Oxford Scholastica Academy: Purpose Is Powerful - Structure Makes It Last

“We think it’s the greatest time to be alive in human history - but the messages young people receive are often quite negative. Many feel uncertainty and pressure, whether it’s exams, social media comparison culture, climate change, or misinformation.

We’re passionate about giving them the tools to thrive in an ever-changing world, rather than be cowed by negativity.”

That’s how Jamie Dear, co-founder of Oxford Scholastica Academy, describes the mission behind the award-winning summer school based in Oxford - and the wider suite of programs they now run for teenagers around the world.

Oxford Scholastica Academy is a business built on purpose. But Jamie’s journey also shows what keeps purpose intact over time: the right structure underneath it. Because as a mission grows, so do the practical responsibilities that come with delivering it well.

From early impact to a clear mission

Before Oxford Scholastica Academy, Jamie started in the not-for-profit sector. After graduating from university, he launched a social enterprise called OxFizz, helping students with university preparation and donating profits to charity, raising more than £1 million.

“I started in the not-for-profit sector, setting up my first venture after graduating from university - a social enterprise called OxFizz,” Jamie says.

That experience shaped how Jamie thought about building something lasting. Oxford Scholastica Academy grew from that same foundation - and from something more personal.

A problem worth solving: students shouldn’t have to rely on luck

Jamie’s motivation came from his own experience navigating the transition from school to “what’s next.” Despite having a great education, it took trial and error before he found a path he truly wanted to follow.

“I had a great education but found it hard to think about the future, and fell into a university course I didn’t enjoy,” Jamie says. “I then made the same mistake at university, but luckily fell into a career I’ve loved - but this was lucky!”

That word lucky matters. For Jamie, the core idea behind Oxford Scholastica Academy is that teenagers deserve something more reliable than chance.

“Oxford Scholastica Academy helps students make more informed decisions about their future by giving them the space and support to discover the courses they could study, the careers they could pursue, and the kind of person they want to become,” he says.

Today, Oxford Scholastica Academy runs immersive academic programmes in Oxford, alongside online courses and internships for teenagers worldwide - and, as Jamie puts it, it is the “number one rated summer school in Europe”.

The reality check: early decisions that changed everything

Most founders start with a strong “why”. What follows is the work of building trust, momentum, and a way of operating that matches the mission.

For Oxford Scholastica Academy, one of the earliest turning points came from something deceptively simple: the website.

“A pivotal moment for us was changing the website design in our first year,” Jamie says. “After launching, it took months to find our first paying client for our residential summer school.”

Instead of forcing growth, the team stepped back and rebuilt the foundation of how the business presented itself.

“We went back to the drawing board and re-built our website on a new platform, spending many late nights getting it to be as perfect as possible,” he says. “Thankfully, it helped to turbocharge bookings and we were fully booked a few months later.”

It’s an experience many founders recognise in hindsight: the mission might be strong, but you still need the fundamentals - clarity, trust signals, and a customer experience that matches what you’re promising.

When the world changes, the mission gets tested

If the website was an early lesson in growth, COVID was a stress test. When government restrictions hit, running a residential programme for international students was no longer viable. “We had to pivot quickly and launch online programmes,” Jamie says. “Without that revenue, we might not have made it through.”

The shift wasn’t just operational - it reshaped how Jamie approached the business long-term. “Before COVID, I spent lots of my time in meetings and managing people,” he explains. “Now, I just want to collaborate with a small number of superstar team members.”

Today, the challenge is to keep what works - the quality, care, and closeness - while still building something bigger. “It gives us an exciting challenge: to grow while retaining both the lean structure of the venture and the high quality of the programme,” Jamie says.

Where structure becomes part of the purpose

As Oxford Scholastica Academy grew, the business didn’t just gain more students - it gained more responsibility. When you work with young people and families, trust isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s central to what you deliver. That’s where structure becomes inseparable from values: the systems you put in place protect the outcomes you care about most.

In the early days, Jamie did what many founders do: tried to handle everything themselves.

“In the early days, we tried doing everything ourselves,” he says. “We still maintain this approach where possible (it’s a great way to learn), but for more significant issues we learnt we needed more formal legal advice.”

That shift is a common moment for growing businesses - especially values-led ones. When your work affects real people in meaningful ways, the “boring” foundations aren’t separate from your mission; they’re how you keep it safe, consistent, and scalable.

For many founders, this is the bridge they eventually cross: legal foundations aren’t a sign of moving away from purpose. They’re proof you’re serious about protecting it as you grow.

Working with Sprintlaw: lean, but supported

Oxford Scholastica Academy operates as a lean venture, without in-house legal or HR departments - which makes reliable external support essential when decisions carry higher stakes. “Being a lean venture, we don’t have in-house legal or HR departments,” Jamie says. “Sprintlaw has been very helpful whenever we’ve had a discrete legal issue or needed advice.”

One example was support in crafting a privacy policy for a new venture - a practical foundation that allows the business to operate with confidence, especially when working with students and families. For founders, this kind of guidance can be the difference between slowing down to manage risk alone and moving forward with clarity, while still doing things properly.

Jamie’s advice: be selective, and don’t do it alone

Jamie’s advice to other business owners is refreshingly grounded. “To be judicious about whose advice to take on board, mine included!” he says.

But for him, the single factor that has made the journey both stronger and more enjoyable is the human side of the work. “Having a co-founder to share the load has been the number one thing for us,” Jamie says. “Being a solo entrepreneur is neither as fun nor as rewarding.”

Purpose that lasts

Oxford Scholastica Academy shows that values-led growth isn’t just possible - it can be a real competitive advantage. But it doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from pairing mission with fundamentals: the decisions, systems, and structures that keep quality high and trust intact as complexity grows.

Purpose can start a business. Structure is what makes it last.

If you would like a consultation on building our value-driven business with proper legal foundations, you can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk for a free, no-obligations chat.