A successful partnershipThe Open University in The South East

and Aimhigher

The Open University in The South East

• Aimhigher Surrey• Aimhigher Sussex• Aimhigher Kent and Medway• Work with targeted students• In targeted schools and FE Colleges

The Open University in England and Aimhigher• Involvement varies across the Regions• OU in The South • OU in London• YASS• OU in The North• OU in The North West• OU in the South West

The Open University in The South East

• Develop Masterclasses with Aimhigher funding• AL’s develop material• Workshops linked to OU courses

Science Masterclasses

• Darwin and Evolution

Evaluation

• “I would like to say a great big thank you for organising the Evolution Masterclass, the kids loved it! In fact they loved it so much we would like to book it for the Year 9’s”

• Presented 11 times this year across year 8-12

Links to OU courses

• Climate Change• The Swinging Pendulum• New developments

AL experience

• Robots• “ As for me I have found my purpose in life. I just

love meeting the young people who come to the sessions……I hope I can make a small difference to some of them, and entertain the rest.”

Aimhigher Surrey

• Two Mathematics tasters• Open Sesame• Improved GCSE grades

Masterclasses

• Journey to Success• English, History,Art• Maths, Science, Computing and Technology• Rough Science• Sociology and Psychology• Foreign languages• Careers• Alternative routes into HR

Aimhigher Sussex

• 0.4 Project Worker• Family learning in adult and community sector• Curriculum groups• Sussex science fair

The Languages Project

www.languagesgroupproject.org• “The Aimhigher languages project has had a very positive

impact on the year 9 students involved, to the point where all those who had taken part have included a language as one of the option subjects next year” Head Teacher

Aimhigher Kent and Medway• The partnership• The educational scene• Learning mentors• “…Most of the students are fearful of attending

HE or even exploring the idea, the OU starts to unpack some of those fears, mainly due to the fact that you visit the learners on home ground…”

The Kent Compact and the Medway Progression Agreement• Partnerships for progression• Kent Compact pilot• YASS

Impact of partnership

% of 15 year old students achieving 5+A*-C (and equivalent) including English and maths GCSEs

Averages 2006 2007 2008 2009

AHKM Partner Schools 22% 26% 27% 31%

Non partner school excl selective[1] 36% 39% 39% 41%

KM Avg (exclude selective schools) 50% 53% 54% 56%

Difference between KM partner school and KM Average (exc. Selective schools) 28% pts 27% pts 27% pts 25 % pts

[1] Non partner schools are those schools that were not targeted by AHKM but excludes selective schools.

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Total Average Points Score

Chart 7:

UCAS datasets 2006-2008

Chart 8:

FE College UCAS applicants

Head Teachers comments• “ Aimhigher activities have a positive impact on us

meeting targets in relation to increased numbers of Post-16 and numbers accessing HE and FE”

• “It has an impact, especially on our vulnerable groups”

• “ Aimhigher has allowed our students a window on the world of possibilities beyond school”

• Support pack for tutors• Support for young people leaving care• Making it happen• Boys and summer school• Get a taste for fashion• Family Learning

Questions

• The value of such work• Is it sustainable• Changing HE climate• Competition and collaboration• Challenges of future funding

• http://aimhigherkentandmedway.org/partners_practitioners/

• http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/sites/practitioner/programme_information/about_aimhigher/targeting.cfm

• http://www3.open.ac.uk/near-you/north-west//p3.asp

• http://www3.open.ac.uk/near-you/north/p3.asp

• http://www8.open.ac.uk/about/wideningparticipation/working-with-us/aimhigher

• http://www3.open.ac.uk/near-you/south-east/p3.asp

• http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/sites/practitioner/resources/Higher%20Eduation%20Progression%20Framework%20Jul%2008.pdf

• http://www3.open.ac.uk/near-you/south-east/p3.asp

• http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/bulletin/11jun10/article9.shtml

Web links:

• www.cilt.org.uk

• www.cilt.org.uk/secondary/14-19/internationalism/case_studies/aimhigher_project.aspx

• www.aimhigherkentandmedway.org/

• http://www.aimhigherkentandmedway.org/parents_carers/Young+People+in+and+Leaving+Care

• http://www.aimhigherkentandmedway.org/Resources/Aimhigher%20Kent%20and%20Medway/PDF%20Documents/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20AHKM%20Commitment%20to%20YCL%20including%20FECs.pdf

• http://www.aimhigherkentandmedway.org/Resources/Aimhigher%20Kent%20and%20Medway/Zoom%20newsletter%20for%20web.pdf

• http://aimhigherkentandmedway.org/research_evaluation/Evaluation/Activity+Evaluation