St John's Inspire programme
St John’s Inspire programme, St John’s College, Oxford
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls is a partner school of the St John’s Inspire Programme, and the hub school for the borough of Ealing. We have been with the programme since the beginning, our head teacher Ms Kruger is an advisor on the steering committee. Through the St John’s Inspire programme we want to encourage pupils with exceptional promise to aim high, to stretch themselves academically and to be confident in making well-founded applications to a top university like Oxford.
Participants get the opportunity to:
Explore academic subjects they are enthusiastic about in a more structured and deeper way
Gain confidence in their academic abilities; talking about their subject and making applications to competitive universities
Meet people who share a passion for their subject
Receive up-to-date and accurate advice on all aspects of university admissions and funding
Gain the tools to make informed academic choices and submit strong applications to competitive courses and universities.
The programme is free of charge and it only offers to non-selective state secondary schools.
Pre-GCSE Programmes (Year 9 ,10 and 11)
The Inspire Scholars Programme for Years 9, 10 & 11 (Selected students based on academic merit)
a) After school Inspire Club Classes: fortnightly after school inspire classes that are delivered by enthusiastic subject specialists. Refreshments are provided.
b) Aspiration Fund Grants: Previously the scholars had an astronomy study day at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Last year students enjoyed an immersive virtual reality experience of the pyramids in Giza.
c) Inspire Scholar Visit Days: students will get a full experience of studying at Oxford University. It also includes visit to the oldest library in Europe- the Bodleian library, and a talk on the moral ethics of the artificial intelligence by a world-renowned academia.
d) Summer school residential: Every year 3 students from the scholar programme will be selected to attend 3 days summer school at St John’s College, Oxford. Both accommodation and food are free. Some students may also be eligible to apply for travel reimbursement.
e) Additional in school specialist talk. Previously we welcomed Dr Morrison of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Paleoecology at University College London and Natural History Museum London to give talk on his research at the Ellen Wilkinson School.
f) Parent and carer sessions (online): parental guidance on applying for Oxford University and career pathways.
g) Inspire Study Skills - Positively You (online): focus on confidence building and independent study skills.
Inspire Critical Thinking (open to ALL Year 9, 10 & 11 students)
The Inspire programme offers opportunities to every students in Year 9, 10 and 11 to develop their critical thinking skills and academic curiosity through Inspire Critical Thinking. The Inspire Critical Thinking is free and open to all students. It includes:
a) Four digital workshops centred on a main question. In 2023/4 this was ‘Does all crime deserve punishment’. Each workshop contained a number of articles and debates from the perspectives of Humanities, Social Sciences and STEM subjects, underpinned by a critical thinking skill. All of the contents were produced by Oxford University academia.
b) Super challenge competitions including posters, puzzles, debates and critical analysis. Opportunities for sharing opinions and ideas on the debate forum and voting in polls.
c) The Oxford Spotlight: students can find out about different aspects of Oxford University, its museums, traditions and the Colleges in the section.
Post-GCSE Programme Year (12 and 13)
The Inspire Programmes for Years 12 & 13 (open to ALL students)
a) Four digital workshops centred on a main question. In 2023/4 this was ‘Does all crime deserve punishment’. Each workshop contained a number of articles and debates from the perspectives of Humanities, Social Sciences and STEM subjects, underpinned by a critical thinking skill. All of the contents were produced by Oxford University academia.
b) Virtual information sessions that cover the universities admissions process, admissions tests, student finance and the research project. Each session is accompanied by academic taster lectures and resources to encourage wider reading.
Inspire Research Project for Year 12 &13 (ALL students):
Students submit a research proposal (i.e. Extended Project Qualification) in Y12 or a research poster in Y13, with each submission being accompanied by a day at St John’s College, Oxford.
Year 12 Study Days & Subject Exploration Days (selected students based on academic merit):
| Geography |
| History |
| Medicine |
| English |
| Chemistry |
| Maths and Computer Science |
| History of Art |
| Biomedical Sciences |
| Modern Languages |
Participants at the Subject Exploration Days attend talks and workshops led by tutors, find out more about the course at Oxford and what tutors are looking for, and meet current St John's students. St John’s Inspire programme offers both in-person events and virtual events.