1 in 1500 the chance of a child from a disadvantaged background getting into Oxford or Cambridge compared with 1 in 20 children from private schools
The Next Step Foundation is on a mission to change those odds, and their scholars are rising to the challenge. The last four cohorts have a 32% Oxbridge acceptance rate or higher which rivals Eton College with 33%.
Since 2016 the foundation has supported high ability students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain places at the UK’s most selective universities with astonishing rates of success. Partnering with schools and multi-academy trusts from across the country, NSF provides a 10 month online university preparation programme to young people to help them fulfil their potential.
Our Scholars
We select our scholars in close partnership with their schools and heads of 6th form from across the country.
Our scholars may face various inequalities but their commitment and academic curiosity, rather than narrow academic criteria are what make them successful in applying to our programme and gaining acceptance to some of the country’s most challenging degree courses.
This year we have more than doubled our numbers to over 140 students.
Meet the team
The charity initially founded by Bonas MacFarlane still benefits from strong ties with the organisation, as well as high calibre of external trustees and a highly driven leadership team
David Wellesley Wesley
Chair of the board of trustees
David Wellesley Wesley
Chair of the board of trustees
Director of Bonas MacFarlane Education and the founder of the acclaimed Independent Schools Show, is respected by hundreds of school heads. He has two sons.
Charles Bonas
Trustee
Charles Bonas
Trustee
Founder and Director of Bonas MacFarlane Education. Charles has tutored, taught and mentored children, and advised their parents for twenty-five years. He has a young son.
James Higgins
Trustee and Founder of the Next Step Foundation
James Higgins
Trustee and Founder of the Next Step Foundation
James founded Next Step Foundation as an expert in access to higher education. Prior to joining Bonas MacFarlane, James was head of year in a London school. He completed both his BA in Hispanic Studies and his MA in Politics at Sheffield. James is a trained teacher.
Damaris Ozanne
Chief Operations Officer
Damaris Ozanne
Chief Operations Officer
Damaris has ensured the smooth running of the programme since its inception. Strong business development professional with a Bachelor's degree focused in Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics from The University of Edinburgh.
Ann Conway-Hughes
Trustee
Ann Conway-Hughes
Trustee
Director of Transformation at HM Revenue & Customs. Ann is an executive Director / Transformation Leader, innovative, versatile & commercially-astute, with experience across B2B, B2C, legal, engineering, health, public, manufacturing, transport, consulting, and corporate sectors.
Charlie Foot
CEO Next Step Foundation
Charlie Foot
CEO Next Step Foundation
Former Teach First languages teacher and subject leader. Charlie has worked in education technology for the last 6 years, running his online language exchange platform and is committed to addressing educational disadvantage.
How can you help?
As a young charity we are always looking for partners, donors and passionate people to join us in our mission.
Donate
We rely on extremely dedicated tutors donating their time and expertise and members of the public to donate whatever they can.
Support us
Get Involved
Can you support us directly as an individual donor? Do you know an individual or organisation that might be able to help us further our mission?
Contact us
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