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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
REVISED ACTION PLAN FOR WIDENING PARTICIPATION – 31 OCTOBER 2001
NOTES
1. As at 31 October 2001 UCL has agreed to enter into Excellence Challenge partnerships with the London Boroughs of Brent, Camden, Ealing, Hackney,
Haringey, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and Westminster, and with Gillingham Education Action Zone.
2. UCL is currently in the final stages of negotiation with a private foundation which intends to make a substantial contribution towards activities under
the heading of Aspiration Funding from 2002 onwards. Because of this, UCL can not state specifically the contribution it will make to any particular
activity funded from the Aspiration stream for 2002-03, but is working towards an overall target figure of £50,000.
3. UCL has indicated where it can, output targets for each activity. We have not done so for outcome targets for all activities, as many will be aimed at
the same schools and cohorts of students; such double counting seems opposed to the spirit of the initiative. UCL’s main outcome targets, therefore,
remain the overall milestones, which are clearly stated in section 5 of the Strategy document.
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Intended Activities How activity relates to Targets HEFCE funding from the
accompanying widening postcode premium and the
participation strategy aspiration funding (where
applicable)
1. Establishment of Widening Participation This is the key unit for the successful Office to be fully established £98K (70K from Premium
Unit with a staff complement of three to cover practical implementation and by December 2001. Funding, 28K from Aspiration
all three strands: widening participation; monitoring of UCL’s central and Funding).
aspiration raising; and student progression departmental activities, and will also Office to make contact with all
and retention. One of the posts to be joint act as liaison between UCL and EiC schools in the targeted EiC
with the UCL Union to administer the Student co-ordinators. areas to begin with, and with
Ambassador programme. Aspirational other schools and colleges in
funding elements to be continued through Sections: 4.2,4.5,6.1,6.2 London and the South-East.
private sponsorship. See also Student Ambassador
scheme.
2. Development of a system of providing Increase departmental admissions Initial work to be completed £5K. Aspiration Funding.
more detailed information about schools and tutors’ knowledge of individual during the academic cycle
colleges to UCL departments. schools and colleges, allowing them 2001-02.
to tailor offers and/or acceptances to
Results of activity to be embedded by the end individual applicants.
of the cycle.
Sections: 2.5,2.6,6.1,6.2,7.3
3. Development of management statistics to To monitor relevant data. Provision of evidence on the £15K Premium Funding
provide a firm basis to inform admissions success, or otherwise, of the
policy. Sections: 2.1,3.4,3.5,3.6,3.8 various activities associated
Statistical work to be embedded in the with the strategy.
Registrar’s division.
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4. Appointment of a Web Officer to maximise Giving information directly to Enhancement and maintenance £35K. Aspiration Funding.
use of the UCL website to provide access to students from disadvantaged of web information on
information for students from under- backgrounds to raise awareness and admissions and recruitment:
represented groups, including the aspirations. setting up, maintenance and
development of specific information for such monitoring of the buddy
students and the investigation of the Section:7.2 system.
establishment of an email buddy scheme
between UCL students and pupils at schools
and colleges.
Embedding in the UCL provision for
electronic recruitment.
5. Production of promotional literature and Raising awareness and aspirations of Production of four leaflets £6K. Premium Funding.
other advertising to encourage students from potential students. Attempting to including one on the costs and
the various disadvantaged groups to apply, dispel financial worries. benefits of studying at UCL
such as a leaflet about costs and benefits of aimed at under-represented
studying at UCL. Sections: 7.1,7.2,7.3,10.1 groups in 2001-2.
6. Increase training for UCL staff involved in Relates to the recognition of the 60 interviewers to be trained £20K. Aspiration Funding.
student selection, including cultural particular achievements of students each year.
awareness training. from disadvantaged backgrounds,
and, hence, has a direct role in the
Embedding in the College’s training budget. admission of students to UCL.
Sections: 2.5,7.3
7. State Schools conference to be held Intended to build links between 50 Teachers to attend the £12K. Premium Funding.
annually for teaching staff in a large area schools attending and UCL – in conference each year.
consisting of London and some parts of the particular developing personal
South-East. contact with staff involved in
admission. Relates to improving the
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number of state sector students who
apply to UCL for entry
Sections: 6.1,6.2,7.1,7.2,7.3
8. A planned series of workshops for school As Activity 9. One workshop per term to £10K. Premium Funding.
staff in the partnership areas and beyond on involve 45 teachers.
matters relating to university admissions, such Sections: 2.5,6.1,6.2,7.1,7.2,7.3
as writing the UCAS reference, etc.
9. Student Ambassador programme involving 80K. Aspiration Funding.
UCL students in out-reach work in three
areas:
Student tutoring To assist schools in teaching subjects 150 students to be trained and
and to provide role models for sent as Student Tutors each
potential students from under- year to schools in the London
represented groups. area.
Student mentoring – supplementing the work To act as advisers to school pupils. 150 students to be trained and
of the Focus mentoring scheme. sent as mentors to EiC schools.
Student alumni – sending students to their old To encourage state school students to 100 students to be trained and
schools in the EiC areas and beyond to talk apply to the research-intensive to go back to talk to students,
about university entrance and student life. universities. preferably at their old schools.
Embedding through sponsorship from private Sections: 7.1,7.2
foundations.
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10. Appointment of an Education Officer to Intended to introduce the idea of 1,000 pupils a year to visit £40K. Aspiration Funding.
coordinate the Museums and Collections universities to pupils from schools at UCL as part of the scheme.
programme to raise aspirations. The an earlier age, to familiarise pupils
collections include the Strang Print Gallery, with coming into a university and to Links to be established with
the Geological Science collections, the Grant engender enthusiasm from pupils for schools in the nine EiC areas.
Museum of Zoology and the Petrie Museum knowledge from the primary school
of Egyptian Archaeology. Designed for level upwards. 12 loan boxes to be developed.
school pupils of all ages from primary school
age upwards to supplement their studies and Section: 7.1
to introduce universities in a positive way.
Also to form links with local schools and
colleges to provide outreach work to
supplement and enrich the curriculum. Also
the development of loan boxes of materials
from the collections to be sent out to schools
together with teachers packs and worksheets.
Education Officer post to be embedded as part
of the proposed Panopticon development at
UCL.
11. Appointment of an Education Officer for As for initiative 10. 25% of productions to be 30K. Aspiration Funding.
UCL’s own theatre, the Bloomsbury, to widen directly targeted at schools and
participation and raise aspirations by making Section: 7.1 colleges and to involve 15,000
links with schools and colleges. Designed to students per year.
raise the attendance of school pupils at
relevant productions at all levels from Links to be established with
primary to Year 13 A-level students, and to schools in all nine EiC areas.
5
assist with outreach and co-operative ventures
with schools. Also to reach out further into
the community to parents, guardians and so
on.
Production of a series of leaflets to cover a
wide audience at different levels about what
universities do, and in particular what UCL
does, to give out at all performances.
Embedding through other voluntary
organisations.
12. A series of general visits to UCL for the To breed early ease and familiarity 9 morning sessions for each of £5K. Aspiration Funding
gifted and talented stream of students from with what universities are and do, the partnership areas to involve
Years 9 and 10 in schools in the EiC and to meet UCL students to 1750 pupils.
partnership areas. reinforce positive images.
Embedding in the Student Recruitment Fund. Sections: 6.1,6.2,7.1
13. Conference on Interview Techniques to be Intended to improve skills of state 300 Year 13 students to be £5K. Aspiration Funding.
held annually. To be aimed initially primarily school applicants applying to enrolled.
at year 13 students in schools and colleges universities about how to handle Number of students applying
within the nine EiC local authorities. interviews and improve performance. and accepting UCL who
attended to be monitored.
Embedding in the Student Recruitment Fund. Sections: 2.5,7.2,7.3
6
14. Promoting a varied departmental response As well as supplementing the central All UCL departments to £120K. Aspiration Funding.
to widening participation and raising work of the College in widening nominate a departmental
aspirations by funding a wide range of participation, this activity is designed person responsible for
faculty-wide activities including providing to broaden ownership of the widening participation
teaching packs for use in schools, taster Widening Participation strategy to all activities. Reports and
courses, visiting schools, and provision of departments. activities to be monitored
laboratory space and specialised use of centrally.
equipment with schools in the area. Sections: 4.3,7.1,7.2,7.3
Departments will be expected to embed
activities from 2004 onwards.
15. Joint Summer School with British Aimed at attracting very bright 30 to 50 students per year. £40K. Aspiration Funding.
Library. A residential course for very bright students from other parts of the
state school students from EiC and EAZ areas country to study in London. Monitoring applications from
in a particular (arts and humanities) discipline students involved.
to provide an integrated programme of Sections: 7.2,7.3
lectures and a research project with access to
original sources.
This event will be embedded by seeking an
external sponsor.
16. A series of short one or two-day Summer Intended to encourage students to Have 12 such summer schools £10K Premium Funding.
Schools aimed at particular students in break free from model stereotypes running in 2002 with an
specific subject areas for Year 10, 11 and 12, and also to build confidence to think average attendance of 25.
e.g. Women in Mathematics, Women in about non-school subjects.
Science and Engineering, Archaeology. Monitoring applications and
Primarily targeted at the London area. Sections: 6.1,6.2,7.1,7.2 acceptance of students to UCL.
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17.Masterclasses aimed at Year 12 and Year To inspire the brightest students to Six UCL departments to be £20K. Aspiration Funding.
13 students to enrich the curriculum and attend universities like UCL. involved in the first year.
stretch the gifted and talented stream.
Possibility to assist with AEA examinations. Sections: 6.1,6.2,7.2 Monitoring applications from
Raising aspirations within EiC areas and the students attending.
wider London context.
Embedding through departmental funding.
18. Development of a system of student Raising aspirations of school pupils To roll this out in 5 £2K. Premium Funding.
shadowing. to attend UCL. departments as a pilot project.
Section:7.2
19. Summer Work Placements for school and Specifically to give an insight to To expand subject areas £1K. Premium Funding.
college pupils at the end of Years 11 and 12. students about what a particular available for work placements.
subject is like.
Section: 7.2
20. Tutor for Academic Literacy appointed to This post is established to provide Improving retention rates £35K Premium Funding.
improve retention through the development of support for students on programme further for UCL students.
skills-based undergraduate courses. to ensure that students have the right
skills to survive at university.
Sections: 3.2,7.4
21. Training Tutor for Information As for 20 above. Improving retention rates for £35K. Premium Funding.
Technology appointed to improve progression UCL students.
and retention, as part of UCL’s IT strategy. Sections: 3.2,7.4
22. Longitudinal study of Opportunity A small research project to survey Results to be fed into the £5K Aspiration Funding.
Bursary holders. bursary holders to analyse the Widening Participation
application process and progression. strategy.
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Time-limited. Results to be embedded in the
Widening Participation strategy. Section: 10.1
23. National Mentoring Consortium Scheme Aid ethnic minority students to build To involve 25 UCL students £5K. Premium Funding.
for ethnic minority students to be mentored confidence and aim for high-level each year.
with senior staff from business to aid graduate jobs.
progression and retention.
Section: 7.5
24. Undergraduate Stress Management Aid non-traditional students to build To involve 25 UCL students £10K. Aspiration Funding
Project will be set up particularly to benefit confidence as aid to student each year.
students from backgrounds with little tradition retention.
of entry to higher education. To train UCL staff.
Section 1.5, 1.6, 2.6, 3.2
25. Partnership in Excellence project with This is a flagship initiative for the a) Subjects to be involved £70K. Aspiration Funding
City and Islington College (CIC) Sixth Form close involvement of UCL staff in an initially are: mathematics,
Centre. This is a DfES pilot project linking a F E college modern languages, science,
further education college with a prestigious engineering and medicine, but
university institution to ensure that one of its developing into further areas in
sites becomes a centre of excellence for A- future years.
levels and university entry. It is designed to
raise the aspiration of students in Islington b) target within five years is to
and Hackney while also offering links for CIC double the number of CIC
staff both in terms of developing subject students entering UCL. Target
knowledge and professional development. for first year is to increase the
Activities will include: number of CIC students
a) enriched intellectual and creative learning entering UCL by 10%.
experiences for especially gifted students
b) working together with CIC to raise
awareness of H E opportunities among year
10 and 11 pupils in Islington and Hackney Sections: 6.1, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 10.1
9
schools
c) reinforcing student motivation and
aspiration through enhanced career guidance,
support for preparation for university and the
application process
d) exploitation of synergies in areas of
pedagogical practice and curriculum
development
e) affording opportunities for joint staff
development and networking activities
f) reciprocal governance issues
31 October 2001
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