Common use of Outreach and Access Clause in Contracts

Outreach and Access. 5.1 As identified in our earlier Access Agreements, Keele University is committed to raising aspirations and awareness amongst all potential student cohorts currently under-represented in Higher Education, to enable them to make informed and effective decisions regarding their further educational and career choices. Given the proven value of the current outreach and access work being undertaken, this Access Agreement outlines our plans to extend and strengthen the current offer. 5.2 Keele generally performs well in the HESA Performance Indicators on Widening Participation compared to its benchmarks, and has therefore set challenging targets as shown in Annex B (Milestones). We have found, however, that in the rapidly changing Higher Education environment these targets have become harder to achieve. We are, therefore, keeping them under regular review and will adjust or expand our outreach and access activities where review demonstrates that to be necessary. 5.3 The outreach provision outlined in this Agreement will be delivered via the University’s Schools and Colleges Partnership Programme (Keelelink). More than 200 schools (primary and secondary) and FE colleges are currently members, giving them access to a wide range of activities designed around a ladder of engagement. Appendix A (Ladder of Engagement) summarises our existing outreach schemes targeted at different groups including learners, parents/guardians and teachers/advisers. 5.4 Intensive activities like Access to Keele (A2K), Access to the Professions and Summer Schools will be directly targeted at students from WP groups – which Keele has identified as: We try to prioritise, where appropriate, work based learners and students with no, or non- traditional, qualifications. 5.5 The University’s central outreach team is committed to supporting academic Schools and Faculties in the delivery of subject-specific outreach activity and, where appropriate, WP targeting. OFFA-accountable funds are being made available to support targeted activity.

Outreach and Access. 5.1 7.1 As identified in our earlier Access Agreements, Keele University is committed to raising aspirations and awareness amongst all potential student cohorts currently under-represented under-­‐represented in Higher Education, to enable them to make informed and effective decisions regarding their further educational and career choices. Given the proven value of the current outreach and access work being undertaken, undertaken this Access Agreement outlines our plans to extend further develop and strengthen the current offeroffer in line with recommendations made by the recently published Strategy for Access and Student Success (April 2014) and the OFFA strategic plan 15-­‐20 (March 2015). Keele’s strategic plan for 2015-­‐2020 and its marketing and communications operating plan, within which outreach and recruitment activities sit, prioritise the equality of educational opportunities, working collaboratively with key partners to this aim to provide a highly supportive environment for students from all backgrounds throughout the student life-­‐cycle and base developments on evidence-­‐based impact. 5.2 7.2 As indicated in the Introduction, Keele generally performs well in the HESA Performance Indicators on Widening Participation compared to its benchmarks, and has therefore set challenging targets as shown in Annex B Table 7 of the Resource Plan (Targets and Milestones). We have found, however, that in the rapidly changing Higher Education environment these targets have become harder more difficult to achieve. We are, therefore, keeping them under regular review and will use an evidence-­‐based approach to adjust or expand our outreach and access activities where review demonstrates that to be necessary. 5.3 7.3 The outreach provision outlined in this Agreement will be delivered via the University’s Schools and Colleges Partnership Programme (Keelelink). More than 200 schools (primary and secondary) and FE colleges are currently members, giving them access to a wide range of activities designed around University has developed a ladder of engagement. engagement (Appendix A (Ladder of EngagementA) which summarises our existing outreach schemes targeted at different groups including learners, parents/guardians and teachers/advisers. 5.4 Intensive 7.4 Outreach work is strategically embedded across the University. Academic schools and faculties are supported by the central outreach team in the delivery of subject-­‐specific outreach and, where appropriate, WP targeting. In 2014/15 OFFA-­‐accountable funds have been made available to support targeted activity within academic schools, with additional investment in staffing planned over a two-­‐year period to further develop outreach work aimed at Widening Participation. Each Faculty now has an individual outreach strategy and developed activities, which they can bid for money from the central outreach team in order that these activities like be realised. This has proved extremely effective in engaging a broader base of outreach activity to deliver to our target schools. 7.5 The Faculty of Health has a full time Faculty Outreach and Schools Liaison Administrator, who work to coordinate all Health School teams’ activity and liaise with the central Outreach team, to support the Faculty’s Outreach and Widening Participation Strategy. This has greatly enhanced the Faculty’s outreach activity. The Faculty hosts a range of Summer Schools and taster days throughout the year and liaises with a wide range of Schools and Colleges and NHS providers. 7.6 Keele University aims to ensure that where resources are identified specifically to deliver Widening Participation activity, this activity is focused and meets, as a minimum, HEFCE targeting guidelines. Keele University intends to maximize the impact of Widening Participation activity by focusing resources on a target group of learners with the potential to benefit from Higher Education and who come from under-­‐represented groups. We shall ensure best use of finite resources by more effective targeting of potential WP applicants for example Access to Keele (A2K)HE Learner Conference, Access Family Fun Day for lone parents and Care Leaver events. 7.7 We have recently established a travel fund to support students from WP cohorts in travelling to and from events and activities held at Keele, as we have recognised that, in previous years, travel costs have been a barrier to participation. Depending on the Professions and success of this scheme, we plan to continue with this approach in 2015/16. 7.8 Intensive learner activities, such as our residential Summer Schools will Schools, continue to be directly targeted at students from WP groups – which Keele has identified suggested for 2015/16 as: ● Young students from low socio-­‐economic groups ● From a low income/low participation neighbourhood ● Eligible for free school meals ● Looked after children or a recent care leaver ● SEN status/disability ● Access to HE and mature learners (over 21) ● Home educated ● Travelling community member ● Political refugee ● Students who receive the pupil premium ● Learners from deprived or low participation postcode areas (POLAR3 and IMD) ● Disabled students ● Minority ethnic students ● Mature students ● Young carers ● Student parents 7.9 We try to prioritisealso offer, where appropriate, activity aimed at apprentices and work based learners and students with no, or non- traditionalnon-­‐traditional, qualifications. We have initiated progression agreements with local colleges, with one signed and three other being targeted at the time of this agreement being submitted. These agreements outline the various routes students will be eligible for from the courses and non-­‐traditional qualifications available at each FE College. 5.5 The University7.10 We have also worked closely with organisations that work directly with young people from underrepresented groups, including Virtual Schools for looked after children, and Local Carer’s central Associations to target young carers. We have arranged specific activities for looked after children including the White Water Writers literacy project (▇▇▇▇://▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇) which allows a group of 10 young people to write and publish their own novel within five days, facilitated by university students. In 2013/14 we worked in collaboration with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Young People at Stoke to run this project with a group of looked after children and have already scheduled the project to run again in 2015/16. We aim to continue working with the White Water Writers Project and Shaftesbury Young People at Stoke to continue providing this high impact outreach team is committed project which not only raises the young peoples’ aspirations and self-­‐esteem but also builds their academic skills in writing. For 2016/17 we will continue to supporting academic Schools build on these relationships and Faculties in the delivery of subject-specific outreach activity and, where appropriate, WP targeting. OFFA-accountable funds are being made available to support targeted activityactivities and evaluate their impact.

Outreach and Access. 5.1 7.1 As identified in our earlier Access Agreements, Keele University is committed to raising aspirations and awareness amongst all potential student cohorts currently under-represented in Higher Education, to enable them to make informed and effective decisions regarding their further educational and career choices. Given the proven value of the current outreach and access work being undertaken, undertaken this Access Agreement outlines our plans to extend further develop and strengthen the current offeroffer in line with recommendations made by the recently published Strategy for Access and Student Success (April 2014). 5.2 7.2 As indicated in the Introduction, Keele generally performs well in the HESA Performance Indicators on Widening Participation compared to its benchmarks, and has therefore set challenging targets as shown in Annex B Table 7 of the Resource Plan (Targets and Milestones). We have found, however, that in the rapidly changing Higher Education environment these targets have become harder more difficult to achieve. We are, therefore, keeping them under regular review and will use an evidence-based approach to adjust or expand our outreach and access activities where review demonstrates that to be necessary. 5.3 7.3 The outreach provision outlined in this Agreement will be delivered via the University’s Schools and Colleges Partnership Programme (Keelelink). More than 200 schools (primary and secondary) and FE colleges are currently members, giving them access to a wide range of activities designed around University has developed a ladder of engagement. engagement (Appendix A (Ladder of EngagementA) which summarises our existing outreach schemes targeted at different groups including learners, parents/guardians and teachers/advisers. 5.4 Intensive activities like Access to Keele (A2K), Access to 7.4 Outreach work is strategically embedded across the Professions University. Academic schools and Summer Schools will be directly targeted at students from WP groups – which Keele has identified as: We try to prioritise, where appropriate, work based learners and students with no, or non- traditional, qualifications. 5.5 The University’s faculties are supported by the central outreach team is committed to supporting academic Schools and Faculties in the delivery of subject-specific outreach activity and, where appropriate, WP targeting. In 2013/14 OFFA-accountable funds are being have been made available to support targeted activityactivity within academic schools, with additional investment in staffing planned over a two-year period to further develop outreach work aimed at Widening Participation. 7.5 The Faculty of Health has recently appointed a full time Faculty Outreach Administrator to support the Faculty's Outreach and Widening Participation Strategy. This will be monitored and, if successful, may be adopted by the other two faculties.