A decade of transforming educational opportunity

The ten-year milestone highlights a longstanding partnership between IntoUniversity, Christ Church and the University of Oxford, dedicated to addressing educational disparities and providing lasting opportunities for young people in the region.

Since the establishment of IntoUniversity Oxford South East, the centre has supported thousands of young people facing disadvantage by offering access to new opportunities and continuous guidance with their education. The programme has had a profound impact upon the lives of its participants, 53% of whom have progressed to higher education – substantially above the local average of 20%. 

IntoUniversity centres work with young people aged between seven and 18, providing holistic support throughout their educational journey. Through academic support, mentoring, and aspiration-raising workshops and visits, the programme aims to enhance students’ academic achievements, broaden their awareness of future possibilities, and nurture essential life skills to help them make well-informed decisions about their futures. 

The centre’s partnerships have grown significantly in number and scale, allowing the programme to reach a greater number of students than ever before. To date, the centre has delivered over 1,340 workshops and organised more than 250 trips to universities, including over 166 visits to the University of Oxford and 93 visits to Christ Church, where students were able to explore College life and gain a deeper understanding of Higher Education, as well as taking part in their very own ‘degree ceremonies’. 

The centre supports four primary schools – Pegasus, Windale, Rose Hill and Wood Farm School – and works with five local secondary schools – Cheney School, The Oxford Academy, Oxford Spires, St Gregory the Great and North Oxfordshire Academy. In primary schools, students from the age of seven receive after-school academic support, including homework, coursework assistance, and help with literacy and numeracy from trained tutors. In secondary schools, one-to-one guidance is provided for GCSE, A-level, and degree-level subject choices, coursework, revision, exam techniques, UCAS forms, interview preparation, and gap year planning.

To celebrate the milestone, a special event was held on Thursday 24 April at the Oxford South East Centre in Blackbird Leys, acknowledging the ongoing collaboration with Christ Church and the University of Oxford, and the significant impact this has had on students, families, community groups and supporters. The celebration brought together community leaders, schoolchildren and families, as well as the founder and Chief Executive of IntoUniversity, Dr Rachel Carr, the University of Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey CBE FMedSci FRS, and The Very Revd Prof Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church.

Dr Rachel Carr OBE, Chief Executive and founder of IntoUniversity, said, 'We are immensely proud to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Oxford centre, and the continued success of our partnership with the University of Oxford and Christ Church college. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to help many talented young people in Oxford achieve their goals and unlock their full potential. We’re incredibly grateful to the University of Oxford for their continued support, and we look forward to many more years of working together to make a positive difference.'

Professor Irene Tracey CBE FMedSci FRS, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, said, 'I am delighted that the IntoUniversity centre in Blackbird Leys has reached this significant milestone. This anniversary marks ten years of inspiring young people from the local area to think about their future and to support them in whatever direction they choose.  

'Oxford University's partnership with IntoUniversity is a valuable part of the work we do to support young people from disadvantaged communities to improve their educational outcomes and successfully access higher education. The IntoUniversity team, colleagues across the collegiate University, and the many volunteers that give their time to the programme, should be rightly proud of the impact they have had over the past decade.'

The Very Revd Professor Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, said: 'Christ Church is proud to continue to play a lead role in supporting IntoUniversity Oxford South East, a centre tackling educational disadvantage in our local community. As well as co-funding the centre in Blackbird Leys together with the University of Oxford, Christ Church hosts IntoUniversity events in College, where pupils find out about university and Oxford from our current students and members of staff. In our 500th anniversary year, we congratulate IntoUniversity Oxford South East on their significant achievements over the past decade.'