Access & Outreach. Our approach to outreach will remain focused on working closely with schools and colleges to raise aspiration and identify and nurture potential. In this way we seek to increase the number of applications received from under-represented groups, particularly: young people (notably male) from low participation neighbourhoods, Care Leavers, and students with disabilities. We recognise and support outreach as a long term priority and will continue to plan and deliver on this basis. We intend to continue to develop our support for raising aspiration and achievement by embedding opportunities for all under-represented groups in our successful VI Form Academic Subject Conferences and Study Enhancement interventions. These activities bring pupils onto campus for lectures and discussions which support the curriculum work delivered in schools. For some key subject areas, particularly those with a high proportion of vocational learners, these events will feed into a residential summer school series in year 12. Throughout all our outreach work we involve current Edge Hill students through employment as guides/ambassadors which has dual benefit for the students’ personal and professional development, as well as engaging schools and WP target groups with the University. Feedback from schools, both teachers and individual learners, welcome the opportunity to hear about the student experience from those who have progressed to HE level study and are currently studying at university. The University has embedded the Progression Trust HE Toolkits to ensure that all of our activities are meeting the needs of learners – particularly those from under- represented groups in higher education, and that activities are effectively targeted and evaluated. Taster days, subject visits and academic enrichment activities as well as residential activities all fall within this category, each supported by correlating support and activities for parents and advisors. Through the provision of summer Residential Schools, the University continues to raise awareness and access to the Professions from under-represented groups. We are particularly concerned about the impact of interviews and/or auditions on the most under-represented groups of applicants, particularly in regards to the costs of attendance for those from low participation neighbourhoods. As part of our financial support package therefore, we have established a fund to provide support to the most vulnerable applicants and their famili...
Access & Outreach. Raising Attainment in Schools and Colleges In our Strategic Plan for 2016-202015, the University of Hull remains committed to our principle of a whole institution approach to widening participation. We believe this approach supports the sector, the institution and community by engaging with local and regional learners and those beyond to support progression to higher education and helps us to ensure that higher education remains accessible to all students with the potential to succeed regardless of their socio-economic background. To this end we will: Engage in long term sustained collaborative outreach with learners from primary school through to postgraduate/employment in the form of coherent progression pathways and a programme of interventions that addresses critical/transition stages of the student life cycle, balanced across schools and colleges in selected geographical areas. We will use HEFCE analysis and interactive maps to determine these areas. Offer and deliver the University of Hull Access and Widening Participation (AWP) Outreach Programme to our networks of schools, academies, partner colleges, and community and partnership collaborations and beyond. Support activity which reaches out and raises the educational and career aspirations of our disadvantaged / under-represented groups, taking into account the principles of equality and diversity and socio economic background. Support potential students (and parents) to make informed decisions on progression into higher education, career choices and financial planning in terms of offering guidance, advice and counselling and, where appropriate, financial support. Develop new sponsor and partnership arrangements with colleges, schools, academies and community groups.16 The University has over 50 staff sitting on school governing bodies, these are a mix of Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form Colleges, FE Colleges and UTC’s. We aim to develop and deliver a support network for these staff and explore how our participation can be expanded.
Access & Outreach. In 2010, UCF put in place long-term and ambitious Widening Participation undergraduate recruitment targets (see Table 2) for three key groups. These were chosen following examination of our past performance against HESA benchmarks, reviewing Annual Monitoring data and using internal intelligence to identify areas we needed to improve on most. Table 2 6 22.3% of additional fee income above £6000 by 2015/16 2 of 4 Current UCF position Short-Term (2011) Medium-Term (2015) Long-Term (2020) Low Participation Neighbourhoods 8.9% (233FTEs) 10% 15% 25% Black & Minority Ethnic Heritage 4% (104 FTEs) 6% 8% 10% Disability other than dyslexia 6% (163 FTEs) 8% 10% 12% Work in access and outreach will fall into five strands of activity all of which will contribute to attaining our WP recruitment targets and / or the broader aims of WP, as described in Section 1.
