Widening participation and outreach programme. 4.2.1 The 2015-16 outreach programme will address the strategic priorities described in section 4.
1.1. Examples of targeted long-term work are:
(i) We are the lead education partner in St Paul’s Way, which is Tower Hamlets’ first Foundation Trust School. Senior members of staff from the College chair the Trust Board and the Governing Body, and the College supports the school through a balanced programme of short and long-term initiatives. As an example of a long-term initiative to support the school, Xxxxx Xxxx and St Paul’s Way were partners in a bid to the Wellcome Trust for funding for the Authentic Biology project. Authentic Biology is a project that allows sixth-form students in five schools across the country to become biomedical researchers. These students learn sophisticated techniques for analysing and manipulating DNA and protein, and apply these skills to novel research projects that will make a positive contribution to scientific knowledge. The schools work closely with their local university bioscience/medical department and the projects provide CPD opportunities for all staff involved, teachers and academics. There is an annual research symposium (held at Xxxxx Xxxx) where students have the opportunity to share their work on posters and as oral presentations. We also support sixth-form teaching through a Teacher Fellowship scheme that links individual sixth-form teachers at St Paul’s Way to academic staff at Xxxxx Xxxx, and supports the professional development of the teachers by partnering them with academics who are working in their field of interest.
(ii) In 2015-16 the College will continue to work with the Drapers’ Company as co-sponsor of the Drapers’ Academy school in Havering. Our support includes the provision of three governors, the involvement of academic staff and support for the development of the new sixth form established in September 2012. One of the strengths of this long-term partnership is that we can work with younger students year-on-year to support them in making the correct choices at key stages in their progression. The 2015-16 Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) programme will deliver a range of age-appropriate sessions to students from Years 7-11, and each session will build on the previous one in the following way: Year 7 Introduction to University Year 8 Discovering University Year 9 Getting to University and Finance Workshops Year 10 Choices for Higher Education and Budgeting Sessions Year 11 Choices for Year ...
Widening participation and outreach programme. 4.2.1 The 2017-18 outreach programme will address the strategic priorities described in section 4.
1. Examples of our longer term targeted work are:
(i) We will continue to work closely with St Paul’s Way Trust School and the Drapers’ Academy, offering an intensive programme of outreach support to students studying secondary and post-16 education in both schools. We will also continue to support teachers at both schools.
(ii) We have developed a programme of intensive support for primary-age children. This currently includes the delivery of a Primary Coding Club and Reading Challenge. We have prioritised our primary school work to benefit our long-term partner schools. The formation of the Drapers’ Multi-Academy Trust (which includes primary schools) and the development of St Paul’s Way into an all-through-school from Reception to Year 13 has allowed us to do this more effectively.
(iii) We have developed, and continue to deliver, long-term projects such as Bridge the Gap, an access to medicine and dentistry programme. This work is focused on targeted secondary schools and colleges and their feeder primary schools, and aims to raise aspirations and awareness of medicine and dentistry as career pathways among students from groups that are significantly under-represented within the profession. It offers age- appropriate interventions at three stages – stage 1: Year 6, stage 2: Year 8- 9, and stage 3: Years 10-13. The programme works with experienced external partners such as the Brightside Trust, who provide support for the e-mentoring strand of the programme. In addition, support is offered to parents and carers and teachers through online resources and an insight event held at the university. This events provide parents and carers with information on how they can support their children in pursuing medicine or dentistry, and give them an opportunity to take part in some medicine and dentistry taster activities. All students who have completed the Bridge the Gap programme, and who meet QMUL’s minimum entry requirements, will be guaranteed an interview for a place on the undergraduate dentistry or medicine course.
