We are very pleased to invite all Somervillian alumni who work in teaching or wider education to our Teachers’ Day on 1st July.
We’re delighted that Somerville alumna Barbara Bleiman has agreed to be our keynote speaker. Barbara is an author, an education adviser and Co-Director of the English and Media Centre, a development centre for English and Media teaching in secondary schools. She is also an important national champion of oracy in schools, and we are very lucky that she is able to join us in a discussion of this topic – vital, as it is, in secondary and primary sectors, and across all subjects.
Some programme details are still being finalised, but timings of the day for teachers are likely to be as follows:
- 10.30am Arrival and tea, coffee and biscuits
- 11am Keynote address – Barbara Bleiman
- 12pm The latest updates on Oxford application – Steve Rayner, Senior Tutor
- 1pm Buffet lunch
- 2pm Supporting Generic Processing Skills – Ginny Stacey
- 2.30pm Widening students’ learning: developing the supercurriculum
- 3pm Tea/coffee and finish
The date has been fixed to be a day before the University Open Day on 2nd July, and we are hoping that some of our alumni working in secondary schools may be able to bring non-Oxbridge colleagues and/or potential applicants along with them, and stay in College on the night of the 1st July.
Potential applicants will join teachers for some of this programme but will also have separate session on building their supercurricular learning ahead of UCAS applications, and on making the most of the University Open Days.
Jackie would welcome teachers’ thoughts about what might enable them to join us. As a former teacher herself, she knows how difficult it can be to get out of school for days like this! Please email her on jacqueline.watson@some.ox.ac.uk.
Stop Press – If you work for a state secondary school, and didn’t know about the Oxford University online CPD for teachers, a course starts in January 2026. It is led by Trinity College, please visit https://www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/teacher-support for details and contact their Outreach Officer, Hannah Rolley (hannah.rolley@trinity.ox.ac.uk).