On this page you can find a summary of free teaching resources from St John’s College as well as from across the University of Oxford more widely. Much of this material has been created for the St John’s Inspire Programme, but we have also included links to materials produced by other parts of the University to give you as wide an overview as possible as to what is available to you.
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Online teaching resources and lesson plans
These teaching resources have been prepared in collaboration with teachers, can be adapted to your classroom needs and can be delivered either in-person or online. You can find links to all resources in the left column, and a brief description of each resource and the age group(s) it is aimed at on the right.
| Resource link | resource description |
|---|---|
 | Our Year 11 Inspire Programme is an online course focusing on one central question each year, which is approached from a variety of subject viewpoints. Each class includes articles, quizzes, games and competitions. The 2019-20 course is no longer accepting applications, but you are welcome to use the course materials in your own classroom, virtually or in person. |
 | Oxplore is an innovative digital outreach portal from the University of Oxford. As the ‘Home of Big Questions’ it aims to engage those from 11 to 18 years with debates and ideas that go beyond what is covered in the classroom. Big questions tackle complex ideas across a wide range of subjects and draw on the latest research undertaken at Oxford. Oxplore aims to realise aspirations, promote broader thinking and stimulate intellectual curiosity. Click here for a guide on incorporating Oxplore resources into your classroom. |
 | Oxford Sparks supports teachers in enriching their science lessons by providing teaching resources across STEM subjects adapted for each Key Stage. Each lesson comes with student worksheets and teacher notes. |
 | Just Add Imagination (also from Oxford Sparks) aims to show how creative and exciting STEM subjects are, to dispel stereotypical ideas about who ‘belongs’ in STEM fields and to encourage parents and children to explore the opportunities offered by a STEM career. This resource is suited to younger age groups and is a great resource to share with parents. |
| Recommended resources for teachers and parents home-schooling during COVID-19 | The Oxford Department of Education have compiled some general advice as well as subject specific resources which may help parents and teachers who are home-schooling. The subject guidance in general is aimed at secondary school learners. |
 | Ignite is a programme for secondary school PSHE lessons, to instil greater self-knowledge, -confidence and -assertiveness in students, to help them with their career planning. It offers pre-packaged lessons adapted to each Key Stage which you can access through the website. |
 | This collection of freely available literary resources is aimed at students from sixth-form to university, their teachers, and at lifelong learners. It contains lectures, eBooks and contextual essays for reuse by individuals and the educational community. Resources could be included in course packs, browsed for extended project work or in preparation for university study, or set as additional reading around specific central texts. |
| Oxford Faculty of Classics Learning Resources | The Faculty of Classics at Oxford offers a wealth of online material for all ages which you can use in your classroom, as well as a newsletter you can subscribe to, events and other resources. For support in teaching Classics specifically at the primary and early secondary level, check out Classics in Communities. |
 | Eton College is making several online self-study courses from the EtonX Future Skills Programme available free of charge to state school pupils in the UK. These courses are particularly appropriate for Year 11 and Year 13 pupils and offer training in skills important to life and to the workplace. |
 | I’m a Scientist, Stay at home helps students with STEM learning, even when schools are closed. It is an interactive text-based learning experience suitable for all ages, but sixth form students will particularly benefit from the focus on career development and opportunities to chat with professional scientists. Teachers can register their class for free and monitor students’ progress. |
 | I’m an Engineer, Stay at home helps students with STEM learning, even when schools are closed. It is an interactive text-based learning experience suitable for all ages, but sixth form students will particularly benefit from the focus on career development and opportunities to chat with professional engineers. Teachers can register their class for free and monitor students’ progress. |
Online resources for pupils
There are a number of freely available online resources which students can access themselves to further their learning and explore their favourite subjects more deeply.
| resource link | description |
|---|---|
| In the For Students section of this website, you can find articles and practice questions to share with your pupils. For an online course making use of this material in a more guided way, see the Year 11 Inspire Course above. |
| This is a masterlist of super-curricular material which pupils can use to engage with their favourite subjects in a deeper way: we have included reading lists as well as links to useful websites and interesting social media channels to follow. |
| St John’s College Library | The St John’s College Library team have made a number of fascinating items from the College’s Special Collections available, in the form of virtual exhibitions, colouring sheets, quizzes and more. |
 | Staircase 12 is an online hub of resources and information for pupils thinking about applying to top universities, including a Reading Bank and Resource Hub. |
 | The Bodleian Library’s digitized collections are open to users from around the world for learning, teaching, personal enjoyment and research. |
| Oxford Mathematics Institute Public Lectures | The Oxford Mathematics Institute invite the world’s best mathematicians to share the pleasures (and occasional pain) of their subject with a wider audience through their Public Lectures programme; previous lectures are available on the Mathematics Institute’s YouTube page. |
| MAT Livestreams | This is a playlist of videos from the Oxford Mathematics Institute which breaks down the Maths Admissions Test and teaches Year 12 students how to approach and solve questions. They also host a weekly livestream at 3pm on Thursdays here. |
| Curious Minds, Oxford Department for Continuing Education | Visit the world’s museums, libraries, language centres and more – and give your brain a workout – all from your own home. Compiled by academics and staff of Oxford Continuing Education, these freely available educational resources will help entertain you during challenging times. |
| Resources from the Oxford Department of Engineering Science | The Department of Engineering Science has put together a list of resources that pupils interested in Engineering may find useful during their time at home. |
| Resources from the Oxford Department of Computer Science | A collection of resources, super-curricular material and other reading produced by the Oxford Department of Computer Science for pupils interested in computer science. |
| Wider reading from Causeway Education | An extensive list of wider reading materials from Causeway Education across every subject. |
For even more great resources, check out the University of Oxford’s Digital Resource Hub here!
Please get in touch with us at inspire@sjc.ox.ac.uk if you know of a resource we haven’t featured here!