Widening Participation Academic School
Handbook
Contents
1. The Widening Participation Team
2. Overview of Widening Participation at the University of Sussex
2.1 Key sections of OFFA Access Agreement
3. Sussex Outreach Programme
3.1 Overarching Aims of the Outreach Programme
3.2 Widening Participation Priorities for 13/14
3.3 Partner Schools and Partner Organisations
3.4 Participant Targeting
4.0 Projects and Programme Overview
4.1 Widening Participation Departmental Activity
4.2 Subject Specific Events
4.3 Widening Participation Commitment to Academic Engagement
4.4 Post 16 Focus
5.0 Widening Participation Funding for Academic Activities
5.1 Funding proposals
5.2 Student Ambassadors
5.3 Safeguarding
6.0 Academic School and Widening Participation Team Meetings
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1.0 Meet the Widening Participation Team 2013-14
The Widening Participation team sits within the Student Services Department and consists
currently of a team of 11 staff and a graduate intern for the next academic year.
Contact Details
Name
Sarah Ayliff
Zoe Dawson
Chris Derbyshire
Sam Dunnett
Janet France
Louise Gazeley
Chris Mason
Carole Nairn
Anna Rye
Claire Sissons
Karen Tucker
Donna Watford
Role
Team Administrator
Graduate Intern
Schools & Colleges Partnership
Co-ordinator
Events Co-ordinator
Summer Schools Co-ordinator
Researcher
Summer School & Events Assistant
Acting Head of Widening Participation
Outreach/Campus Visits Co-ordinator
Outreach Assistant
Tutoring & Mentoring Co-ordinator
Senior Widening Participation Officer
Email
s.ayliff
z.dawson
c.j.derbyshire
Extension
6810
7642
8264
s.n.dunnett
j.a.france
l.h.gazeley
c.mason-felsing
c.nairn
a.rye
c.sissons
k.tucker
d.watford
8551
2791
7931
3142
7045
7618
3629
2792
7268
Widening Participation Office G 19 Essex House
Researcher
Dr Louise Gazeley is also working with the widening participation team in the role of
impact evaluation researcher and evaluator for all Widening Participation activities.
L.gazeley@sussex.ac.uk
Essex House
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2.0 Overview of Widening Participation at University of Sussex
In order to charge fees over £6000 universities have to produce an Access Agreement
detailing their approach to outreach and supporting students. This agreement is
submitted to the Office for Fair Access (OFFA). The University of Sussex is committed to
maintaining its diverse student population and has considerably expanded its outreach
programme. Work with academic schools is central to this and a budget of £400,000 has
been allocated to developing and delivering subject specific activities. Each academic
school has a nominated lead who works with colleagues to develop proposals and
coordinate WP activity across their schools.
2.1 Key Sections of Access Agreement
Access and student success measures
The University has an OFFA Steering Group which reviews the widening participation
indicators and benchmarks. The additional OFFA investment started on a small scale in
2011-2012 with the first significant increase from 2012-13. The table below includes
benchmark data from March 2012. The new figures do indicate a decline in absolute
numbers but in the context of location adjusted benchmarks, 2 out of the 3 indicators are
now positive. For NS-SEC 4-7 the drop was 0.6% but with positive progress in relation to
the location adjusted benchmark. The low participation neighbourhood indicator increased
by 0.5% and is now 1.2% above the benchmark. Entrants from state schools declined by
1.6%, but the location adjusted benchmark fell even further so Sussex now exceeds this
by 7.4%. Early indicators for 2012 entry are that the predicted number of recipients of
bursaries has been exceeded by at least 100. The first year of the outreach programme
has also been successful with recruitment of partner schools. The number of pupils
attending a residential summer school tripled. In this context, we are maintaining our
current outreach focus whilst refining the programme as a result of our evaluation. We will
also be using the newly released POLAR 3 data to inform our targeting of schools and
colleges.
Entry from state
2011-12
schools and colleges 2010-11
2009-10
85.2 % (7.4% above location adjusted benchmark)
86.9% (6.5% above location adjusted benchmark)
88% (6.4% above location adjusted benchmark)
Allowing for location-adjusted-benchmark this results in a ranking
of 2/123 amongst English HEIs (HE PI T1a 2010/11).
Entry from low
participation
neighbourhoods
2011-12
2010-11
6.2% (1.2% above location adjusted benchmark)
5.7% (0.1% above location adjusted benchmark)
56/123 amongst English HEIs based on difference from locationadjusted-benchmark score. Amongst English 1994 & Russell
Group HEIs, Sussex ranks 10/33 for location-adjusted-benchmarkscore. (HE PI T1a 2010/11).
Entry from lower
socio-economic
2011-12
2010-11
20.2% (1.3% below location adjusted benchmark)
20.8% ( 2.4% below location adjusted benchmark)
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groups
2009-10
19.3% (3.4% below location adjusted benchmark)
Following a rise of 1.5%, moving closer to the location adjusted
benchmark, there has been a 0.2% reduction.
Disabled entrants
High by national comparisons:
2011-2012 7% of Sussex UGs in receipt of DSA.
2010-2011 6.6% of Sussex UGs in receipt of DSA against a
benchmark of 4.8% and a national norm of 5.4% (HE PI T7 201011).
11% of Sussex students overall with a flagged disability against a
national norm of 8%.
Care leavers
Holders of the Frank Buttle Trust kite mark status.
Retention
All our non-continuation following year of entry measures are better
than benchmark with continuation level of 1.3% higher for young
entrants (2.6% v 3.9%) and 4.7% for mature entrants with no
previous HE qualifications (7.0% v 11.7%). Sussex is ranked 17th
and 8th respectively out of the 33 English Russell & 1994 Group
members for these measures (HE PI T3b & T3C 2010/11).
Our focus continues to be on:

Investment in additional outreach activity to raise our recruitment of students
from lower NS-SEC groups, with a particular focus on building long-term links
through work with 11-16 schools, to build aspirations and support qualification
choices before GCSE-level commitments are made. The future development of the
programme will be informed by our evaluation. We recognise the importance of
working with younger pupils and will be extending our outreach programme to
include primary schools.

Maintaining our current excellent performance at student retention, in
particular for target WP groups – which has led us to give careful consideration to
the issue of retaining retention-related means-tested bursaries (see section below).

Support employment outcomes for WP groups. The rate at which our students
from lower NS-SEC groups move directly into graduate level jobs has continued to
fall from 68% for the class of 2010 first degree leavers (NS-SEC 4-8) to 55% for the
class of 2011 first degree leavers (NS-SEC 4-8). There is a clear message about
the relative fragility of employment outcomes for students whose backgrounds are
weaker in terms of ‘social capital’. Our First-Generation Scholars Scheme explicitly
addresses this issue.
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The main elements of the First-Generation Scholars Scheme1 are:
o Outreach and aspiration-raising activity:
£1.6 million
We have increased our outreach work with both 11-16 and post-16 age groups through an
expanded Schools & Colleges Partnership Programme, which provides advice and
guidance around GCSE choices, mentoring support by Sussex students to raise
achievement, and summer schools. We will also expand our work with primary pupils.
o Financial support for low-income students:
£4.4 million
The financial offer within our First-Generation Scholars Scheme is designed to be
attractive to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and will help low-income students
(<£42,611) to remain on course. Eligible students in the Brighton and Sussex Medical
School also participate in the scheme.
o First Year and Foundation year: a £1000 cash bursary, plus a £2000 rent
reduction for students living in University managed accommodation; or a £2000 fee
waiver if not in University managed accommodation.
o Foundation Year students progressing into the first year of a Sussex
undergraduate degree course, who were eligible for the scheme as
Foundation students, will receive the same funding in their first year at
Sussex;
o Subsequent years: a £1000 cash bursary support for each year of study.
Instead of the First-Generation Scholars Funding package:
o Care Leavers will receive £3000 in cash per annum.
o Initial teacher training students will receive £600 per annum.
Please note students eligible for an NHS bursary are not eligible for the award. Erasmus
students and those on a full year spent on placement or studying abroad will not receive
the First-Generation Scholars bursary during that year because they will only be paying
15% and 20% of the full fee.
In addition the University has created a Student Support Fund of £200,000 targeted
specifically at students from the lowest income families to ensure their retention and
progression in subsequent years. This is in part in response to the reduction in Access to
Learning Funds but also in recognition of the financial challenges students face.
o Retention and support for improved outcomes:
£2.1 million
Our First-Generation Scholars are offered a menu of options to help with their academic
and skills-development progress, including study skills, careers and leadership coaching,
work-study and graduate internship opportunities.
1
Figures quoted relate to steady-state investment and includes NSP funding.
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3.0 Sussex Outreach Programme
3.1 The three overarching aims for our outreach activities are:
•
to enable pupils and parents to make informed and critical choices about courses,
institutions and careers.
•
to develop skills and raise attainment by focusing on activities that develop the skills
necessary for pupils/students to succeed in school, college and university, including direct
interventions to support attainment at key transitions and in key subjects.
•
to promote personal development and motivation – participants will be given the
opportunity to develop transferable skills to help in education and employment.
Supporting pupils to understand what motivates them and how to stay motivated.
3.2 Widening Participation Priorities for 13/14
The University has expanded its network of school and college partners, initially targeting
schools and colleges that had previously worked with Aimhigher Sussex, and those that
were part of our London-based Sussex Educational Access Scheme. We are now
extending this to incorporate institutions that are new to working with the University. In
2013-14 we will identify potential partner primary schools.
The schools and colleges have been identified using a range of indices: those institutions
with low progression to HE, location in communities with low HE or post-compulsory
education participation rates, and schools with higher than average numbers of pupils in
receipt of FSM. We will be focusing our work with primary pupils in Sussex and schools in
POLAR 3 areas.
Our ongoing work with schools in London and Croydon enables us to reach more pupils
from BME backgrounds, and to encourage them to consider applying to universities
outside their local community. The engagement that we are developing with our full
partner schools includes outreach, curriculum development input and staff development.
The University’s outreach programme currently starts in Year 9 to link with GCSE option
choices and will support pupils through to year 13. In 2013-14 we will develop activities for
delivery to younger pupils with the programme being fully implemented in 2014-15.
The programme incorporates a range of activities including campus tours, taster sessions
and IAG delivered in their school or college. We currently work closely with many
academic schools within the University to develop a range of subject-specific activities.
We also involve current students as ambassadors, tutors and mentors.
The Aiming for Law programme is designed to support access to a course leading to a
professional career. Brightmed supports students interested in pursuing a career in
medicine with engagement with pupils from year 9.
In 2012-13 the University ran two residential summer schools, one targeted at year 10 and
one at year 12. The year 10 summer school was focused on giving pupils an insight into
student life, whilst the year 12 is subject-specific and supports students making
applications to a broad range of institutions. As a result of our evaluation and increased
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demand for places, the year 10 and year 12 summer school programme will be extended
in 2013-14 to accommodate more students and a broader range of subjects.
The results of the evaluation strategy are informing the further development of the
programme. For each activity a report is produced containing key findings, a review of
contextual data relating to participating institutions, and the effectiveness of targeting and
recommendations. These aim to maximise the activity’s contribution to the achievement of
wider programme goals. This process has led to the development of a more collaborative
approach towards the delivery of activity and improved understanding of what the different
stakeholders can bring in terms of resource and expertise. Key innovations have included
the involvement of academic staff in the design of evaluation tools and discussion of the
findings and securing formal evaluative feedback from school/college staff. Both have
contributed to better cross-phase understandings around the team’s core goals and both
are likely to have longer term impacts.
Evaluation activity has resulted in securing a much more developed evidence base for ten
distinct strands of activity (summer schools; subject tutoring; revision days; subject
enrichment activities; campus visits; Information, Advice and Guidance events; higher
education tasters; extended programmes and staff Continuing Professional Development
activity). This provides a strong foundation for future programme development. Data was
obtained from 2327 respondents in 71 schools and colleges in relation to 21 activities.
Methods included post-event and on-line questionnaires, interviews and focus groups and
the analysis of contextual data. This work has led to a number of outcomes at programme
level including the importance of developing a more balanced and progressive
programme, with input spread more evenly across the age range and across institutions.
Another outcome has been greater awareness of the scope to use widening participation
to enrich learning, raise attainment levels and develop transferable skills and not simply to
raise awareness of higher education.
3.3 Who are our partner schools?
The work of the Widening Participation team is focused on working with schools in Sussex
and London with whom we have partnership agreements. School and college
partnerships are managed by Chris Derbyshire and Donna Watford.
London
Acland Burghley School (La Swap)
Aim 2 Attain
Aylward Academy
Battersea Park School
Bexley Grammar School
Blackfen School for Girls
Bsix - Brooke House Sixth Form College
Burlington Danes Academy
Buxton School
Cambridge Heath Sixth Form - Morpeth School
Cambridge Heath Sixth Form - Oaklands School
Cambridge Heath Sixth Form - Swanlea School
Carshalton Boys Sports College
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Christ the King Sixth Form College, Lewisham
Christ the King Sixth Form College, Sidcup
City and Islington Sixth Form Centre
Corelli College
Crossways Sixth Form College
Dagenham Park Church of England School
East Barnet School
Featherstone High School
Greenford High School
Hackney Community College
Haringey Sixth Form Centre
Lampton School
Langdon Park School
Mossbourne Community Academy
Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College
Sir George Monoux College
St George's Catholic School
St Saviours & St Olaves School
St Thomas More Catholic School
Stewards Academy
The London Academy
The Norwood School
The Quest Academy
Sedgehill School
Thomas Tallis School
Woodcote High School
Sussex
Bexhill College
Bishop Bell School
Blatchington Mill School
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
Claverham Community College
The Connected Hub
Dorothy Stringer School
East Sussex Virtual School for Children in Care
Eastbourne Academy
Felpham Community College
Hastings Academy
Helenswood School
Hove Park School
Ifield Community College
Longhill High School
Midhurst and Rother College
Oriel High School
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Parkwood Sixth Form
Patcham High School
Peacehaven Community School
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy
Ratton School
Ringmer Community College
Sackville School
Shoreham Academy
Sir Robert Woodard Academy
St Leonards Academy
Sussex Downs College
The Academy, Selsey
The Causeway School
The Littlehampton Academy
The Regis School
Tideway School
Varndean College
Varndean School
Virtual School for Children in Care Brighton and Hove
William Parker Sports College
Willingdon Community School
Worthing College
We also have formal partnerships with the following external agencies:
o Aimhigher London South
o The Brilliant Club
o Realising Opportunities
o IntoUniversity
o Allen & Overy
Aimhigher London South Ltd was established in September 2011 and works to ensure
fair access to higher education for young people from non-traditional backgrounds. This is
achieved by linking schools, colleges, universities and education providers together to
work effectively. AHLS works with 11 universities, 31 schools and 5 FE colleges.
Website: http://www.aimhigherlondonsouth.org.uk/
The University of Sussex is a Founding Partner University of a charity called The Brilliant
Club, which exists to increase fair access to selective universities by recruiting, training
and placing PhD students in low HE participation schools to deliver programmes of
university-style learning to small groups of high-performing pupils aged 9-18 years.
The University of Sussex has a specific responsibility for helping develop The Brilliant
Club’s Widening Participation Programme, including trips that give pupils a real sense of
the intellectual and physical environment of a university. Through these trips the pupils
engage in a range of learning activities (study skills sessions and tutorials) and outreach
activities (campus tours, engaging with undergraduate students and IAG sessions).
Website: http://www.thebrilliantclub.org/
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The University of Sussex is a member of Realising Opportunities, a national
collaborative partnership of research intensive universities working together to promote fair
access and social mobility of students from under-represented groups. The Partnership
was awarded the Times Higher Education Widening Participation Initiative of the year
2011 and in October 2012 featured as an example of good practice in Alan Milburn’s
report ‘University Challenge: How Higher Education Can Advance Social Mobility’.
The Realising Opportunities programme provides support for students through
interventions designed to raise aspirations and enable them to demonstrate their potential
for success at a research intensive university. These interventions are offered both at their
local participating university, and nationally. The programme includes a National Student
Conference and each student is provided with ongoing support and encouragement by a
student e-mentor who is an undergraduate student from one of the Partner universities.
Successful completion of RO, which includes a robust academic element, will result in
additional consideration given to applications through UCAS from all universities, and the
potential for an alternative offer worth up to 40 UCAS points or equivalent from many.
Website: http://www.realisingopportunities.ac.uk/
IntoUniversity runs a network of local learning centres, offering an innovative, integrated
programme of academic support, pastoral care, practical support and mentoring in order to
raise young people’s aspirations and improve their life chances. WP at Sussex are
exploring the possibility of setting up a local IntoUniversity centre in 2014/5 for years 5 and
6 (ages 10 and 11) – working with young people most vulnerable to educational failure.
Website: http://intouniversity.org/
Allen & Overy are an international law firm who run a Smart Start scheme for widening
participation students in London. After an intense programme at the law firm, candidates
are invited to the University of Sussex for an overnight residential summer school to
experience student life. Our partnership with Allen & Overy will enter its second year in
2013/4.
Website: http://www.allenovery.com/
3.4 Participant Targeting – how do we identify the students we work with in our partner
schools and colleges?
As a widening participation initiative our scheme is primarily aimed at pupils with no
parental history of higher education and it is expected that young people involved in the
partnership programme will have been identified as meeting the following targeting criteria:
•
Has experienced local authority care in the last 10 years
OR
•
No parental history of higher education
PLUS one of the following:
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•
Low income (eg: Free School Meals, college bursary) Parents or carers are working
in non- professional and non-managerial occupations
•
Living in an area of higher social disadvantage (eg: IDACI, POLAR 3)
As part of our commitment to increasing access for groups currently under-represented in
higher education we also seek to include:
•
Young people from an ethnic backgrounds where attainment at GCSE is currently
much lower than the national average (eg: Gypsy, Traveller and Roma; Black Caribbean;
White and Black Caribbean; Pakistani)
•
Disability (eg. Statement of SEN, School Action plus)
•
Young carers
There may also be exceptional cases in which at the specific request of the school or
college we will consider a young person who has experienced extenuating personal
circumstances that have disrupted their studies
4.0 Widening Participation Projects and Programmes Overview
Campus Visits
These are our most frequent activity, with all partner schools required to have a visit for
their year 9 and year 12 cohorts every year. The usual outline of the day is an introduction,
campus tour, lunch and afternoon activity led by our Student Ambassadors.
Mentoring
This six week long programme, aimed at introducing the idea of university to small groups
of Year 9 students through a series of activities and discussions, was piloted in one local
school in 2012-13. The objectives of the scheme are as follows:



Raise aspirations
Increase awareness of the opportunities offered by higher education
Develop and improve self-worth, motivation, confidence, perseverance and time
management
Outreach
Visits out to schools and colleges are made to deliver talks on subjects such as student
life, student finance and GCSE/HE subject awareness to students or parents, to attend HE
Fairs or Careers Fairs. These may be led by a member of staff or a Senior Ambassador
Study Skills Support Sessions
2013-14 will see the introduction of a study skills pilot delivered in conjunction with the
library and study support staff. By focusing on revision and study techniques through age
appropriate activities, the aim is to raise attainment levels.
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Summer Schools
The summer school programme, now in its 12th year, is expanding to offer both Year 10
and Year 12 students week long residential summer schools. Subject areas contribute to
the activities aimed at giving students an experience of living and studying on campus.
Tutoring
Maths and English undergraduates work in local schools with students in Years 7-11 to
provide support with Maths and English on an ongoing basis throughout the year. The
objectives of the scheme are as follows:



to improve attainment by helping students with English or maths
to raise aspirations by talking to students about university
to increase motivation and confidence
4.1 Subject Specific Events
A wide range of subject specific events are run in conjunction with the academic schools at
the university. Most events are one-off i.e. a Chemistry taster day or HE Fair but some
programmes run for longer i.e. the two year ‘Aiming for Law programme’ and the Sussex
Study Experience which incorporate a number of different activities.
Subject Taster workshops
In addition to the range of WP customised activities offered to our target schools/colleges
through our outreach programme, there is a high demand for subject tasters across the
breadth of our subject range.
In order to meet this demand and avoid onerous bookings on individual academic staff
who, currently, willingly engage with the WP programme we aim to create a bank of
activities. These age appropriate workshops could be delivered by either academics,
postgraduate or confident undergraduate students.
Examples of academic engagement :
For a Year 8/9 Multi Taster the subject area will need to devise the following:
•
A lesson plan for a 1 hour, age appropriate subject workshop
This activity offers a rolling programme of 3 subject areas where the students rotate
through age appropriate workshops to experience the breadth of subjects available for
study at HE level. This one workshop can be repeated to all Year 8/9 students.
For a Year 10/11 Multi Taster the subject area will need to devise the following:
•
A lesson plan for a 60-90 minute age appropriate workshop
This activity offers a rolling programme of 3 subject areas where the students rotate
through age appropriate workshops. The aim is to explore the subjects available for study
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at HE level in greater depth than a Year 8/9 session and help to inform A level/BTEC
choices. This one workshop can be repeated to all Year 10/11 students.
4.2 How will the Widening Participation team support your subject activity
development and delivery?
For each event the WP team will:
• Organise and prepare the students pre event, liaise with the school, provide parents
letters and visit permission slips and departmental permissions slips as required.
• Produce a programme for the day, arranged in conjunction with the academic
department/s
• Meet and greet the students and register on arrival/departure
• Carry out appropriate risk assessments for the visit and brief on health and safety on
arrival
• Produce name badges for staff and students
• Deliver the students to the room and manage the timings for the day
• Accompany the students all day and supervise lunch
• Provide evaluations for staff and students and feedback to the subject area post event
• Provide Widening Participation trained student ambassadors as required
• Provide a training session to prepare for working with young students if required
4.3 Post 16 focus
Evidence indicates the impact of outreach is most effective through a sustained
programme of interventions. In 2013-14 Widening Participation will pilot a series of Year
12 subject specific enhanced programmes (see programme below). The aim is:

To prepare for study at Level 5

To support smooth transition to Higher Education

To increase subject specific knowledge and raise attainment at Level 4
Carefully targeted Year 12 students are offered a sustained programme of activities
running from January until July. Students are recruited in the school Autumn Term, based
not only on Widening Participation criteria but also on academic interest and potential. The
six sessions below are the core activities based on a minimum delivery. Academic schools
may choose to add additional activities should they feel they are beneficial.
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The following is an outline programme:
Activity
Brief Description
Academic Team
WP Team
All students all
subjects, general
introductory day
Deliver one hour
intro to subject/
degree/ career
options etc.
Coordinate day,
including general
workshops and
delivery.
Session Two:
Subject
Activity
Students in subject
groups for specific
activity.
Deliver full day
subject taster/
activity.
(poss organising
whole group social
activity for
afternoon)
Session
Three:
Shadowing
Experience
Students shadow
undergraduates for a
½ day, attending
lecture or seminars
etc.
Session Four:
Subject
Activity INC
Study Skills
(revision)
Half day of general
study skills, half day
of subject specific
enrichment
Identify a suitable
lecture for students
to attend, inform
member of staff
delivering?
Deliver short
subject activity,
preferably linked
to topic on subject
curriculum if
applicable.
Choose relevant
destination and
book activity/ book
venue.
Session One:
Introductory
Day
Session Five:
Subject
Relevant
Field Trip
Session Six:
Graduation
(and parents
event)
Opportunity to take
students to a venue or
activity related to
subject area.
Students prepare
presentations of
experience, whilst
parents have IAG
sessions.
Presentation
ceremony over sitdown dinner.
To be in attendance
at least for the
dinner aspect (early
evening).
Arrange activity
with student
ambassadors, and
brief them
Work with Library
to deliver study
skills & revision
skill workshops
Confirm numbers,
make travel
arrangements.
Organise & deliver
day, including sitdown dinner.
5.0 Widening Participation Funding for Academic Activities
Within the widening participation budget there is an allocation for working with academic
departments on outreach activities. Funding may cover staffing expenses, resources or
student ambassador engagement. It can also fund staff and student time to develop
activities.
The Widening Participation team will on occasion commission academic schools to deliver
activities. However, we also put an emphasis on academic schools having the freedom to
devise their own activities. These have to be submitted to the OFFA Steering Group for
approval.
Process for submitting a proposal
Stage one - discuss outline proposal with Deputy Head of WP who will allocate a member
of the WP team to support development of the proposal.
Stage two – complete proposal form (http://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/wp/staff). The WP
team will support this if necessary. It may also be helpful to talk to the WP Researcher.
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The Head of WP will need the proposal at least three weeks before the OFFA Steering
Group meets.
Stage three - proposals submitted to OFFA Steering Group by the Head of Widening
Participation.
Stage four - Head of WP will feedback decisions and allocate members of the WP team to
further develop the project.
The OFFA Steering Group meets four times a year.
5.1 Student Ambassadors
The Widening Participation team recruits Student Ambassadors on a rolling programme
ach year. There are approximately 70 ambassadors on our books and recruitment will
depend on how many continue each year. Our ambassadors work in a variety of different
roles and are drawn from all year groups and subject areas, including PG courses.
We also recruit Senior Ambassadors who are go out to schools and colleges to cover HE
Fairs or deliver talks, cover staff for events on campus and lead activities on campus visit
days. The two ambassador roles have distinct job descriptions and different rates of pay.
All ambassadors wear bright blue hooded tops or light blue t-shirts with the FirstGeneration Scholars logo on. The Team Administrator is responsible for paying
ambassadors monthly and registering them to work with the necessary documentation.
5.2 Safeguarding
The Widening Participation team has a number of procedures in place relating to
Safeguarding. These are designed to ensure that the students we employ are properly
trained and DBS checked.
Student employee
Student Ambassador
Senior Ambassador
Tutor
Mentor
Summer School
Ambassador
Nature of work
Taking campus tours,
supporting visits, facilitate
visits
Leading campus tours,
visiting schools and
colleges
DBS check
Yes – regular contact
with pupils
Yes – Senior
Ambassadors are in a
supervisory capacity
and visit schools
In-class support on a
Yes - regular contact
weekly basis
with pupils.
Mentor sessions to groups
Yes - regular contact
of pupils outside lessons
with pupils
Assist with activities, some Yes – sustained contact
ambassadors are on duty at with pupils
night
Student Ambassador training
All training for ambassadors, tutors and mentors includes a safeguarding section drawing
students’ attention to the issues and their responsibilities. This training is delivered by a
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member of the WP team. A section on safeguarding is included in each handbook.
Training is supplemented by an online package (Educare) devised by the NSPCC.
Students are required to complete the following Educare packages:
Ambassadors: Child Protection Awareness in Education & Personal Safety
Senior Ambassadors: Child Protection Awareness in Education & Personal Safety as well
as Introduction to Data Protection, Preventing Bullying Behaviour, Health and Safety in
Education and Introduction to Equality and Awareness.
Handbooks are produced for all the roles and include further information relating to
safeguarding. This is reinforced through the code of conduct signed by each student. This
again is tailored to each role. If subject specific ambassador training is required the
Widening Participation team are able to co-ordinate this.
6.0 Meetings
Academic School Meetings
We hold meetings with the Academic School representatives once a term. This enables
us to update you on progress and also to disseminate good practice.
Team Meetings
Team meetings are held on a monthly basis. If you would like to raise an agenda item or
attend a meeting please email the Team Administrator Sarah Ayliff on
s.ayliff@sussex.ac.uk.
participate@sussex.ac.uk
Our general email address is given on our publications and website and the inbox is
managed by the Team Administrator. General queries come from prospective students,
parents, teachers and current students although traffic varies dependant on time of year
i.e. in run-up to UCAS deadline and around time of application to Student Finance England
for funding. Any subject specific widening participation enquiries will be forwarded to the
appropriate academic team.
The team are very keen to explore any subject related outreach ideas you may have and
welcome the opportunity to discuss these further.
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