Uni Connect

Introducing: Pathway to HE

Widening access to HE with a high-impact, cost-effective student intervention.

The Pathway to HE Programme consists of two workshops that are designed to enable and inspire students from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider university as a not only a viable option, but a highly achievable one.

Pathway to HE: Part 1

Part 1 of Pathway to HE is all about raising attainment, helping students achieve the grades they need in order to progress into higher education.

We will introduce students to a wide range of techniques to help them retain and recall information more effectively, manage their time and structure their revision sessions, and reduce their exam-related stress and anxiety.

Throughout Part 1, students will learn:

• How to summarise and visualise information and key concepts
• How to use colour, imagery, and storytelling to help them remember
• What metacognition is and how they can apply it to their own learning
• How to use spaced repetition and dual-coding to enhance their studying
• How to use time management techniques to overcome procrastination
• How to use mindfulness and relaxation techniques to stay positive

Pathway to HE: Part 2

Part 2 of Pathway to HE will help students become proactive, positive young adults, capable of making informed decisions and communicating confidently to others.

Students will be introduced to ideas and strategies designed to support them not only in school, but as they progress throughout sixth form or college, higher education, and as they enter the world of work.

In Part 2, students will learn:

• How to turn negative experiences into opportunities for personal growth
• How to develop and maintain a positive, growth mindset
• How to identify and develop their own, unique skillset
• How to use the information available to make smarter decisions
• How to communicate confidently and make a great first impression
• How to set manageable goals and take steps to achieve them

Each of these interventions are 2 hours in length and can be delivered on the same day, or different days. We can deliver the Pathway to HE Programme on school or college grounds, or on university campuses in conjunction with HE taster days.

Students will receive professionally designed resources and workbooks, along with free stationery (provided by BIC).

We can work with groups of up to 100 students, or we can deliver to smaller, more targeted cohorts such as those in receipt of Pupil Premium funding or students with SEND. In fact, whatever challenges the students are facing, we can adapt Pathway to HE accordingly.

In addition to these live interventions, students will also be given access to our Online Resources Hub, which consolidates the strategies and techniques they were introduced to and allows them to access high-quality video and written content about study skills, exam preparation, resilience, and wellbeing on-demand, wherever and whenever it suits them best.

For evidence of the effectiveness of the Pathway to HE Programme, we can collate student feedback and create a bespoke Impact Report – see previous examples here.

To find out more about the Pathway to HE Programme, or to find out how much it costs, contact us today.

“The Pathway to HE session was brilliant and allowed the students to develop a toolkit of skills which will help them thrive in the classroom and beyond. It was the perfect chance to get an outside voice to encourage students to put their energy into the right places. The skills and techniques tied in really nicely to our aims for the project. Following the session, I felt confident that the students could employ the techniques in their everyday lives. Thanks for a brilliant session.”

P James – Collaborative Outreach Officer – Make Happen Essex

Case Study:

In partnership with one of the 29 Uni Connect hubs, Positively You were invited to deliver several of our Attainment Raising workshops to students at secondary schools within their catchment area.

The hub was keen to measure the impact of these interventions and approached HEAT to help crunch the numbers. Specifically, they wanted to measure how much the participants’ Attainment 8 scores improved, compared to those of students who did not take part.

Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) is known for its exhaustive evaluation techniques and data analysis methods.

The results, as visualised below, were quite significant:

As you can see, students who attended the Positively You workshops achieved an Attainment 8 score 6.6 points higher than the school average.

Not surprisingly, students with already high attainment saw only a modest improvement in their Attainment 8 scores, but students with low and medium attainment saw an increase of 4.5 and 5.5 points, respectively.