Oxford Trip

University of Oxford Taster Day - Wednesday 5 February 2025 University of Oxford Taster Day is an opportunity for students to explore a variety of post-18 options in one setting. It’s a chance to taster different courses offered at the university, talk with university admissions staff and subject specialists and find out what life's like on and off campus. As part of Copthall’s comprehensive professional careers support provision, a group of Year 11 and Year 12 students attended this exciting event. 

Year 11 Student article: Trip to Oxford - Christ Church

A few 11 and 12 students, myself included, were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to visit Oxford University's famous Christ Church, and it was a priceless experience.

After a two-hour ride on the minibus, we arrived at Tom Tower and were lead through the beautiful Tom Quad to a lecture hall. There we met with our guide, who was very welcoming. We spent 30 minutes there learning about the nature of Oxford, its teachers, and its students. Our guide provided insight into the financial, mental, and academic support available to the students, along with the resources and opportunities they are offered. All of us were generously gifted our very own Oxford tote bags and pens as souvenirs, and then we headed to lunch.

As we walked across the campus, we admired the beauty of Christ Church’s historic architecture, and I spotted one of their two cats walking by. We then made it to the dining hall and got to stand on the very staircase that Harry Potter stood on, before entering the Great Hall that inspired the one in the Harry Potter films. The staff catered for all dietary requirements- they had halal, vegetarian, and vegan food, and they even catered for allergies and intolerances!

Afterwards, we were led back to the lecture room where we met three current undergraduate students, and we were encouraged to ask them questions. I learnt that Oxford offered a summer school called UNIQ to sixth form students which allows them to learn about and explore different courses. I also learnt that the Oxford website contains podcasts on all courses which prospective students are advised to watch so that they can use it to strengthen their personal statements. All courses along with the grades required to take them are on the website and so are some past admissions tests for year 13 students to practice. The students each told us about the courses they are taking and then they took us on a tour around the college, which allowed us to explore. Then, we once again returned to the lecture hall and engaged in an active discussion about Shakespeare, who is the only poet to ever have a course dedicated to him, and we talked about adaptations of his plays

Yara R. 11L