Beginners


OUFC has one of the country’s largest and most established beginners fencing courses, catering to all levels of commitment. Whether you’ve been wanting to try fencing for ages, or ran into our freshers stall and want to give it a go, we would love to support your introduction to the sport!

The beginners course currently runs on Saturdays and Sundays during termtime. Unfortunately we are no longer accepting beginners into the 2025/26 course, as it’s too late to catch new starters up to the rest of the course. We will be starting up the course again in October, and potentially will also run a summer course. Please email secretary.oufc@gmail.com to register interest and be added to the mailing list to keep up to date

  • Try Something New

    Our Beginners Course is taught by experienced coaches and focuses on teaching fencing in a fun, inclusive, and personally rewarding way.
    We understand that everyone’s schedules are different and offer a flexible commitment to training that you can fit in around your studies.

  • Meet New People

    Each year, our beginners course attracts fencers from across the University. Undergraduates, Graduates, Post-docs, and Staff are all welcome to join. The course is a great way to meet people from different Colleges and Subjects in an equal and fun environment.

  • Compete for Oxford

    Our beginners successfully represent the University in a number of competitions - such as the Warwick National Novices, the Novice Varsity Match against Cambridge, and number of ad-hoc “open” competitions. If you want to take your fencing further and start to compete, you absolutely can!

Want to join?

(18+ Only)

Our Beginners membership includes (at least) one fully coached beginners session per week during term time, along with access to whole club footwork and drill sessions.

Club kit is available during the sessions.

Join here

Coaching

Jacob Forey-Miller

Jacob is a registered level 2 British Fencing foil coach. He has fenced for 16 years, competing in foil, and has represented Britain at U17 and U20 world cups as well Senior Satellite events. He has coached in Oxford for the last two years, both working with the novice sessions as well as offering 1-1 lessons, and had previously coached for two years at Durham University Fencing Club. 

His coaching ethos is that it should be fun and accessible to everyone, but with an emphasis on providing a strong technical foundation to allow students to take it as seriously (or unseriously) as they might wish.

While never a member of the university, Jacob has trained at the club intermittently for the past decade (having grown up locally) and was non-student member of the committee in 2025-6.

He is additionally known at OUFC for his penchant for silly hats.

FAQs

  • Fencing is a very active sport so please come dressed appropriately, you will need :

    • Long athletics bottoms (shorts are NOT allowed)

    • Suitable athletic footwear

    • Water

  • Fencing kit is provided by the club and is included in the membership price

  • We understand that student life can be very hectic and so have designed the Beginners Course to be mindful of this fact. If you have not managed to attend for a couple of weeks just let the coach, Jacob, know so he can make sure to catch you up to speed.

    Please note, the membership price is for the whole academic year or term (depending on membership purchased) and is not dependent on the number of sessions attended.

  • For individuals who participated in the Summer Staff Course you have the ability to upgrade your membership to include the Beginners Course for this academic year.

    This upgrade can be purchase on the training store page.