Widening Access and achieving widening participation progression targets through associate
Colleges.
The development of partner school is a prominent outcome in the new University of Worcester
access agreement. Our commitment to developing meaningful links with schools stems from our
understanding that targeted focused outreach activity has the biggest impact on recruitment of
students from underrepresented groups.
Utilising established partnerships with our associate colleges. By working collaboratively both the
university and the colleges can identify potential applicants; located in the key strategic areas that
will support achievement of our access agreements.
The University wishes to work collaboratively with colleges to engage with learners from the schools
with considerable progression to the associate colleges, utilising both UW students and students
currently studying with the associate colleges. The University wishes to work on a whole school /
college approach as well as in a focused target way with key groups of students that are
underrepresented in higher education.
The UW access agreement identifies the following groups as key targets:
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Learners in schools with low progression rates to higher education.
Learners attending schools with below average achievement of GCSE including English and
maths.
Learners whose family has no experience of higher education
Those studying for non-traditional qualifications.
Learners from socio economic groups 4-7.
We would wish to work across the whole school with the primary focus on raising awareness of
higher education amongst both students and staff; we would also seek to deliver more targeted
intensive programmes.
The outreach partnership should identify schools using the expertise of associate college staff; we
would then seek to work collaboratively to identify a suite of activity that will benefit all partners.
UW has identified specific activity within its access agreement:
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Mentoring – both intensive year 10 programmes and generic student mentoring activity
Theatre in education programmes
Study skills and preparation for HE study
Summer schools
In addition we would wish to identify where specific programmes can be delivered which
complement the current work undertaken within the associate college as well as accessing the
universities wide range of outreach and schools liaison activity:
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Sessions around preparation for HE, including: choosing where to study, study skills,
preparing UCAS personal statements, UCAS process, advice and guidance regarding courses,
advice regarding finances, student life
Support from subject lecturers, including: guest lectures, a level 4 module , talks on
particular courses e.g. nursing
Use of HC students now at UW as mentors to students from disadvantaged backgrounds
Use of UW science students in practical classes
Compact eg one with nursing which lists activities such as visit days for students and staff to
see the reality of being a student nurse, guaranteed interview for students completing
prescribed activities
Sessions for parents introducing HE and providing support for their son or daughter when go
to HE
Activities at UW, including: Discover Worcester days for particular subjects, Open events
Activities in the school including talks on HE, lecturers providing session in school,
attendance at HE/Careers fairs
Mentoring by UW students who were HC students for years 10 and 11
Drama performances
The University is developing a common mentoring framework, all mentors both UW and associate
colleges would have access to the training and development within this package and should reflect
the competency framework.
Monitoring and evaluation.
The outreach partnership should ensure that the impacts of collaborative programmes are
evidenced as robustly as possible. The University is currently developing a tracking and monitoring
framework; this will include a shared process for identifying and collecting appropriate data and the
development of a research strategy for widening participation and outreach activity.
Both the schools and associate colleges would be involved in this process and be willing to share
learner data. Part of this process would be to identify appropriate measures and agree data sharing
protocols.
Progression to UW from Associate Colleges.
Participation in UW / Associate college outreach programmes will be included in the emerging
compact agreements.
VY 02/11