Report Purpose
This report provides a summary of the following aspects of the Southern Universities Network ( SUN ), National Collaborative Outreach Programme ( NCOP ):
1 . Review of Phase 1 of the programme – January 2017 until present day ( March 2019 ) 2 . Consultation for Phase 2 of the programme which commences on 01 st August 2019 and ends on 31 st July 2021
The report is split into three sections : 1 . NCOP Phase 1 review 2 . Phase 2 and Outreach Hub consultation 3 . Recommendations for Phase 2 and Outreach Hub
Each section provides evidence gathered from a variety of sources including education professionals and NCOP learners . Sections two and three also refer to relevant wider reading and research in social mobility and widening participation .
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Phase 1 :
Qualitative evidence collected so far suggests that SUN is making a positive impact upon supporting young people to progress to HE . School and College staff all agree that the additional funding direct to schools has enabled them to take part in events and projects which they would not have been able to do , due to restricted finances .
SUN funding has been spent on a wide range of initiatives and innovative projects including parent and learner engagements , local employer engagement with learners , attainment raising sessions , intensive mentoring projects and 1:1 student support .
Challenges for Phase 1 centered on planning , communication and time limitations . Schools and Colleges highlighted that opportunities were often not communicated with enough time to ensure greater uptake from learners and schools . Internal school and college communication relating to ensuring NCOP and SUN were understood was a key challenge , specifically within colleges . Those schools where a SPoC also had an SLT responsibility commented this made dissemination across the school staff easier .
The specific targeting of NCOP caused some schools and colleges challenges where students were cascaded across multiple sites and subject areas . Interviewees commented that it was an ethical challenge trying to convey the message of NCOP without being discriminatory or feeling they were excluding others who were also of similar need but did not live in an NCOP ward .
Phase 2 :
Stakeholders suggested that funding direct to schools was of highest importance commenting that funds could be spent on local need . Activities funded by SUN should be refined in their focus to concentrate on attainment at GCSE . Support should also be provided to assist schools in achieving Gatsby Benchmarks linking employers with schools and access to further and higher education institutions .
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