source: www.cam.ac.uk
The University of Cambridge is supporting a new initiative to raise educational aspirations across the South West. Led by the Colyton Foundation, Your Future Story is a ten-year programme designed to support 1,000 high-attaining pupils from under-resourced backgrounds across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset to remain on the pathway to higher education.
This joined up approach is rare and extremely powerfulTom Levinson
Fewer young people from the South West progress to university than in any other English region – and the region has some of the poorest outcomes for pupils in receipt of free school meals. On 11 September, at the University of Exeter, more than 100 delegates gathered for the inaugural Your Future Story conference. The conference brought together representatives from more than 30 secondary schools, multi-academy trusts, and senior leaders from universities, local authorities, employers and national charities – all of them keen to ensure that background is never a barrier to high attainment or opportunity.
“There was a wonderful energy in the room,” said Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation. “A shared sense of belief and commitment to ensuring that young people in the South West have equitable access to opportunity. That’s how lasting change happens. Now the real work begins.”
In addition to providing funding, the University of Cambridge and Downing College will welcome visits from students in the region and offer online support through colleges with existing links to the South West.
Tom Levinson, Head of Widening Participation, said: “This is a genuine collaboration between schools, trusts, charities, local authorities, universities and employers. This joined-up approach is rare and extremely powerful.”
Earlier in the year, Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, led a delegation to the South West and visited Colyton Grammar School to hear first hand about the barriers preventing students from the area applying to leading universities.
The first cohort of 100 pupils will begin the programme this term. New cohorts will join annually until the programme reaches 1,000 pupils across the region.
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