Outreach Talks and Events

Balliol runs a number of programmes and events designed to widen access to the University of Oxford To find out which Oxford college is responsible for outreach in your region, please click here.

You may also find it useful to look at the East of England website, the University Outreach Events Calendar and Oxford’s Astrophoria Foundation Year Programme,.

Discovery Programme: A virtual enrichment programme for Year 10 students

Who is it for?

This virtual programme is designed for able and motivated Year 10 students who are willing to engage in all of the academic sessions and complete the pre-session tasks to gain the most from the programme.

We will give priority to the most disadvantaged schools and schools from our link regions of Norfolk, Suffolk and Hertfordshire for the live sessions. Schools from all regions of the UK are welcome to apply.

How does it work?

There are two options to choose from. Schools can request to attend the live workshops which run on Thursdays between 3.304.30 from 21 March until 13 June or schools can opt to receive the recordings of the sessions to use as part of their wider teaching.

What will the programme cover?

The programme will introduce topics that students will not usually have covered in school. Content will cover humanities, and the sciences.

In our 2024 programme we will cover:

  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Classics
  • Economics
  • English
  • Maths
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology

Each workshop involves a short assignment to be completed beforehand. This usually involves reading, watching a video or listening to a podcast.

When are the 2024 workshops?

The workshops will run every Thursday (excluding school holidays) from 21 March until the 13 June.

How can I register my school for the live sessions?

Teachers who are interested in signing a year 10 group up for the live talks or to receive the recordings to use in their teaching should complete this form by 5pm on Friday 15 March 2023.

Can I access the recordings from previous years?

Teachers that wish to use the recordings of academic sessions from previous years of the Discovery Programme can request access to both the recordings and the student work booklet from our 2023 programme by completing this form.

Subject Taster Days for Year 12 students

Each year, we run a range of subject-specific Taster Days for year 12 students from state schools across the UK.

These days include academic sessions, a practical workshop and a demonstration of an Oxford interview in the relevant subject. There will also be a tour of Balliol College with a chance to meet and ask questions of current undergraduate students.

Places at these events are limited so we will prioritise those applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds or from groups with a history of lower progression to higher education.

In 2024 we are running the following Taster Days:

  • ChemistryWednesday 10 April, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 15 March.
  • Modern LanguagesMonday 3 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 10 May.
  • Biology - Tuesday 4 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 10 May.
  • History — Wednesday 5 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 10 May.
  • Physics & Philosophy — Tuesday 11 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 17 May.
  • Engineering Science — Wednesday 12 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 17 May.
  • English — Thursday 13 June, the application deadline is 5pm on Friday 17 May.

Fibonacci, Floreat and Frontier Access Programmes for Year 12 Students

Balliol offers three, year long academic programmes: Floreat, Frontier and Fibonacci. These programmes are open to Year 12 students from state schools across the UK. These programmes begin in the spring and our 2024 programmes are now fully subscribed. For details, please see the Access Programmes web page.

Oxford for East of England: Springboard

Our Springboard video collection is intended for school pupils in Years 11, 12 and 13. Each video offers an introduction to a new topic, plus lots of activities and further resources to explore. When you click on a topic, we will ask you a few questions and then play the video of your choice.

Public admissions talks

We provide online presentations on applying to Oxbridge to schools in our link regions. These are suitable for all students, teachers and parents. If you are interested in arranging such a talk for your school or college, please email: outreach@​balliol.​ox.​ac.​uk.

KS3 Learning Days for Year 7 and Year 8 students

We will be announcing plans to refresh and enhance our KS3 offering in January 2024.

Personal statement workshops

We provide personal statement workshops for year 12 students. Interested schools should email outreach@​balliol.​ox.​ac.​uk.

CPD for teachers

CPD sessions

Balliol is now offering bespoke CPD for teachers of Biology, Chemistry and Physics who work in state schools. This will be provided in the form of one-hour online sessions which will take place at mutually agreed times. There is no cost for this provision. Teachers who are interested should complete this form.

Other access events and programmes

The following events and programmes are run by Oxford University:

  • University calendar of events to support prospective applicants.
  • UNIQ - Access programme for state school students from under-represented groups.
  • Opportunity Oxford — An academic bridging programme that helps to prepare talented UK offer holders from under-represented backgrounds for successful student careers at our university.
  • Target Oxbridge - A programme that aims to help Black African and Caribbean students and students of mixed race with Black African and Caribbean heritage increase their chances of getting into the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge.
  • The Astrophoria Foundation Year Programme — A one-year foundation programme for UK state school students with significant academic potential, who have experienced severe personal disadvantage or a disrupted education which has resulted in them being unable to apply directly for an Oxford undergraduate degree programme. Our foundation year is free for students, including tuition, term-time accommodation in one of Oxford’s colleges, and travel to and from Oxford at the start and end of each term. You will also get a non-repayable bursary for you to cover your living expenses.