We had a wonderful week with our 2025 Summer Schools cohort

We welcomed this year's five-day Classics, Modern Languages and Climate Change Summer School groups, each with 15 students, to our College between 18 - 22 August. The 2025 cohort took part in an academic programme, lived in College, met student ambassadors studying at Oxford, and received information, advice and guidance on applying to university.

The free-to-attend Summer Schools are designed to give UK pupils studying in Year 12 a taste of what it’s like to be an undergraduate studying at the University of Oxford. They join us for a week to experience life as a Wadham student.

Our Climate Change students took part in sessions on the Impact of Drought and Flooding on Plants in Oxford University's Biology teaching labs, as well as attending sessions on Environmental Macroecononics, Evolutionary Anthropology, Carbon Offset Controversies, and Political Activism within Human Sciences.

"It was so exciting to see how engaged and thoughtful the Summer School students were this year; I really enjoyed working with them in thinking through the complexities of climate change and what it means for society. I'm glad we have such a bright group of young scholars thinking about these issues, and I hope some choose to continue their studies here at Wadham."

Dr Arran J. Davis, Departmental Lecturer, Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion and Junior Research Fellow

Classicists experienced a tour of the Ashmolean Museum and took part in Greek language classes in the Ioannou Centre, as well as attending Classics and History courses and seminars at Wadham.

“This year's Classics summer school was one of the best ever, with a hugely engaged and motivated group of students who really threw themselves into the seminars and classes. It was such a pleasure listening to their sharp and critical ideas on ancient and modern sexualities, and I hope they will take lots of that energy into the final year of their A-level studies. We hope that many of them will have been inspired to pursue their Classical studies further at university.”

Peter Thonemann FBA, Tutorial Fellow and Professor of Ancient History

The Modern Languages cohort took a guided tour of the Taylorian, the University's centre for the study of Modern European languages and literatures. They attended introductory classes in Russian and Portuguese and German, for those who were new to these languages. The students participated in in French, Spanish, and German seminars and classes.

'It's been wonderful to meet so many talented and enthusiastic students and to discuss with them Goethe's very scary ballad, "The Elfking".'

Professor Carolin Duttlinger, Professor in German and Ockenden Fellow and Tutor in German

All Summer School students attended a Personal Statement Workshop led by Dr Hugh Munro. As part of the week's programme, they submitted an essay which they discussed with Wadham's tutors during a tutorial.

There was plenty of free time to enjoy the city throughout the week. Our student ambassadors organised lots of activities, including an Oxford ghost tour.

We have enjoyed hosting these exceptional students. We thank our student ambassadors, some of whom are former summer school attendees, our tutors, and our Access team for making the Summer Schools such a wonderful experience. We are also grateful to our donors, whose generosity makes it possible for us to run this programme.

Information about how to apply for our August 2026 Summer Schools will be available early next year.

Find out how you can get involved and support our schools and outreach work.

Through Oxford’s most extensive summer school programme and over 1,300 events, we’ve engaged nearly 50,000 young people over the past decade, inspiring them to discover that an elite university education is achievable. Our comprehensive evaluation shows that Wadham’s Access programme is creating pathways for students from all backgrounds to access the UK’s most competitive institutions, including Oxford. This is testimony to the exceptional talents of the pupils who participate in our access programmes, many of whom we are proud to welcome into our own College.

Through the bold vision for our forthcoming campaign, we have plans for deepening and expanding our sector-leading Access programme, and we aim to secure £10 million for an endowment to safeguard our enduring commitment to access, broaden financial support, and strengthen welfare provision. Find out more about our ambitions for future generations.