
• Reduce need for password protected content by introducing single-sign on
• Ensure adherence to web accessibility guidelines
• Provide access across a range of devices
INTERACTIVITY
• Boost engagement through quizzes and polls
• Encourage active participation through moderated forums
• Host live lectures and Q&As
GAMIFICATION
• Create a sense of purpose by highlighting the learning skills that pupils develop
• Indicate progress through resources with the aim of reaching a goal
• Offer personalised reminder notifications to encourage engagement
EXPANSION
• Make it easier for new content to be uploaded
• Allow new users to be added to relevant pathways
• Control potential licensing out to different colleges
EVALUATION
• Measure engagement across the programmes
• Gain immediate qualitative feedback from users
• Gain quantitative data to assess whether we are meeting our overall aims
PERSONALISATION
• Create bespoke pathways for individual users
• Create a dedicated teacher hub and forum
• Use targeted notification and adverts for relevant opportunities to reduce reliance on mailing lists
ORGANISATION
• Store all content in one place for ease of access
• Clear navigation through content
• Improve consistency across resources and programmes
The Inspire App Development
ACCESSIBILITY
Single sign-on
Accessibility guidelines
Access across devices
ORGANISATION
One-stop access
Clear navigation
Improve consistency
PERSONALISATION
Bespoke pathways
Teacher hub & forum
Targeted notifications
EVALUATION
Identify engagement Gain quantative feedback
Gain quantitive data Regular assessment
EXPANSION
Upload new content easily
Allow new users
Control licensing
INTERACTIVITY
Quizzes & polls
Forums & chats
Live lectures and Q&As
GAMIFICATION
Highlight learning skills
Indicate progress
Aim to reach goals
Notifications
Inspire Steering Committee
Internal Advisors
The Inspire Steering Committee provides strategic oversight of the College’s Access and Outreach work. We’re fortunate to draw on expertise from senior academic and non-academic staff within St John’s, and to learn from external specialists – including headteachers and experienced access professionals. The committee meets three times a year to review the term’s activities and consider plans for growth and development. As well as core members, the committee welcomes guests to input on specific areas of discussion.
Professor Lady Sue Black, Baroness Black of Strome LT DBE FRS FRSE FRAI FRSB ChFA
President of St John’s College
Professor Black is one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists. Since graduating from the University of Aberdeen in Human Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, Professor Black has had a varied and distinguished academic career which included lecturing at St Thomas’ Hospital London and working as a consultant for the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and United Nations, eventually leading on the war crimes investigations in Kosovo.
Professor Black has also held posts as Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology at Dundee University and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement at Lancaster University. She was the 65th President of the Royal Anthropological Institute and is the lifetime Professor of Anatomy for the Royal Scottish Academy.
She entered the House of Lords as a crossbencher peer in 2021 and in March 2024 Professor Lady Black was appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest honour in Scotland. She joined St John’s as President in 2022 and chairs the Inspire Steering Committee.
Dr Sandra Campbell Fellow for Access & Outreach and Tutor in Physiology
Sandra is the Fellow for Access at St John’s, directing an extensive range of outreach projects including the Inspire Programmes. She leads our team of access and admissions staff, all of whom are passionate about making a difference for disadvantaged pupils. Sandra has worked in higher education for the last 25 years, a tutor in Physiology at Oxford for the past 13 of these.
Denise Cripps Director of Communications and Engagement
Denise works on a wide range of projects including strategy and governance as well as communications and engagement. She has a long-standing interest in education having worked in educational publishing for twenty-five years for Oxford University Press and Scholastic UK in editorial and senior management roles. She was also a local primary school governor for eight years and worked with Professor Maggie Snowling CBE, previous President of St John’s, on interventions looking at children’s language and learning difficulties and how best to ameliorate them. Denise was part of the team that published the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (OUP, 2018) and the Nuffield Nursery Language Programme (2019).
Professor Kate Nation FBA
Tutorial Fellow in Psychology and Provost for Academic Affairs
Professor Nation is a Fellow of St John’s where she teaches Psychology. Her research is concerned with language processing, especially reading development, and she is the director of the Read Oxford research group.
Professor Patrick Hayes
Tutorial Fellow in English
Professor Patrick Hayes is a Fellow of St John’s College, Oxford, where he teaches English Literature from the Romantic period to the present day. His current work considers debates about the nature and value of aesthetic education from the late eighteenth-century right up to the present.
Professor Stefan Kiefer
Tutorial Fellow in Computer Science
Stefan has been the Tutorial Fellow in Computer Science at St John’s College since 2017 and Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford since 2023. His main area of interest is computer-aided verification and the analysis of probabilistic systems. He completed his PhD at the Technical University of Munich in 2009.
Professor Lloyd Pratt
Drue Heinz Professor of American Literature
Lloyd Pratt is Drue Heinz Professor of American Literature at Oxford. He teaches and writes about American Literature and African American Literature from the nineteenth century to the present. He’s currently working on a book about the twentieth-century readers of one of America’s most influential nineteenth-century intellectuals, Ralph Waldo Emerson. He’s also starting a new project about how the famous African American political figure and writer Frederick Douglass thought about the meaning and significance of Black literacy.
Kerry Jenkins
Finance Bursar
Kerry is responsible for supporting the Governing Body of St John’s in its duties in managing the financial resources of the college. She also manages the finance bursary team who look after the day to day finance operations. She is an Associate Chartered Management Accountant and a Charted Public Finance Accountant with over 25 years of experience.
Laurence Raran
JCR Access Officer
Laurence’s work as JCR Access Officer involves maintaining and developing the link between St John’s Undergraduate students and the Access Team. He is currently studying for a BA in Philosophy and Theology.
Inspire Steering Committee
External Advisors
Rachel Kruger
Headteacher, The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, Ealing
Rachel has taught in comprehensive schools both in the UK and in South Africa and is currently the head of The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in Ealing. She is passionate about girls’ education and works hard to inspire girls to go to university. Her school has been part of the Inspire programme for some time. Rachel is on the board of the Ealing Learning Partnership and chair of their Pathways and Progression Committee, where they consider the future opportunities available to pupils from Ealing.
Susan Hammond
Head Teacher, Whitmore High School, Harrow
After studying Natural Sciences and Chemical Engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Sue joined BP and worked in various engineering and commercial roles in the UK and USA. Sue then moved into teaching and is currently headteacher of Whitmore High School in Harrow, an inclusive community school with 1,700 pupils and a long-time Inspire partner. Sue is Chair of Harrow’s High School Headteachers Group and Schools’ Forum and is committed to ensuring all young people have fair and equal access to a high-quality education.
Katherine Ryan, MBE
Former Headteacher, Matthew Arnold School, Oxford and CEO of Acer Trust
Katherine brings a lifelong commitment to improving the quality of education for all learners and has a particular interest in successful progression and continued leaning for learners of all ages and backgrounds. She was Headteacher of Matthew Arnold School, Oxford from 2006 to 2021 during which time she worked to ensure that all learners had high levels of aspiration leading to success and progression to positive destinations when they left the school. From 2015 to 2022 she led the development of a Multi Academy Trust, the Acer Trust, consisting of primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire, with a core aim of ‘Achieving Excellence for All’. Prior to taking up the Headship of Matthew Arnold School, she was the Principal Adviser for Secondary School Improvement at Birmingham City Council. Her career includes advisory work in science education and education leadership in three Local Authorities, as well as teaching in a range of comprehensive schools across Oxfordshire and the West Midlands. She has also worked in Higher Education as Science Education Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham.
Dr Catherine Dilnot
Senior Lecturer, Oxford Brookes University
Catherine graduated with a degree in Physics from St Hugh’s College, Oxford. She qualified as a chartered accountant and worked with KPMG until moving into academic life at Oxford Brookes University in 1991, teaching in Accounting and Finance. running the undergraduate programme and most recently specialising in research methods. Her responsibilities at Brookes motivated her to want to better understand the choices of subjects and qualifications young people make at 16+ and 18+ and how these choices relate to university and professional/higher managerial careers. She therefore gained an MSc in Social Research Methods from LSE and a doctorate from UCL. She and colleagues at UCL are working on a project using data from large firms to examine how their graduate, work experience and apprenticeship recruitment processes relate to the diversity of successful applicants in terms of social background, gender and ethnicity.
Hong Zhou
Deputy Head of Maths, Gifted & Talented Coordinator and Inspire Teacher Lead at the Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
Following her degree in Environment Management from the University of Manchester, Hong trained for a Secondary PGCE in Mathematics. She has taught in both private and state secondary schools. She currently works as the Deputy Head of Maths at the Ellen Wilkinson School for girls, where she also acts as the Inspire Teacher Lead.
Shamim Tong
Solicitor and St John’s Alumna
Shamim graduated with a degree in Jurisprudence in 1997. She then qualified as a solicitor, worked at two of the largest law firms in London for over a decade, and then moved to California.
Richard Waters
Co-founder and Director of Opportuned
Richard studied Geography at Durham University, followed by a Master’s in Climate Risk. He joined St John’s as Access Programme Lead in 2020 after working in Access in the North East. During this time, he established Inspire Primary and embedded targeting, monitoring and evaluation into the heart of the Inspire Programmes. He left the Access Team in October 2023 to begin a PhD at St John’s College, Cambridge, investigating statistical approaches to understanding human migration in response to climate change. Richard is the founder of Opportuned, an educational consultancy company specialising in evaluation and strategy for university access.
Katie Inwood School Partnership Coordinator and Inspire Scholars 9, 10 and 11 Programme Lead
I joined the St John’s Access and Outreach team in September 2023 as Inspire Scholars Programme mirrored my aims and values in education: helping pupils to find their academic interests and to support them in their aspirations.
Before joining the Access and Outreach team, I taught History for nine years at a non-selective secondary school in Maidenhead, with particular interest in creating a curriculum that centred on diverse histories and historical scholarship. I was also the More Able Coordinator, specialising in teaching to the top and developing stretch and challenge strategies. I also was heavily involved with supporting pupils who aspired to top universities and/or medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. I became an Assistant Head of Sixth Form in 2022 and used my position to integrate more opportunities for critical thinking and engagement with the super curriculum. I hope that my experience as a teacher can help to build a stronger bond with our Inspire Teacher Leads and enhance their professional development.
I qualified for my PGCE at the Institute of Education, University College London in 2015. Prior to this I completed a Master’s degree and an undergraduate degree in History at Lancaster University.
Professor Kate
Nation FBA Tutorial Fellow in Psychology and Provost for Academic Affairs
It has been a privilege to see Inspire achieve and grow over the last seven years. Looking back, several observations stand out. First and foremost is its success. The vision set at the outset was ambitious, and in those early meetings, while never doubting the importance of the vision, I did wonder what was realistic. Those wonderings were clearly misplaced. The founding aims have been exceeded and the core of Inspire is firmly established, with evidence of impressive efficacy. Inspire is also firmly established within St John’s. The Access Office is its heart and engine room, but there’s not one part of college that doesn’t contribute, directly or indirectly. Inspire is well and truly woven into the fabric of St John’s.
As Inspire has grown, so too has its ambition. The energy, ability and enthusiasm of the team, its advisors and partners in education, the teachers and young people who participate and the donors who contribute and support – these all combine such that Inspire does not stand still. The core evolves and new initiatives emerge.
The digital platform is an exciting new initiative. This is developing in an evidence informed way, building on scientific knowledge about how people learn. This makes sense – if we know how learning happens, then we are better placed to design content and approaches that optimise learning. The development of the platform also links with other Inspire initiatives.
Katherine Ryan MBE Steering Committee
I joined the St John’s Inspire Steering Committee in 2018 as an external adviser when the Access Team launched the pre-GCSE Inspire programme targeting years 9-11 in the College’s linked state schools in Harrow and Ealing. I was immediately impressed with the ambition of the project and the level of commitment to the Inspire programme from the Access Team and members of the College.
I was, and remain, committed to the aims of the Inspire programme. As an educational professional for almost 40 years, I not only believe in the power of education to change lives but I also have direct experience of how a high quality education can make a a positive and significant difference to young people. From the outset, the Inspire Team has ensured that the materials provided are of the highest standard and that the teachers in the schools are supported to engage their pupils in academically challenging and stimulating activities.
Over the past six years, I have enjoyed seeing the Inspire project develop in the age ranges supported and geographical regions. I am proud that the evaluation of the Inspire programme demonstrates that those pupils who have participated have benefitted and are in a better position to secure a place at the most competitive universities. The outcomes from a free, high-quality programme for all are excellent.
I am delighted to be part of the team’s latest initiative, which focuses on creating a virtual learning environment for enrolled pupils. This innovative resource is designed to make academic resources more accessible, allowing for individual evaluation of the programme’s different strands. It will enable each pupil to craft their own unique learning journey, accumulating measurable skillsets as they progress.
I am excited to see how this initiative, the virtual learning environment, will further empower young people to achieve their academic aspirations. I am confident that it will significantly contribute to raising academic standards and fostering a culture of excellence among the pupils.
Access Team
Access is a core part of St John’s College. Our team includes the President, the Fellows and spans all of our college community. Without them, the scale and scope of the work we achieve would not be possible.
Our programmes are supported philanthropically by donors who share our belief in the power of education to transform lives. The generosity of our supporters has not only created life-changing opportunities for thousands of young people, but enabled St John’s to redefine what a college can achieve within access, outreach and widening participation.
Highlights of our Year
The highlight of my year was definitely the Inspire Research Awards Day. Hearing the pupils talk about their work so passionately was both interesting and rewarding.
Ollie Inspire 12 & 13 Lead
Witnessing pupils shift and change their ideas about the prospect of applying to university, or Oxford, throughout the course of a day has been incredibly rewarding. It is so fun to welcome so many brilliant pupils and members of staff to St John’s!
Megan Access Officer
Taking Scholars to our GLAM institutions for a ‘learning from objects’ session. It’s a real lightbulb moment for many that this is how learning could be at unversity.
Katie Inspire 9, 10 & 11 Lead School Partnership Coordinator
I have particularly enjoyed running lunchtime origami workshops with pupils at our linked Primary School.
Jenna Digital Platform Development Manager
I have really enjoyed interacting with the pupils who attended our summer schools, capturing their experiences through my photography and promoting our access work to the wider community.
Sam Digital Engagement Officer
For me, the highlights of the year were our high-quality in-bound Access visits which continuously receive exceptional feedback. These visits clearly make a big impact on the development of pupils’ skills, helping to build up their confidence, as well as ‘opening up’ and demystifying Oxford.
Petros Access Associate
There are few other jobs where the positive impact of your work is as apparent and rewarding.
Alfie Digital Access Officer
A Year in Numbers
Projected costs per annum when run at full capacity
Cost per school group = £930
*Bidding for £650 (out of maximum 150 cohorts)
*£600 per cohort; each school enrolling 3 cohorts with 50 schools on the programme
*100 pupils per summer school (YR9-11)
*1 per scholar when they visit SJC
Total
Overall Investment
in Access & Outreach
Access and Outreach is a strategic priority for the College and we are proud to play a significant role in Oxford’s ever-more progressive approach to widening access. In 2023/24, the College invested £525,413 in access and outreach, with a further £196,000 of support from generous philanthropic giving.
£721,413 total access spend
£196,000 Supported by £170,000 in Philanthropic Giving
£525,413 College Investment*
£38,200
Additionally, we invest a further £38,200 subsidising Oxford University’s flagship UNIQ Outreach programme for Y12 pupils.
22%
22% of our undergraduate students are in receipt of bursaries, with the College committing £74,277 in 2023/24 to supporting these students. Students with a household income assessed as being £7,500 or less receive an annual bursary of £5,800, whilst those with a household income between £7,500 and £32,500 receive an annual bursary of £5,000.
£155,729
In 2023/24 £155,729 was invested each year in REACH undergraduate scholarships to ensure that a St John’s education is accessible to people from all over the world. Reach Oxford scholarships are offered to students from low-income countries who, for political or financial reasons, or because suitable educational facilities do not exist, cannot study for a degree in their own countries.
*College investment: the college has decided to prioritise Access over our commercial conference business. Our investment includes lost opportunity costs for accommodation and catering.
Thank you card presented to the St John’s Access Team by Scholars from The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls.
“I
believe it spikes curiosity in topics that aren’t avaliable on the school curriculum. It even ventures into debates that help aid skills in advocating for personal opinions; a skill necessary in the real world.”
