engage with higher education outreach , enable schools to engage with attainment raising activity , and address outreach ‘ cold spots ’ for underrepresented groups .
• Contribute to a stronger evidence base around ‘ what works ’ in higher education outreach and strengthen evaluation practice across the sector .
The SUN ’ s rationale for delivery and evaluation plans are grounded in robust evidence gathered from primary and secondary research and evaluation . Our plans draw upon the following evidence base :
1 . Review and planning report undertaken by the SUN research and evaluation team in March 2019 including interviews and surveys across our target schools and FECs 2 . Findings from Phase 1 and 2 evaluation both at micro and macro level 3 . SUN Young Researchers project findings 4 . Findings from SUN-funded research projects undertaken in Phases 1 and 2 5 . Wider reading of policy , government agendas , and other HE sector guidance documents relating to social mobility and widening participation 6 . Research undertaken by academics concerned with social mobility and widening participation 7 . The FE Segmentation Project conducted by Cosmos throughout 2022-24
The evaluation themes we will be focusing on for participants are :
• Knowledge and attitudes of Further and Higher Education
• Attainment at Level 2
• Positive Possible Selves
The main questions we will be looking to answer in our evaluation work are :
• Do widening participation interventions have a positive outcome in supporting target learners to progress onto level 4 education ? ( Impact evaluation )
• What interventions have the greatest impact in supporting target learners ’ progression onto level 4 education ? ( Impact evaluation )
• What are the challenges of evaluating widening participation interventions ? ( Formative evaluation )
• Is the SUN widening participation interventions succeeding in its objective to improve specific skills needed by target learners to progress to level 4 education ?
• Is the SUN widening participation interventions succeeding in its objective to improve knowledge needed by target learners to progress to level 4 education ?
• Does working collaboratively across university partnerships increase Key Stage 3 in SUN target schools ? ( Formative / Impact evaluation )
• Is the SUN widening participation interventions succeeding in their aims and objectives for developing specific skills and knowledge regarding L4 qualifications ? ( Formative evaluation )
• How are outreach practitioners developing their professional practice to better support positive outcomes for the students they work with ? ( Formative evaluation )
• Do SUN professional development interventions developing the professional practice of education practitioners ( within schools and colleges ) to better support positive outcomes for the students they work with ?