An Oxford Education

The city of Oxford as a source of academic, cultural and industrial inspiration  

By David Flower, Sub-Warden Academic

Very few cities in the world have names that are synonymous with education and good learning. Even in the farthest-flung corner of the world, the word ‘Oxford’ is associated with centuries of academic debate, scientific discovery and the understanding of ancient and modern languages. More simply, the whole city is a font of learning. That St Edward’s finds itself in such a city is not an historical accident. Our founders established a school in Oxford because they placed a premium on sound teaching and learning.

When our pupils and their parents choose St Edward’s as a place to study, the city has very probably played a central role in their thinking. Oxford is an hour from the outskirts of London, yet you can be in the countryside in minutes; it is a lovely place to be. Eleven different counties are within an hour’s drive, so it is convenient too.

Art History pupils in the Schools Quadrangle of the Bodleian Library

Over the years, the School’s relationship with the other academic institutions in the city has naturally ebbed and flowed; but the city does have one further association: it is place of ambition. Our ambition is now very clear: we want to make the most of our location and, in particular, to make close connections with the work of the University and the wider intellectual life of the city.

At the start of this academic year, we hosted a major conference on the Oxford Movement and Education, led jointly by members of the School’s History Department, alongside academics from the University of Oxford. This event marked the beginning of an ambitious series of Oxford Lectures. The School is hosting tutors from the University to address our pupils, parents, OSE and staff on the subject of their work. Every subject that we teach will hold a Lecture triennially, giving our pupils the chance to hear from global experts as a matter of academic routine. Not only will academics spend the evening offering lectures, but they will spend the day in classes with our pupils, discussing one another’s work and offering insights into contemporary academic trends and interests. We know that our pupils thrive when they are stretched and are encouraged to think outside of the sometimes narrow confines of the curriculum and this programme will give them the chance to do just that.

The famous MINI Plant in Oxford’s Cowley

We have appointed the first St Edward’s Fellows, who will start this term. The aim of this programme is to enable junior academics to join our teaching staff on a part-time basis, adding their expertise to the body of the Common Room and broadening and enlivening the pupils’ interests beyond the taught syllabus. Several of our teaching staff already teach in the University and the St Edward’s Fellows programme is an exciting way to expose more and more of our students to the work of university academics in the early part of their careers.

Finally, pupils are travelling into Oxford frequently to learn about their subject in the halls, laboratories and museums of the city. The School already has a burgeoning partnership with the Pitt-Rivers Museum, who help us to deliver the IB Theory of Knowledge course. Unlike many other university cities, Oxford and its environs contain significant industrial zones and, more recently, have become a hub for physical and life sciences. Pupils travel out into the city as a regular part of their work. They hear lectures, visit museums, see production lines in operation and quiz experts on their subjects. Evidence proves that learning becomes much easier if the subject matter can be brought to life. In Oxford we are tremendously lucky to have such a rich and invigorating array of businesses, universities and research institutions on our doorstep and we intend to make full use of their proximity in the coming years.

Fourth Form Classics pupils visit the Ashmolean in Oxford

The Covid pandemic dramatically curtailed the ability of schools like ours to welcome visitors and to get out of the classroom to engage in further learning. As the world reopens, St Edward’s is fortunate to find itself situated in one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest university city on Earth. In the next months and years we will continue to make the very most of this good fortune and ensure that we explore the city and that we welcome its academics as never before.