THIRTEEN years ago single mum Julia Ford was given an opportunity that would change her and her daughter’s lives – a place at Oxford University.

Now the private tutor has opened up her agency to state school students across the city in the hope of providing similar opportunities for others.

Tutorious – an agency with a network of tutors – launched in Summertown in October and has been providing paid private tuition to those with the resources.

But after support from organisations such as Reeds Solicitors and The Jam Factory, the agency is now in a position to offer places to those wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford the private lessons.

Back in 2003, she applied to Oxford on a ‘wing and a prayer’ while studying at Farnborough College of Technology (FCT) and got a place at Harris Manchester College.

Her daughter Morgan, three at the time and now 16, has recently won a scholarship to global educational college United World Colleges and embarked on a junior pupillage at a local law firm.

Ms Ford said: “Morgan’s presentation for her scholarship was actually on the nature of opportunity. By definition opportunity doesn’t happen to everyone and we believe that if you are given an opportunity you have the responsibility to create it for others.

“We know there are problems with social mobility in Oxford and we want to give enthusiastic kids who perhaps aren’t getting what they need at school, or there’s room for improvement.”

The psychology and philosophy graduate added: “Because of the support I had at FCT and getting into Oxford, Morgan has been brought up with an academic background and her life experiences have been different as a result.”

The agency has now welcomed applications from scholars – with the only criteria being enthusiasm and a passion to learn and improve – for the coming school terms.

Students would be matched with a suitable tutor for ten one-on-one hour-long sessions, once a week, over the ten-week term.

The scheme is not geared towards getting entry to Oxford University but at improving grades to give children the ‘best possible chances’ in whatever they want to do.

In October, data obtained by the Oxford Mail revealed that while 292 people in the city were awarded a place at their home university over ten years, only a tiny minority came from poorer areas such as Barton, Littlemore, Rose Hill and Cowley, and not a single place was awarded to anyone from Blackbird Leys or Northfield Brook.

Blackbird Leys, Northfield Brook, Littlemore and Barton ranked in the lowest 20 per cent in the country when it came to people entering higher education by the age of 19 between 2005 and 2011.

The 34-year-old said: “Our lives would have been very different if Oxford University didn’t have an inclusion policy and we have our own inclusion aims at Tutorius.

“Our scholarship scheme is designed to enable more local students to take advantage of our services.

“The programme provides a student who is unable to access tuition independently with the same educational support as our fee-paying students, with funding coming from local businesses.

“We want people to get in touch if they think they could be a good candidate.

She added: “It’s not just about improving in one particular subject but about improving self-esteem and confidence through mentoring – we will match them with the tutor that is most suitable for each pupil.”

Now living in Oxford city centre with her partner, Ms Ford was 21 and a single mum when she applied and was accepted by Harris Manchester College, an Oxford college for mature students.

She scored Ds and Es in her GCSEs before achieving 100 per cent in the first ever year of AS exams and then getting As in her A-Levels.

After graduating she became a private tutor in the city – building up a network of other tutors and students before setting up Tutorius earlier this year.

Her daughter Morgan took part in Oxford University’s Oxford Young Ambassador scheme which encourages local children to be ambassadors for higher education in their communities.

Ms Ford said it was aimed at ‘demystifying’ the process and hoped the same could be achieved through her scheme.

It is hoped that more businesses will get on board with sponsorship to grow the number of scholarships on offer and the long term aim is for Tutorius to become a social enterprise.

The hub, based in South Parade behind Oxford Wine Cafe, will also hold weekend workshops to cover everything from revision strategies to exam techniques.

To apply call 07719108957.