Jump to main content
oup logo

Oxford University Press Schools' Collection

This collection of five standalone resources includes Grove Art Online, Grove Music Online, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford Reference Online and Oxford Language Dictionaries Online.

Each resource is available separately but schools can subscribe to all five for the price of four through JISC Collections for Schools.

Please note: the Oxford University Press Schools' Collection is not available to independent schools.

on this page

Relevance to the National Curriculum

Resources available as part of the Oxford University Press Schools' Collection are suitable for the teaching, learning and coursework requirements of a broad range of subject areas from Key Stages 3 and 4 to A/AS level and the International Baccalaureate.

Content

The Oxford University Press Schools' Collection includes five individual resources:

Grove Art Online

Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the visual arts from pre-history to the present day, plus over 5,000 images and 40,000 image links.

Grove Music Online

50,000 articles charting the history of music and musicians worldwide from the earliest times, plus more than 500 Sibelius-enabled audio examples.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Specially-commissioned biographies of over 57,000 people worldwide who have helped to shape all aspects of the British past over the last 2,400 years, plus more than 10,000 portrait illustrations, a wide range of thematic articles and other special features.

Oxford Language Dictionaries Online

Easy access to the full text of Oxford University Press' unabridged dictionaries of French, German, Spanish, and Italian plus a range of tools and resources to support language learners at all levels, including audio pronunciation.

Oxford Reference Online

A comprehensive online library offering cross-searchable access to over 200 dictionaries and reference works covering the full subject spectrum, plus more than 12,500 images and other special features.

back to top

Reviews

  • Grove Art Online: "a magnificent resource: a vast encyclopedia of art." The Guardian
  • Grove Music Online: "an invaluable resource for both teacher and student." Education Guardian
  • Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "reliable, authoritative and full of fascinating detail." Schoolzone
  • Oxford Language Dictionaries Online: "an outstanding wealth of linguistic resources." School Library Journal
  • Oxford Reference Online: "entirely suitable for all subject areas...an essential purchase for any school." Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia (TEEM)
back to top

Access options

A range of access options is on offer to enable teachers and learners to use all JISC Collections for Schools resources both within the school (for example, by IP address) and from home (for example, via Shibboleth, a link on the school's secure intranet, and/or username and password).

An unlimited number of staff and students at subscribing schools can access each JISC Collections for Schools resource concurrently so they can be used in the classroom with confidence.

back to top

Pricing

Pricing is calculated according to the total number of learners at a school, or schools within a region - so the more schools that subscribe to a resource as a group, the lower the price per learner is likely to be.

All suppliers have guaranteed that the prices negotiated by JISC Collections are the lowest available.

back to top

Subscription and invoicing information

  • The agreement for the Oxford University Press Schools' Collection runs until 31 July 2011.
  • Schools and buying groups can subscribe at any time but are committed until the end of the agreement i.e. 31 July 2011.
  • Charges will be prorated - for example, if a subscription starts on 1 January 2010, the cost of the first subscription period will be for 7 months until 31 July 2010.
back to top

How to get the best price

Prices offered through JISC Collections for Schools are guaranteed to be the lowest available. Schools subscribing individually to one or more JISC Collections for Schools resources benefit from discounts on publishers' list prices in the majority of cases, but schools subscribing as part of a buying group can achieve discounts of up to 75%.

A buying group can consist of any group of schools in a region with a combined total of at least 2,500 learners that places an order for a resource at the same time.

Local authorities, and organisations such as School Library Services, are taking an active role in coordinating buying groups in many areas in order to achieve the highest possible discount.

In addition, an increasing number of schools in informal local or regional networks are also working together to secure the best possible pricing.

To find out what is happening in your area, or if you would like help setting up a buying group, contact jcs-info@jisc.ac.uk.

back to top

Support for teachers

Please see the individual product pages for resources available as part of the Oxford University Press Schools' Collection to find out more about how each can support teaching.

back to top

Free trials

Free 30-day trials for all JISC Collections for Schools resources are available to enable schools and local authorities to assess their value in teaching and learning.

  • Request a free trial for your school, or for a group of schools
back to top

Subscriber services

Login URLs

Further information

Please see the individual product pages for resources available as part of the Oxford University Press Schools' Collection:

Technical, administrative, and user support
Email schoolshelp@jisc.ac.uk
phone: 01993 880044

back to top