ACS English Study Day

acs study day logo

*Please note- the application deadline for the English Study Day has been extended to noon on Monday 4 March.*

 

The English Faculty, Magdalen College and the Oxford African and Caribbean Society (ACS) are organising an English Study Day for Year 12 students of African and/or Caribbean heritages, on Monday 15th April 2019.

This event is designed specifically to encourage Year 12 school students of African and/or Caribbean heritages who are interested in studying English at university, to consider applying to Oxford. Applications from all school types are welcome, from all regions of the UK, although we particularly welcome interest from students who attend state schools, sixth forms and FE colleges.

Following the release of Oxford University’s Annual Admissions Statistical Report in May 2018, the figures show that for the period between 2015 and 2017, 13.5% of the course intake for the English Language and Literature course were from BME backgrounds, and 1% of the total cohort were Black. Data from the 2015 UK universities intake show that 1.8% of students achieving 3 A grades at A level were Black, which means that the English Language and Literature cohort has only half the Black students that it should do statistically.

As part of the University’s broader commitment to widening access, we feel that much more needs to be done to present the English course at Oxford as something which is worthwhile, achievable and fulfilling to these students, and have therefore launched this inaugural study day with the aim of addressing this demographic imbalance.

The day will run from 11am – 4pm, and will comprise of three academic sessions involving five English tutors, a library workshop, lunch at Magdalen College, and an interactive Q & A session. There will be lots of friendly student ambassadors at the event, including representatives from the ACS.

We would welcome applications from students who are studying English Literature, or the combined English Language and Literature course and are predicated to achieve 3 As or above at A Level (or equivalent). We invite interested students to complete this application form and return it either by email to outreach@ell.ox.ac.uk, or by post to the Faculty of English Language and Literature by noon on Monday 4 March 2019. If you are a teacher, you can download a letter to pass on to any students who you think may be interested in the study day.

If you have any questions at all about this event, please don’t hesitate to contact the event organisers, Dr Ed Dodson (Outreach and Communications Officer at Magdalen College) and Rebecca Costello (Outreach Officer at the Faculty of English Language and Literature) on outreach@ell.ox.ac.uk.