Alice Davies - Widening Access

Alice Davies- Widening Access in Wales Alice Davies is part of the Reaching Wider South West Wales partnership which aims to widen access into higher education for underrepresented groups of young people in Wales through increasing their educational aspirations and attainment. Widening access is about increasing opportunities for people from a diverse range of backgrounds to benefit from Higher Education. It aims to provide equal opportunities to fulfil their potential and to improve society. The program aims to: • Increase the number of people from ‘underrepresented’ groups attending Higher Education. Including low income families, looked after children, people with disabilities and people from specific black and ethnic groups. Reaching wider aims to break down barriers and widen access to learning. It also aims to support social inclusion. There are three regional partnerships • North and mid Wales, • First Campus South East, • South West Wales Partnership. The South West Wales Partnership includes Swansea University as a lead partner. Other members include • Further Education • Local Authorities • Careers Wales • Third Sector • Communities First They all aim to encourage progression to Higher Education, assist with enhancing achievement and help disadvantaged areas. Raising aspirations and attainment is what they do by using a progressive programme. The programme starts in Primary School and goes through to year 13. The programme concentrates more on year 9 onwards. At Year 9 they provide ACE days, mentoring, Saturday clubs, and tehnocamps. In year 10 they provide: • Spring school • STAR days • Taste of Universities and collage days • Saturday clubs In year 11, they provide: • GCSE revision • Collage taster days • Study Skills • Mentoring Year 12: • Subject specific Summer schools • Summer University • Inspirational talks • Retention focussed activities Year 13 the programme provides: • UCAS support Measurable outcomes for the programme improve: • GCSE results • Attendance • Continuing to Further Education • Progression to Higher Education Davidson (2003) stated: ‘I am delighted that the figures out today demonstrate our Welsh Higher Education Institutions’ success in widening access, without reducing the quality of the experience. I look forward to them building on that success. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to providing all those with the ability and drive to benefit from higher education with the opportunity to do so. We are committed to removing real and perceived barriers to higher education.’