The chance of a child from a disadvantaged background getting into Oxford or Cambridge is 1 in 1500, compared with 1 in 20 for children from private schools

The Next Step Foundation is on a mission to change those odds - and our students are rising to the challenge.

Between 2018 and 2021 our students had a 32% Oxbridge acceptance rate or higher, which rivals Eton College with 33%.

But it’s not only Oxbridge where opportunity is unequal. According to the Department for Education, in 2021-22 only 5.3% of young people on free school meals progressed to the most selective third of UK universities . This compares to 12.4% of all school leavers, and over 60% of those from independent schools .

Since 2016 the foundation has supported high ability students from underrepresented backgrounds to gain places at the UK’s most selective universities with significant rates of success. Partnering with schools, multi-academy trusts and universities from across the country, NSF provides a 10 month online university preparation programme to young people to help them fulfil their potential.

Our Students

We select our students from across the country in close partnership with their schools.

Our students may face various barriers to equality of opportunity in their educational journey. It is their commitment and academic curiosity, rather than narrow academic criteria, which make them successful in applying to our programme and gaining acceptance to some of the country’s most challenging degree courses.

Children from the most deprived backgrounds have a life expectancy that is 9 years less than that of their wealthier peers. We don’t just want to see our students accessing a great education, we are working with them to create a legacy for themselves, their families and their wider communities.

Our students

Meet the team

Initially founded by Bonas MacFarlane, the charity still benefits from strong ties with the organisation as well as high calibre 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.

Mohamad Omar

Trustee & Programme Alumnus

Mohamad Omar

Trustee & Programme Alumnus

I am a dedicated and accomplished professional with a diverse background spanning education, finance, and entrepreneurship. Currently serving as a Governor on the Board of Governors at New North Academy, I actively contribute to school improvement, curriculum development, and strategic planning. Additionally, my financial acumen was honed during my tenure as an Analyst at TPG Angelo Gordon and as a Corporate Governance Analyst at The Investment Association. I hold a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. My passion for education and commitment to social mobility drive my professional pursuits and my passions range from long distance running to reading.

Dr Brendan King

Trustee

Dr Brendan King

Trustee

Brendan is a highly experienced Impact & Evaluation leader, social researcher and author who transformed his lived experiences into a driving force for social mobility. Having received international recognition for his gender research, Brendan also excels in programme design and delivery, and plays a vital role in the Impact, Evaluation and Learning team at the Westminster Foundation. His global curiosity, paired with more UK-centric research in his doctorate from UCL's Institute of Education, demonstrates his passion for social justice, which he aims to bring to the work of Next Step Foundation.

How can you help?

As a young charity we are always looking for partners, donors and passionate people to join us in our mission.

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We rely on partners, extremely dedicated tutors donating their time and expertise, and members of the public to donate whatever they can.

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If you are a school or university get in touch to discuss how we can work together to support your students' success

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