THE OXFORDSHIRE SIXTH
FORM CONFERENCE
The Oxfordshire Sixth Form Conference was founded in
1957 and since then, has taken place for one week every year during the last
week of June or the first week of July. Until 1988 it ran at Jesus College, then
moved to Queen's College. In 1993 the Oxford Colleges decided that it should
move college each year if possible. It is attended by between 70 and 100
students from 28 State Schools in the county who are presently doing 'A' Level
or Baccalaureate courses, have completed Year 12 and are intending to go on to
university in the UK. It offers a unique opportunity only available in
Oxfordshire and is open to any able students.
AIMS:
The Conference aims to give participants one week of
university life during which they are resident as students in a college of
Oxford University. They have a tutorial, a lecture and a seminar each day. They
make afternoon visits to local industry and legal and medical centres and are
introduced to the Bodleian Library. In the evenings there are debates, concerts
or theatre visits and some social events.
We aim to extend the knowledge and intellectual skills
of able students and to encourage them to think independently, to organise
their time profitably and responsibly and to widen their intellectual horizons
through introductions to new fields of study.
The Conference also aims to provide a social atmosphere
in which some students can mature amazingly in a single week where they have to
be self-reliant, are treated as adults and are expected to accept the
concomitant responsibilities. Most of the students have never had the
opportunity of being away from home under these conditions before.
FUNDING:
The Conference is sponsored by the Oxford Colleges
Admissions Office and the Lampl Foundation.
Students make a contribution towards the cost (there is
a small hardship fund to help students with financial difficulties).
Participating schools make a small 'contribution for
each participating student.
Some schools provide Tutors for the Conference week at
no cost and the services of the Management Committee and Organising Committee
are unpaid.
Most of the Lecturers and Seminar Leaders provide their
services free of charge. The LEA makes no charge for the services of the Chair
Person and Accountant.
STAFFING:
Lectures are given by invited speakers from inside and
outside the university.
Seminars are run by university Dons.
Tutorials are given by resident teachers freed by
schools to teach morning sessions.
The week is run by the Management Committee and resident
staff from schools on a
ratio of one teacher to ten students.
ORGANISING THE CONFERENCE:
1. A small committee takes responsibility for the general management
of the Conference.
Prof. Richard Pring: President.
Martin
Pounce: Chair
- LEA Responsible for meetings & accounts.
Chris Mills: Director
- responsible for venue, funding & expenditure lecturers, Tutors,
administering the week.
Harry Dodds: Deputy
Director - responsible for minutes, programme printing, seminar leaders.
Linda Reynolds: Retired
- responsible for programme of visits.
This group generally meets after each general meeting
& occasionally in school holidays, to finalise the venue & budget. Anyone
is welcome to attend. Decisions taken are brought to the next general meeting
of the Organising Committee.
2. The Organising Committee is composed of those
above and one representative from each Sixth Form in the County. This
committee is responsible for:
a) Attending the termly meeting of the
Organising Committee.
b) Agreeing the theme of each Conference.
c) Agreeing charges and funding arrangements.
d) Agreeing changes to the management committee.
e) Each representative will do one
administrative task during the year (e.g. take minutes or edit the Anthology).
f) Suggesting names of speakers & Dons to
be invited.
g) PR. within schools.
h) Communicating relevant information to schools
and pupils.
i) Deciding any changes to be made to the
programme & organisation of the week.
j) Providing material for the Anthology in time
for printing.
k) Encouraging students to participate &
collecting fees.
1) Working as Tutors for the week if they can be
released from schools.
3. Resident Tutors are responsible during the
week of the conference for their Tutorials, student welfare & behaviour,
guests, accompanying visits, introducing and thanking speakers and some office
duty. They will write a brief report on each of the students in their Tutorial
Group at the end of the Conference. Office duty is operated in shifts between
0800 and 0130.
4.
The
students are responsible for:
a) Providing a piece of writing or
art work on the Conference theme in time for an Editor from the organising
Committee to put their submissions together into an Anthology which will be
published and given to all participants at the start of the Conference.
b) Paying their contributions on
time (these are paid to their schools by May half term. Schools are then
invoiced in July for the total amount due).
c) There is no written work during
the Conference but students will be given small texts to read in preparation
for tutorials or seminars.
d) Organising & speaking in the
debate.
e) Hosting visiting Tutors for
Admissions on the Thursday evening.
f) Completing an assessment of the
week at the close of the Conference and making suggestions for improvements.
g)
Obeying
College rules.
EXISTING PROGRAMME:
Monday: 1230 Management Committee set up.
1400 Students arrive.
1500 Briefing of students.
1600 Introductory activities.
1800 Students meet Seminar Leaders.
1900 Dinner.
2015 Lecture.
2130 Tutor group activity.
Tuesday - Thursday: 0815 Breakfast.
0915 Tutorials.
1045 Lecture.
1300 Lunch.
1415 Afternoon visits.
1715 Seminars.
1900 Dinner.
2015 Debate/concert/theatre.
(Thursday only: packed supper
& punting 1830-2000;
2100 cheese & wine party)
Friday: 0815 Breakfast.
0915 Tutorials.
1045 Final Forum.
1300 Lunch.
1400
Post-conference
evaluation meeting & departure.
CONTACTS:
Chris Mills:
The European School,
Culham,
Oxon.OXI4 3DZ
Tel: (01235) 522621
Fax: (01235) 554609
Email: Wendchris@aol.com
Harry Dodds:
Westminster
Institute of Education,
Oxford
Brookes University,
Harcourt
Hill Campus,
Oxford.OX9
2AT
Tel: (01865)
488561
Fax: (01608
810756)
Email: harryd@patrol.i-way.co.uk