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The Path to Sustainability

Strategic Plan, January 2012

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We are grateful to the following people for taking part in consultations that have supported the

development of this strategy:

Lord Adonis Director, Institute for Government and Former Minister of State for Schools

Dame Sue John Head Teacher, Lampton School

Adrian Percival CEO, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation

Russell Hobby General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers

Matthew Hood North East Regional Director, Teach First

Ben Williams Manager in Transaction Services, KPMG

Sam Freedman Special Adviser, Department for Education

Brett Wigdortz Founder and CEO, Teach First

James Turner Projects and Policy Director, Sutton Trust

Victoria Eadie Head Teacher, Feltham Community College

Denise Webster Head Teacher, The Norwood School

Carly Mitchell Deputy Principal, London Academy

Lee Mason-Ellis Head Teacher, Stewart Fleming Primary School

Anita Puri Head Teacher, Blair Peach Primary School

Nicola Buckley Head of Public Engagement, Cambridge University

Dr Andrew Murray Admissions Tutor, Trinity Hall, Cambridge University

Dr Annalisa Alexander Mentoring and Tutoring Programme Manager, Imperial College

Mark Smith Director, Future Leaders and Founder of HEAPS

Mark Goodchild Programme Manager, Challenge Partners

Pauline Hinchcliffe Senior G&T Consultant, Southwark

Sam McCormick G&T Coordinator, Harris Academy, Purley

Simon Pedley G&T Coordinator, Bethnal Green Technology College

Harry Fletcher-Wood UCAS Director, Kingsmead School

Paolo Falco PhD student, University of Oxford

Babak Somekh PhD student, University of Oxford

Irene Aspalter PhD student, University College, London

Kinga Bercsenyi PhD student, University College, London

Ed Bracey PhD student, University College, London

Liz Durkin PhD student, University College, London

Silvia Ferabolli PhD student, School of Oriental and African Studies

Joanna Firth PhD student, University of Oxford

Alex Papple PhD student, University of Sussex

Igor Rogelja PhD student, School of Oriental and African Studies

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Antonia Strachey PhD student, University of Oxford

A foreword from our Chair of Trustees::

Dame Sue John

I am delighted to present to you The Brilliant Club’s strategic plan, ‘The Path to Sustainability.’ As Chair of Trustees, and as a Head Teacher of a London school, I am very excited to be working in partnership with The Brilliant Club. In this country there are many good and outstanding schools that have raised attainment in the face of challenging circumstances, and for whom the next barrier is to help their students go on to secure places at the very best universities. This document clearly outlines how The Brilliant Club will work with schools and universities to widen access to highly selective universities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing the opportunity to take part in programmes of university-style tutorials, which are led by passionate and committed PhD students and focus on academic development, The Brilliant Club helps pupils to translate potential into places at highly selective universities. Furthermore, by connecting schools and universities in this way, it provides an innovative new solution that addresses a number of the challenges that we share in our endeavour to give the next generation fair access to an outstanding education. I speak for the whole board of trustees when I say that we are looking forward to the prospect of executing this strategy over the coming years, and of building a movement that mobilises PhD students to widen access to highly selective universities. Yours sincerely,

Dame Sue John Dame Sue is Head Teacher at Lampton School, a Director of London Leadership Strategy and a non-executive Director of the Department for Education. In her role as Chair of Trustees she is supported by: Vice-Chair of Trustees: Adrian Percival CEO, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation General Secretary: Mathew Hood North East Regional Director, Teach First Trustee (Finance): Ben Williams Manager in Transaction Service, KPMG Trustee (Strategy): Russell Hobby General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers Founder and CEO: Jonathan Sobczyk Founder and COO: Simon Coyle

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Our Vision: An education system in which young people from

disadvantaged backgrounds are proportionately represented

at highly selective universities.

Our Mission: To widen access to highly selective universities by placing

PhD students in schools serving low participation communities

to deliver university-style teaching to high performing pupils.

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of privately educated children go on

to study at any university

of state school children go on to

study at any university

of state school children gain a place at a

highly selective university

of privately educated children gain a place

at a highly selective university

Contents

18%

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Executive Summary

Section 4: Financial Forecasts

Section 2: Our Solution

Section 3: How The Brilliant Club Works

Section 1: The Problem

Section 5: Schools and Pupils

Section 6: Universities and PhD Students

Section 7: Corporate Partnerships

Appendices

Section 8: Opportunities and Risks

48%

96%

36%

of children eligible for free school meals

gain a place at a highly selective university 2%

of children eligible for free school meals

go on to study at any university 16%

52 Contact Details

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Executive Summary

15% of secondary pupils in the UK are eligible for free school meals, but only 2% of the student

intake at the UK’s 25 most selective universities is made up of pupils previously in receipt of free

school meals (approximately 1,300 students each year). In contrast, young people who attended

private school make up 25.8% of the intake, despite representing just 6.5% of all UK school pupils.

Further to this, between different areas there is also a significant disparity in the proportion of state

school pupils that go on to study at highly selective universities. 11 of the 25 lowest performing local

authorities are in London and each sends fewer than 11% of pupils to highly selective universities.

As The Sutton Trust states, widening access to these universities for disadvantaged young people, by

which we mean those coming from low income families or attending schools in low participation

communities, is “a matter of justice and an economic imperative.” Young people that progress to

higher education are more likely to have access to professional jobs, to earn a significant wage

premium and enjoy greater social mobility, with graduates of highly selective universities performing

better in each of the above measures.

Our vision is an education system in which young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are

proportionately represented at highly selective universities.

In order to achieve this vision, we recruit, train and place PhD students to deliver programmes of

university-style tutorials to small groups of high performing pupils attending schools that serve low

participation communities. This provides pupils with on-going support that has a core focus on

developing skills and raising attainment, and is designed to translate academic potential into places

at the very best universities. As well as the opportunity to take part in tailored programmes at each

Key Stage, The Brilliant Club also provides a programme of age-appropriate information, advice and

guidance that helps pupils to make informed choices about university. We also offer support with

the UCAS application process, and raise aspirations through trips to highly selective universities.

Initial results suggest that this approach is effective: over the course of our year 11 pilot, the number

of pupils working towards 5 A*-A grades quadrupled to 12 out of 19, with 15 pupils going on to

achieve at least 5 A*-A grades in their GCSEs and 14 now enrolled on our Key Stage 5 programme.

This document sets out a ‘Path to Sustainability’ within three to five years. It explains how we will

target schools, pupils, universities and PhD students in order to ensure that our programmes are

effective, impactful and focused where they are most needed. In particular, it outlines a robust

financial plan that demonstrates the long-term viability of the organisation.

We plan to connect schools and universities through a deep, embedded partnership structure that

sees ‘Partner Schools’ commit to running at least one Brilliant Club programme at each Key Stage,

with ‘Partner Universities’ helping us to recruit, train and place their PhD students to work as tutors

in schools within their regional cluster.

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For the academic year 2011/12 we now have a total of 36 confirmed bookings for secondary school

programmes, bringing in expected revenues of over £60,000, and a total of 6 confirmed bookings for

a primary school pilot, bringing in expected revenues of over £10,000. We have surpassed 90% of

our projected capacity for the year and are now working to develop new partnerships for the future.

We will target schools in the London boroughs that send the smallest proportion of pupils to highly

selective universities, prioritising those with high numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals.

We will build relationships with London universities that feature in the ‘Sutton Trust 30,’ as well as

Oxford and Cambridge, in order to recruit high quality PhD students to deliver our programmes.

Over the next five years we project that we will work with over 15,000 pupils from schools serving

low participation communities, including more than 3,000 who are eligible for free school meals.

By the end of 2014 we plan to have developed a partnership structure whereby 4 London regions

have clusters that connect a total of 60 Partner Schools with 4 highly selective Partner Universities.

We have set out eight performance measures and our key targets are that, of all year 13 pupils

completing a programme in 2014, 80% will apply to a highly selective university, 70% will achieve at

least grades ABB at A-Level, and 55% will go on to study at a highly selective university.

For younger pupils our key target is that, of all year 6 and year 11 pupils completing a programme in

2014, 65% will achieve excellent results in their end of year assessment. For year 6 pupils this means

at least level 5 in all of their SATS, and for year 11 pupils this means at least 5 A*-A grades at GCSE.

Clear evidence of demand from schools, and an understanding of costs and prices that is informed

by programmes delivered to date, together give us confidence that our operational model is viable.

Our base scenario shows the organisation breaking even by the end of year 3, at this point incurring

a maximum deficit carried forward of £75,955. In years 4 and 5 we generate annual surpluses of

£12,100 and £39,570 respectively, giving a cumulative deficit of £24,285 over the five year period.

Cashflow summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income 81,750 267,500 410,200 553,000 695,900

Programme expenditure (37,750) (131,260) (198,010) (262,520) (324,970)

Operating surplus/(deficit) 44,000 136,240 212,190 290,480 370,930

Operations costs (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Net cashflow (35,605) (30,140) (10,210) 12,100 39,570

Whilst all of our alternative financial scenarios show the organisation breaking even within five years

the mean average maximum deficit carried forward is £81,708. In addition to this, we forecast the

need for an additional working capital budget of £16,342 over the five year period.

Overall, we estimate that our funding will be £98,050 over the first five years.

We strongly believe that The Brilliant Club offers a clear strategy to target a specific and significant

problem, and sets out a scalable operational model that demonstrates a path to sustainability

within three to five years.

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Section 1: The Problem

1.1 What is the problem we are trying to solve?

1.2 Why is change necessary?

1.1 What is the problem we are trying to solve?

When a young person from a disadvantaged background demonstrates the potential to secure a

place at a top university, they will often require on-going support to make this outcome a reality.

As a group, these pupils are much less likely to achieve the grades necessary to make a competitive

application to highly selective universities. They are also less likely to have developed the skills

valued by those universities, less likely to receive effective information, advice and guidance about

higher education and, as a result, sometimes lack the confidence and conviction that a highly

selective university is an appropriate choice for them.

School leavers are 20% more likely to progress to higher education today than in the mid-1990s1 but,

despite an overall increase in the number of young people from low income backgrounds studying at

university, the growth in the rate of progression amongst this group has lagged behind that of their

wealthier counterparts in recent years2.

Young people from low income backgrounds are acutely under-represented at the most selective

universities. 15% of secondary pupils in the UK are eligible for free school meals, but only 2% of the

student intake at the UK’s 25 most selective universities is made up of pupils previously in receipt of

free school meals3. In contrast, young people who attended private school make up 25.8% of the

intake, despite representing just 6.5% of all UK school pupils4.

The following figures illustrate the scale and the nature of the challenge:

Two thirds of pupils who are in receipt of free school meals and who are amongst the top

fifth of performers at age 11 are no longer in the top fifth by the time they reach GCSE, and

half do not progress to higher education5.

80% of young people from low participation neighbourhoods live in close proximity to a

highly selective university but only 1 in 25 will go on to attend such a university, compared

with 1 in 4 from the highest participation neighbourhoods6.

From 2007-2009, 18% of pupils from comprehensive schools secured places at highly

selective universities, compared with 48.2% of pupils from private schools7.

1 HEFCE, ‘Trends in young participation in higher education: core results for England’ (January, 2010)

2 Sutton Trust, ‘Sutton Trust Submission to Sir Martin Harris: Widening Access to Selective Universities’

(January, 2010) 3 Sutton Trust, ‘Responding to the new landscape in university access’ (December, 2010)

4 IFS, ‘What determines private school choice?’ (September, 2010)

5 Sutton Trust, ‘Sutton Trust Submission to Sir Martin Harris’

6 Ibid

7 Sutton Trust, ‘Degrees of Success: University Chances by Individual School’ (July, 2011)

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Pupils from state schools are as likely to attend leading universities as pupils from private

schools who achieve two grades lower in their A Levels8.

The challenge for pupils growing up in certain areas of the country is significantly greater than for

those growing up in others:

58.5% of pupils attending state schools in Hammersmith and Fulham (the best performing

local authority) went on to a highly selective university, compared with 3.6% in Knowsley

(the worst performing) and 4.4% in Tower Hamlets (the worst performing in London) 9.

11 of the 25 lowest performing local authorities are in London, each sending fewer than 11%

of pupils to highly selective universities10.

Applicants from poorer areas of London are only half as likely to go to a research-intensive

university as the average London applicant. In 2010, 22.5% of applicants across London as a

whole secured a place at a research-intensive university, whereas only 12.5% of applicants

from poorer areas in London were successful11.

1.2 Why is change necessary?

Change is needed, first and foremost, because the link between family background and access to the

most selective universities is unjust. It is also a major contributing factor to Britain’s low level of

social mobility compared with other developed countries. As Blanden et al summarise: “The strong

relationship between family income and educational attainment is at the heart of Britain’s low

mobility culture” 12.

Young people that progress to higher education have greater access to professional and high status

jobs, and gain the potential for significantly improved social mobility:

Entry-level positions in the majority of professions require a university degree, so the ability

to access many jobs is severely limited for non-graduates13.

It is estimated that graduates of any type of university earn an average of £600,000 more

over their career compared to those who enter the workforce at age 1814.

38% of all intergenerational social mobility can be attributed to observable educational

factors. Half of this effect can be explained by post-16 qualifications, with higher education

being the most significant determinant15.

8 Ibid

9 Ibid

10 Ibid

11 Evans, S. and Whitehead, R. ‘London’s Calling’ (November, 2011)

12 Blanden, J. et al, ‘Intergenerational Mobility in Europe and North America’ (April, 2005)

13 Ibid

14 Skandia, ‘The First Steps to Wealth’ (January, 2012)

15 Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ (July, 2009)

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There are additional benefits to individuals who attend highly selective universities:

Students at Russell Group universities enjoy “a clear cumulative added-value factor”,

including higher student satisfaction, completion rates and external rating of teaching16.

The estimated earnings premium for people attending a research intensive university

compared with another higher education institution is £103,000 over the course of a

working lifetime17.

Graduates of highly selective universities are more likely to enter prestigious and influential

professions including journalism, law, politics and medicine18.

Moreover, widening access to higher education, and the most selective universities in particular,

could bring significant benefits to wider society:

The UK lags behind other developed nations in terms of the number of young people

accessing higher education, reducing the country’s economic competitiveness19.

Once retirements are taken into account, 7 million new professionals will be needed in the

UK over the next decade20.

Weakening the link between background and achievement in the UK would contribute

between £56 billion and £140 billion to the value of the economy by 205021.

16

The Russell Group, ‘Learning in a Research Intensive University’ [Draft paper] 17

Sutton Trust, ‘The Mobility Manifesto’ (March, 2010) 18

The Russell Group, ‘Learning in a Research Intensive University’ 19

Ibid 20

Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ (July, 2009) 21

Ibid

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Section 2: Our Solution

2.1 Vision and Mission

2.2 How we plan to achieve our vision

2.3 What is unique about this?

2.4 The story so far

2.5 How we will know we are having an impact

2.6 Our focus for the next three years

2.1 Vision and Mission

Our vision is an education system in which young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are

proportionately represented at highly selective universities22.

Our mission is to widen access to highly selective universities by placing PhD students in schools

serving low participation communities to deliver university-style teaching to high performing pupils.

2.2 How we plan to achieve our vision

To overcome the barriers to securing a place at highly selective universities, young people from

disadvantaged backgrounds require comprehensive, long-term support. If traditional aspiration

raising activities such as taster days and trips are to have an effect, they must take place within the

context of a wider programme of support that is embedded in schools and consistently reinforced.

Ideally, this will begin at primary school and continue throughout secondary school, at all times

reinforcing the idea that whether or not pupils progress to a top university is in their own hands.

The Brilliant Club’s primary activity is to recruit, train and place PhD students to deliver programmes

of university-style tutorials to small groups of high performing pupils attending challenging schools.

This provides pupils with on-going support that has a core focus on developing skills and raising

attainment, and is designed to translate academic potential into places at the very best universities.

During the tutorials, PhD students use their passion and expertise to motivate and stretch the pupils,

helping them to develop critical thinking and communication skills, as well as building confidence.

Between tutorials, pupils are required to undertake challenging reading and writing assignments,

leading to the completion of an extended essay that takes pupils beyond the school curriculum.

22

The Brilliant Club takes ‘highly selective universities’ as meaning those universities in the ‘Sutton Trust 30’ list of the most selective universities in the UK. We talk in terms of ‘highly selective universities’ rather than ‘elite,’ ‘leading,’ or ‘research-intensive’ universities because the fact that disadvantaged young people are significantly under-represented where there is the widest talent pool to choose from brings into focus the issues around justice and efficiency. The ‘Sutton Trust 30’ universities are: Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Imperial College, King’s College (London), Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, LSE, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Royal Holloway London, Sheffield, Southampton, St. Andrews, Strathclyde, Surrey, UCL, Warwick, and York.

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As well as the opportunity to take part in tailored programmes at each Key Stage, The Brilliant Club

also provides a programme of age-appropriate information, advice and guidance that helps pupils to

make informed choices about university and offers them support with the UCAS application process.

We are committed to working closely with partner organisations that see value and potential in

what we do, and that are dedicated to helping us improve our programmes over the long-term.

We aim to build effective, lasting links between schools and universities, bringing them together

within a partnership structure that will help us to maximise our impact on student outcomes23.

As part of this collaborative approach, ‘Partner Schools’ embed our programmes as a cornerstone of

their provision for high performing students by committing to place at least one PhD student at each

Key Stage. They are paired up with ‘Partner Universities’ that commit to helping us recruit, train and

place their PhD students to deliver programmes in schools within their regional cluster. Further to

this, ‘Corporate Partners’ bring an additional impact by sponsoring regional clusters and supporting

the delivery of programmes within those clusters.

2.3 What is unique about this?

We are the only non-university organisation that systematically recruits, trains and places

PhD students to work in schools serving low participation communities.

Our programmes address all of the key barriers to higher education for disadvantaged young

people as identified by The Sutton Trust: Attainment, Aspirations, Advice and Applications.

Our programmes are targeted: we work exclusively with pupils who have demonstrated the

potential to secure a place at a highly selective university.

The tutorial learning environment, and the passion and expertise that PhD students bring

to it, ensure a core focus on raising attainment and developing academic skills.

Pupils participate in our programmes over the long-term, planting the idea from a young age

that whether or not they progress to a highly selective university is in their hands.

We connect schools and universities, building lasting links that are underpinned by excellent

teaching and learning, and by positive action to widen access to higher education.

23

See ‘Appendix 1: The Brilliant Club Partnership Structure’

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2.4 The story so far

The Brilliant Club was founded in March 2011 by Jonathan Sobczyk and Simon Coyle, both of whom

are Teach First ambassadors. Within six months we had completed pilot programmes with year 9

and year 11 pupils at London Academy, as well as with year 12 participants on the Higher Education

Access Programme for Schools (HEAPS). In each case we received excellent results and feedback:

over the course of the year 11 programme, the number of pupils working towards 5 A*-A grades

increased from 3/19 at the start to 12/19 at the end, with 15/19 going on to achieve at least 5 A*-As

in their GCSE results. In response to the statement ‘I would like to take part in The Brilliant Club

again’ we received average results of 10/10 (year 9), 9.5/10 (year 11) and 9.7/10 (year 12).

According to Carly Mitchell, Deputy Principal at London Academy:

“The Brilliant Club has helped develop in our pupils a thirst and a desire to graduate from top

universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. The project has acted as the beginning of their journey

to this success and has made our young people believe it is possible. There is a sense of pride and

raised self-esteem amongst them, which has correlated directly with their attainment at GCSE level.”

Following from the success of our pilots, we had have significant interest from many schools across

London, including some of the most innovative and outstanding schools in the country. For this

academic year we now have a total of 36 confirmed bookings for secondary school programmes,

bringing in expected revenues of over £60,000 by the end of August 2012. Indeed, having signed up

6 Partner Schools and 7 non-partner schools, we have now almost reached full capacity for our

secondary school programmes this year. In terms of primary provision, we are currently developing a

Key Stage 2 programme, and have 6 primary schools signed up to run a pilot in the summer term.

For a full list of schools see ‘Appendix 2: Confirmed Bookings 2011/12.’

So far we have recruited 16 PhD students for the spring term and the strong interest in working as a

Brilliant Club tutor is reflected in the fact that our initial recruitment efforts attracted 3 applications

for every place. This has allowed us to select the very best to work as tutors, and we are committed

to maintaining this high standard for the 30 other PhD students we expect to place by the end of

2011/12. To support this aim, we have put in place a rigorous assessment process that requires

candidates to demonstrate a high level of suitability and skills.

We have developed good relations with Widening Access departments at top London universities

including King’s College, London Imperial College and UCL, as well as with the ‘Rising Stars’

programme at Cambridge. In fact, we have recently reached an agreement with King’s College,

London to run an initial ‘Partner University’ scheme this year, as part of which they will support

programmes in our South London cluster, with a view to expanding its scope next year.

In November The Brilliant Club was named as winner of the Teach First Social Innovation Award,

with Jonathan and Simon having also recently been listed in the top ten young social entrepreneurs

in the UK by Striding Out and Ernst and Young. With an outstanding board of trustees taking shape,

we look forward to the challenges that lay ahead as we work to build a national movement that

mobilises PhD students to widen access to highly selective universities.

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2.5 How we will know that we are having an impact

As a result of the consultation process that informed this strategy document, we have selected the

following headline measures of performance and accompanying targets to judge our impact over the

next three years. We aim that by the end of 2013/14:

55% of year 13 pupils who have completed one of our Key Stage 5 programmes will secure a

place at a highly selective university.

65% of year 11 pupils who have completed one of our Key Stage 4 programmes achieve at

least 5 A – A* grades at GCSE.

65% of year 6 pupils who have completed one of our Key Stage 2 programmes achieve at

least level 5 in their English, maths and science SATS.

75% of all pupils who take part in a programme will produce an extended essay that is

judged to be of a standard that is above their current Key Stage.

Pupils who are eligible for free school meals will perform at least as well as pupils who are

not eligible across all performance measures.

As larger numbers of pupils reach year 13 having participated in programmes at all Key

Stages the number going on to study at a highly selective universities will rise.

A full outline of our performance measures can be found in ‘Appendix 3: Performance Measures,’

with each measure having accompanying targets for the years 2011/12 - 2013/14. Broadly speaking,

we are committed to a process of data-driven evaluation and we will favour quantitative analysis,

using qualitative data and case studies to further illustrate our impact where needed. Our measures

and targets have been agreed on the basis of input from a range of stakeholders, however, at this

early stage we are aware that we need to continue to receive input and carry out research in order

to ensure that our targets are both ambitious and realistic.

2.6 Our focus for the next three years

As we set out plans to achieve our vision, over the next three years our priorities will be to:

Build a stable organisation that is financially sustainable.

Continue to develop programmes at each Key Stage, evaluating them thoroughly in order to

ensure that we maximise our impact on student outcomes.

Create and maintain relationships with a total of 59 London schools that serve a high

percentage of pupils from low income backgrounds and are located in boroughs currently

sending the smallest proportion of their pupils to highly selective universities.

Create and maintain relationships with 4 Partner Universities that commit to helping us recruit,

train and place their PhD students to deliver programmes in schools within a regional cluster.

Develop effective recruitment channels across London universities, raising awareness amongst

PhD student communities about the organisation and the opportunity to work as a tutor.

Run pilot programmes that connect schools and universities in at least 2 other regions of the UK

and make preparations to expand our operations across the country.

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Section 3: How The Brilliant Club Works

3.1 Product development 3.2 Product range 3.3 Organisational status 3.4 Organisational structure

3.1 Product development

We employ qualified teachers to work closely with PhD students in order to develop programmes according to the following four key principles:

1. A core focus on academic development: Our tutorials develop critical thinking and

communication skills, as well as building confidence. Between tutorials pupils undertake

challenging reading and writing assignments, which lead to the completion of an extended

essay, developing effective research skills, academic writing skills and independent learning.

2. Targeted intervention: We work with schools to ensure that all pupils who take part in our

programmes have demonstrated the potential to secure a place at a highly selective

university and/or will gain significant benefit that would not otherwise have been available.

3. Early and sustained intervention: We begin working with pupils at a young age and continue

to support their academic development throughout their school careers, giving

opportunities for new pupils to join our programmes at each Key Stage.

4. Age-appropriate support: Our programmes combine academic development with

information, advice and guidance relevant to subject and university choices, along with a

variety of aspiration-raising activities including trips to highly selective universities.

3.2 Product range

Taken together, our range of programmes offers a progressive learning curve that stretches pupils

beyond the school curriculum and accelerates their academic development. However, they remain

effective as stand-alone interventions; each programme is tailored to meet the needs of pupils of a

particular age and provides a challenge that takes them above their current Key Stage.

Please see ‘Appendix 4: Examples of Brilliant Club Programmes’ for an overview of the format of our

Expert Learners programme and a Story of the World programme.

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Product: KS3 Story of The World

Programme Overview and

Academic Focus

The KS3 Story of the World programme is based around the History of the World in 100 Objects exhibition on permanent display at The British Museum (to which schools are encouraged to take the pupils on a trip) and the final outcome is that pupils work in groups of five to curate a model museum exhibition and present it in a Dragons’ Den. Afterwards, each pupil will work independently to complete a 1500 word extended essay. The Story of the World is designed to develop critical thinking, evaluation skills, presentation skills and teamwork. We provide resources and training so that teachers in our Partner Schools can deliver the project, which has a cross-curricular reach. The scheme of work is set up for interactive group learning and pupils are expected to work at a GCSE level, with a particular focus on the evaluation skills that are necessary to achieve the highest grades at GCSE.

Information, Advice and Guidance

• Introduction to the different types of university around the UK (e.g. city vs. campus, collegiate) • Introduction to different types of university courses (e.g. BA, BSc, PhD)

Aspiration

Raising Activities

• Trip to the British Museum (optional) • Dragons’ Den Grand Final, where winning groups from all schools are invited to compete against

each other in a London-wide event

Application

Support

• How do GCSE results fit into the UCAS application? • How important are GCSEs (choices and results) to universities?

Product: KS2 Expert Learners Programme

Programme Overview and

Academic Focus

The KS2 Expert Learners programme starts with a launch trip where pupils are introduced to their tutor and then take part in a carousel of learning activities. For the next four weeks the tutor spends one day a week in school, delivering back-to-back forty minute tutorials to groups of no more than four pupils. Tutors do provide scaffolding for pupils but at the same time expect them to take the initiative and rise to the challenge of producing a 1000 word extended essay. Our KS2 programme targets pupils in years 5 and 6 and focuses on the development of critical and higher order thinking, communication skills and independent learning. PhD students are carefully selected to deliver structured tutorials to small groups of high performing pupils, based around a subject that is broadly accessible but has the capacity to become progressively more complex.

Information, Advice and Guidance

• What is a university? • Why might you want to go to university? • What does the path to university look like? • How can teachers and/or parents help?

Aspiration Raising Activities

• Parental engagement: invited to celebration trip, advice on independent learning • Launch trip where pupils interact with high performing pupils from other schools • Celebration trip to university and/or other educational establishments (e.g. secondary school) • Pupils to design and deliver a final presentation or assembly to peers

Application Support

• What subjects can you study at university? • How do you get ‘into’ these subjects? (e.g. from Lego Engineering)

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Product: KS4 Expert Learners

Programme Overview and

Academic Focus

The format of our KS4 Expert Learners programme is the same as at KS3 but with one major change: tutors now deliver back-to-back seventy-five minute tutorials to groups of no more than six pupils. In terms of the programme of study, pupils are expected to work with increasing independence and sophistication, and this is reflected in the requirement that pupils now complete a 2000 word extended essay with an original argument, which will be marked according to A-Level criteria.

Information, Advice and Guidance

• Exploring in greater detail the different types of university and degree course available • Revision technique and exam technique

Aspiration

Raising Activities

• Parental engagement: advice on subject choices and exam success • Trips to a highly selective university, where pupils are given a tour of the campus, meet with outreach staff, take part in a learning activity and attend a graduation ceremony • London-wide KS4 ‘Academic Conference’ for outstanding performers • Opportunities with other organisations (e.g. Into University)

Application

Support

• How do A-Level results fit into the UCAS application? • How important are A-Levels (choices and results) to universities? • Pupils apply to take part in Brilliant Club programmes

Product: KS3 Expert Learners

Programme Overview and

Academic Focus

Our Expert Learners programmes emulate teaching and learning at highly selective universities. PhD students deliver university-style tutorials to small groups of high performing pupils, developing critical thinking and communication skills. Between the tutorials, pupils undertake reading and writing assignments that develop effective research skills and academic writing skills, and promote independent learning. The programme starts with a launch trip where pupils are introduced to their tutor and then take part in a carousel of learning activities. For the next four weeks the tutor spends one day a week in school, delivering back-to-back forty minute tutorials to groups of no more than four pupils. Building on the work that they do in tutorials, pupils work independently to produce a 1500 word extended essay with an original argument.

Information, Advice and Guidance

• Introduction to the different types of university around the UK (e.g. city vs. campus, collegiate) • Introduction to different types of university courses (e.g. BA, BSc, PhD) • What is a PhD student? How do they become a university lecturer?

Aspiration

Raising Activities

• Parental engagement: advice on independent learning and subject choices • Trips to a highly selective university, where pupils are given a tour of the campus, meet with outreach staff, take part in a learning activity and attend a graduation ceremony • London-wide KS3 ‘Academic Conference’ for outstanding performers

Application

Support

• How do GCSE results fit into the UCAS application? • How important are GCSEs (choices and results) to universities?

Page | 18

3.3 Organisational status

The Brilliant Club is in the final stages of registering as a Company Limited by Guarantee and is

currently consulting with lawyers to finalise our Articles of Association, which include the charitable

objects “to further the advancement of education” and “to widen access to highly selective

universities for high performing students in low participation communities.”

The Articles of Association also include clauses that forbid the distribution of profit amongst

members and the use of profit for any other purpose than furthering the organisation’s agreed

charitable objects. As a non-profit organisation acting to promote charitable aims we will promptly

complete our registration as a charity in England and Wales, exempting us from Corporation Tax.

Once charitable status has been granted, we will then complete our registration as a VAT exempt

supplier of education and training.

The founding document will create an ‘oligarchic’ organisational structure, according to which the

members (signatories of our Memorandum of Association) shall also be the trustees. As trustees,

they will delegate a range of powers to senior employees, who will run the company on a day-to-day

basis and be immediately accountable for its performance and proper running.

Product: KS5 Expert Learners

Programme Outline with

Academic Focus

The format of our KS5 Expert Learners programme is the same as at KS4. In terms of the programme of study, pupils are expected to work with increasing independence and sophistication, and this is reflected in the requirement that pupils now complete a 2500 word extended essay with an original argument, which will be marked according to 1

st year undergraduate level. As such, our KS5 Expert

Learners is intended to directly replicate teaching and learning at a highly selective university, and to provide pupils with authentic exposure to the university learning environment.

Information, Advice and Guidance

• Profiles of highly selective universities • Explanations of performance ratings including league tables • Advice on student finance • Advice on choosing the right degree for specific future careers

Aspiration

Raising Activities

• Parental engagement: advice on university choices and exam success • Trips to a highly selective university, where pupils are given a tour of the campus, meet with outreach staff, take part in a learning activity and attend a graduation ceremony • London-wide KS5 ‘Academic Conference’ for outstanding performers • Opportunities with other organisations (e.g. HEAPS, Sutton Trust Summer Schools)

Application

Support

• Detailed breakdown of UCAS application process • Support with writing UCAS statement • Pupils apply to take part in Brilliant Club programmes

Page | 19

3.4 Staffing requirements

The following table outlines the roles that we currently believe will need to be filled in order to

achieve our objectives over the next five years. Our staffing requirements have been calculated in

line with the number of programmes we are projected to run over the five year period. For further

information about how we intend to operate, please see 'Appendix 5: The Brilliant Club

Organisational Structure.’

Role Person Starting Responsibilities Accountable to

CEO Jonathan Sobczyk 2011/12

Overall company management, strategy and external relations. Including: strategic leadership, sales and marketing, managing relationships with stakeholders.

Board of trustees

COO Simon Coyle 2011/12

Strategy and managing internal operations. Including: strategic leadership, programme development, PhD development, placements, organisational operations.

Board of trustees

Primary Director

To be appointed 2012/13 Managing relationships with primary schools, programme development and delivery (including provision of additional services).

CEO

KS4/5 Director To be appointed 2012/13 Programme development and delivery (including provision of additional services), contributing to day-to-day affairs.

COO

KS3 Director To be appointed 2013/14 Programme development and delivery (including provision of additional services), contributing to day-to-day affairs.

COO

External Relations

Officer

To be appointed 2014/15 Fundraising, managing relationships with corporate partners and assisting the CEO with sales and marketing.

CEO

Operations Officer

To be appointed 2015/16 Overseeing accounts, payroll, legal affairs and facilities (with help from professionals). Overseeing general administration.

COO

Page | 20

Section 4: Financial Forecasts

4.1 Summary

4.2 Estimated funding need

4.3 Detailed financial analysis: Base scenario

4.1 Summary

It is a stated priority of The Brilliant Club to build a stable and financially sustainable organisation,

setting out a realistic path to sustainability over the next three to five years. In order to achieve this

we plan that revenue from trading will cover the organisation’s core costs, including staff costs,

within three to five years.

To ensure a focus on this objective, we do not include any external funding in these forecasts other

than contributions from universities, and here we still plan for a scenario where they contribute no

financial resources. To put it clearly, contributions from Corporate Partners or grants from funding

bodies are not included within this model, and although we will of course seek to bring in external

funding where possible, this will be used to expand provision rather than to cover core costs.

The following financial forecasts make a concerted effort to ensure that assumptions are based upon

clear evidence of demand, that costs and prices are informed by programmes we have already

delivered and that projections are at the conservative end of the spectrum.

Our base scenario shows the organisation breaking even by the end of year 3, at this point incurring

a maximum deficit carried forward of £75,955. In years 4 and 5 we generate annual surpluses of

£12,100 and £39,570 respectively, giving a cumulative deficit of £24,285 over the five year period.

Of course, we recognise that a realistic strategy must plan for contingencies, including in our case a

scenario where universities do not contribute any financial resources. Therefore, as well as the base

scenario, we have carried out a sensitivities analysis that incorporates two less favourable scenarios

(Alt v1 and Alt v2) and a best case scenario. The table on the next page summarises the headline

figures for each scenario, with the organisation breaking even within five years in all cases.

Page | 21

Case Break-even Maximum

deficit carried forward

Cumulative surplus/(deficit) over five years

Assumptions

Base Year 3 75,955 (24,285)

Standard university contributions: Set at £3000 per Partner School with a take up rate of 15% in year 1 rising to 45% in year 5.

Alt v1 Year 5 107,730 (101,910) 50% of standard university contributions

Alt v2 Year 5 95,679 (95,600)

0% of standard university contributions 3% increase in sales prices 2% decrease in tutor costs 2% decrease in staff costs

Best Year 2 47,467 79,385

Higher university contributions: Set at £3000 per Partner School with a take up rate of 25% in year 1 rising to 45% in year 5. 2% increase in sales prices 2% decrease in tutor costs 10% decrease in rent

4.2 Estimated funding need

We believe that the two critical factors in determining our estimated funding need are the maximum

deficit carried forward and the required level of working capital during times when we are in deficit.

The latter point is particularly important because the majority of our cashflow will come through

infrequent, large payments. As such, we forecast the need for a working capital budget equal to 20%

of the maximum deficit carried forward, which will be used to ensure that cashflow priorities such as

making payroll are consistently met.

The mean average maximum deficit carried forward across all scenarios is £81,708.

We forecast the need for an additional working capital budget of 20% of this figure (£16,342).

Overall, we estimate that our funding need will be £98,050 over the first five years.

Whenever we generate an annual surplus, as we are forecast to do from year 4 onwards in the base

scenario, as a first priority we will use it to ensure adequate reserves and working capital, and to

fund the expansion of our provision in line with our charitable aims once these are in place.

In terms of the expansion of our provision, our key targets are: 1) to expand to regions outside

London, 2) to develop new delivery models including summer schools, and 3) to offer subsidies to

schools and/or pupils with a particular need.

Page | 22

4.3 Detailed financial analysis: Base scenario

Cashflow summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income 81,750 267,500 410,200 553,000 695,900

Programme expenditure (37,750) (131,260) (198,010) (262,520) (324,970)

Operating surplus/(deficit) 44,000 136,240 212,190 290,480 370,930

Operations costs (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Net cashflow (35,605) (30,140) (10,210) 12,100 39,570

Income and Expenditure per programme Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Number of sales 22 50 76 100 122

Number of programmes 52 162 244 324 402

Per programme

Programme income 1,572 1,651 1,681 1,707 1,731

Programme expenditure 726 810 812 810 808

Operations costs 312 180 144 132 117

Staff costs 1,219 847 767 727 707

Sources of Funds - First 2 years

Sources of Funds - 5 years

Income Income

from Schools 333,500 95% from Schools 1,853,100 92%

from Universities 15,750 5% from Universities 155,250 8%

Total sources of funds 349,250 100% Total sources of funds 2,008,350 100%

Uses of Funds - First 2 years Uses of Funds - First 5 years

Programme costs Programme costs

Tutor wages 89,400 26% Tutor wages 509,400 25%

Tutor travel 10,100 3% Tutor travel 58,600 3%

CRB cost 10,100 3% CRB cost 58,600 3%

Tutor and student materials 17,710 5% Tutor and student materials 95,270 5%

Launch costs 13,080 4% Launch costs 74,100 4%

Graduation costs 13,080 4% Graduation costs 74,100 4%

School materials cost 14550 4% School materials cost 83450 4%

Fixed costs

Fixed costs

Operations 45,300 13% Operations 170,400 8%

Staff costs 200,685 58% Staff costs 907,725 45%

Surplus/(deficit) c/f (65,745) -19% Surplus/(deficit) c/f (24,285) -1%

Total uses of funds 348,260 100% Total uses of funds 2,007,360 100%

Page | 23

5 Year Cashflow Total Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Revenue

Schools

Expert Learners 252,525 16,125 34,400 51,600 68,800 81,600

TBA 118,575 9,375 15,600 25,600 31,200 36,800

Partner Schools 1,302,000 42,000 180,000 270,000 360,000 450,000

Primary 180,000 12,000 24,000 36,000 48,000 60,000

Universities

Partner Schools 155,250 2,250 13,500 27,000 45,000 67,500

Operating costs

Expert Learners (120,640) (8,180) (16,360) (24,540) (32,720) (38,840)

TBA (59,320) (5,000) (7,760) (12,760) (15,520) (18,280)

Partner Schools (689,500) (18,900) (95,800) (143,700) (191,600) (239,500)

Primary (85,050) (5,670) (11,340) (17,010) (22,680) (28,350)

Programme cashflow 1,053,840 44,000 136,240 212,190 290,480 370,930

Fixed costs

Operations (170,400) (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (907,725) (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Surplus/(deficit) (24,285) (35,605) (30,140) (10,210) 12,100 39,570

Cash b/f - (35,605) (65,745) (75,955) (63,855)

Cash c/f (35,605) (65,745) (75,955) (63,855) (24,285)

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

500

1 2 3 4 5

Programme cashflow Operations

Staff costs Surplus/(deficit)

-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income Programme expenditure

Operations costs Staff costs

Fig. 1: Cashflow Profile

(£000’s vs. Years)

Fig. 2: Income and Expenditure per programme (£ vs. Years)

Page | 24

Section 5: Schools and Pupils

5.1 Which schools will we target? 5.2 Projected number of schools we will work with 5.3 How we will help schools to select pupils 5.4 Projected number of pupils we will work with 5.5 How we will market The Brilliant Club to schools

5.1 Which schools will we target?

The Brilliant Club will target primary and secondary schools according to the following guidelines,

prioritising those who meet several criteria:

Schools and groups of schools in which there is full commitment from the Head Teacher(s)

and Senior Management Team(s) to increasing numbers of pupils who go on to study at

highly selective universities, and to creating long term partnerships with The Brilliant Club.

This is important for two reasons:

a. We believe that pupils need comprehensive, long-term support throughout their

school careers if they are to secure places at top universities.

b. A good ‘ethos match’ between the school and The Brilliant Club is required to allow

for the open feedback needed to constantly improve our programmes .

Schools which are located in one of the following 11 London boroughs, all of which are in the

bottom 25 Local Authorities nationally in terms of the proportion of state school pupils

progressing to highly selective universities24.

1. Tower Hamlets 7. Greenwich

2. Hackney 8. Southwark

3. Barking and Dagenham 9. Croydon

4. Newham 10. Westminster

5. Islington 11. Lambeth

6. Waltham Forest

Schools in which more than 20% of pupils are eligible or have ever been eligible for free

school meals25.

Secondary schools that are already sending a number of pupils to university and are looking

to overcome the ‘next barrier’ they face: helping pupils to secure places at highly selective

universities.

24

Degrees of Success, July 2011, Sutton Trust 25

The DfE classifies schools as having either low (<20%), medium (20%-35%) or high (>35%) rates of free school meals.

Page | 25

We believe that our programmes will have the greatest effect when they are embedded as a

cornerstone of a school’s provision for high-performing students. We incentivise schools to take this

approach by offering a price discount and additional services to Partner Schools, who commit to

placing at least one PhD student at each Key Stage. Although the students are the most important

beneficiaries of this continuity, it also enables schools and universities within the same regional

cluster to forge closer ties.

In order to benefit from ‘Partner’ status, schools must commit to the following:

For primary schools, placing at least one PhD student in years 5 and 6

For 11-16 secondary schools, placing at least one PhD student at Key Stages 3 and 4

For 11-18 secondary schools, placing at least one PhD student at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5

In addition to the criteria set out earlier, we will also prioritise schools where we are able to ensure

continuity and long-term support for pupils. In particular, this means:

Schools that either ‘feed’ or are ‘fed by’ existing Partner Schools

Schools with sixth-forms, in order to ensure that pupils who take part in The Brilliant Club

earlier in their school careers can receive support with their UCAS applications

To be clear about it, although we do see it as more beneficial to schools and students, it will not be a

requirement that a school signs up as a Partner School, and they will be able to book individual

programmes or combinations of programmes as they see fit.

5.2 Projected number of schools we will work with

By the end of 2015/16 we aim to be working with 97 schools across London. Built into these figure

are targets that approximately two thirds of the schools we work with will be signed up as Partner

Schools, and that we have a school retention rate of over 80%.

Academic year Schools

(primary/secondary) Partner Schools

(primary/secondary) Programmes

(primary/secondary)

2011/12

6/16 0/6 6/46

2012/13

8/38 4/20 12/150

2013/14

12/47 6/30 18/226

2014/15

16/64 8/40 24/300

2015/16

20/77 10/50 30/402

Page | 26

5.3 How we will help schools to select pupils

We believe that teachers are best placed to determine which of their pupils will benefit most from

taking part in our programmes, and recognise that this may vary considerably at each Key Stage.

Ideally, there would be a significant degree of continuity in pupils taking part in each school from

year-to-year, however, if teachers feel that pupils are not making the most of their opportunities

with The Brilliant Club, they are free to choose to not include those pupils in future programmes.

We provide the following questions to schools in order to guide them with pupil selection:

Is the pupil, or has the pupil ever been, eligible for free school meals?

o If so, could they be prioritised?

Does the pupil have a history of higher education in her/his family?

o If so, perhaps other pupils could benefit more from the experience?

Will the pupil have access to this kind of opportunity elsewhere?

o If so, perhaps other pupils could benefit more from the experience

Has the pupil demonstrated a track record in putting in the hard work necessary to gain full

benefit from being part of The Brilliant Club?

Is the pupil capable of securing the grades necessary to secure a place at a highly selective

university (at GCSE, AS and A Level)? They may not necessarily be on track to achieve the

grades currently but should at least show the potential to do so

Will the pupil benefit from taking part in university-style teaching and learning?

Will the pupil be motivated by the challenge of thinking for themselves?

Further to the above guidance, we also provide materials to help schools run a formal application

process for selection to The Brilliant Club. We encourage this because it ensures that pupils who

apply have shown an active interest in taking part and also that the programmes will not necessarily

be a ‘closed shop’ from year-to-year. We recommend that at Key Stage 5 this application process

mirrors the UCAS application process, giving pupils valuable experience and helping them to start

their university application with a high quality first draft already in place.

5.4 Projected number of pupils we will work with

We recommend to schools that the number of pupils on free school meals should be at least

proportionate to the number of pupils in the year group overall. We will monitor this carefully and

remind schools each year of our commitment to disadvantaged pupils.

We are already booked in to work with 630 secondary school pupils and 96 primary school pupils by

the end of 2011/12, meaning we are at 96% of the way towards meeting our target. Over the next

five years we aim to expand our provision significantly and have set a target to work with 15,048

pupils in low participation communities, including 3,016 who are eligible for free school meals.

The table on the next page shows a full breakdown of our targets.

Page | 27

5.5 How we will market The Brilliant Club to schools

There are approximately 3,000 secondary and 17,000 primary schools in England. Of these schools,

426 secondary schools and 1,896 primary schools are in London. 246 secondary and 1,001 primary

schools in London have over 20% of pupils eligible for free school meals26.

In order to meet the targets outlined in the above section we will:

Target influential schools, for example, those which are Teaching Schools or those where

Head Teachers are Local or National Leaders in Education. These schools will be in a strong

position to recommend The Brilliant Club to others in their communities.

Target groups of schools such as federations (including chains such as ARK, Haberdashers’

Aske’s and Harris, as well as soft federations like Challenge Partners) and local authorities as

a way of reaching multiple schools in an efficient way.

Promote The Brilliant Club through well-established networks that focus on addressing

educational disadvantage including Teach First, Teaching Leaders and Future Leaders.

Target schools that meet our criteria for deprivation and also have at least 60% of pupils

achieving 5 A*-C grades at GCSE in order to maximise our exposure to pupils who have

demonstrated the potential to access highly selective universities27.

26

www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/pressnotices/a0072297/parents-get-more-information-about-school-performance 27

We are currently awaiting a data set from the Department for Education which contains all schools that have high rates of free school meals and where over 60% of pupils achieve at least 5 GCSE grades A* to C.

Year KS2 KS2 FSM

KS3 KS3 FSM

KS4 KS4 FSM

KS5 KS5 FSM

Total Total FSM

2011/12

96 20 276 55 174 35 210 42 756 152

2012/13

192 39 624 125 612 123 612 123 2,040 410

2013/14

288 58 864 173 918 184 918 184 2,988 599

2014/15

384 77 1,248 250 1,224 245 1,224 245 4,080 817

2015/16

480 96 1,536 308 1,584 317 1,584 317 5,184 1,038

Total

1,440 290 4,548 911 4,512 904 4,548 911 15,048 3,016

Page | 28

Section 6: Universities and PhD Students

6.1 Our offer to universities 6.2 Which universities will we target? 6.3 How we will market The Brilliant Club to universities 6.4 Our offer to PhD students 6.5 Which PhD students will we target? 6.6 How we will market The Brilliant Club to PhD students

6.1 Our offer to universities

We aim to work with Partner Universities who formally commit to helping us recruit, train and place

their PhD students to deliver programmes in Partner Schools within a regional cluster, and although

forecasts show us becoming financially sustainable even with universities making zero contributions,

we believe that there is a strong case for them to provide funding and practical support through our

broader partnership structure.

Partner Universities will have sustained access to schools in low participation communities, and in

particular to high performing pupils with the potential to progress to a highly selective university.

As former teachers, we provide expertise in working with schools and pupils in these contexts, and

we help universities develop relationships based on an understanding of their needs and priorities.

Our programmes support the creation of effective channels of communication and recruitment,

through which universities can encourage and support applications from target pupils. In doing all of

the above, we help universities reach the targets they have set out in their Access Agreements28.

In order to become a Partner University, we ask universities to:

Contribute £3,000 to help us recruit, train and place 6 PhD students in each Partner School

within their regional cluster. Sharing the costs with schools gives universities an opportunity

to gain leverage for their funding, providing access to more target pupils than would be

possible in programmes funded by the university alone.

Help us promote the opportunity to PhD students at their university. As well as helping to

widen participation, The Brilliant Club also supports the professional development of

PhD students, including teaching skills, leadership and research dissemination skills.

Host our launch and celebration trips at their university, making necessary arrangements

with their facilities team and also providing outreach and academic staff to engage with the

pupils as part of the programme of events.

Join a working group to monitor, evaluate and suggest improvements to our programmes

and to our partnership structure.

28

Our programmes are in line with guidance given to the Director of Office of Fair Access that promotes collaboration between universities and the creation of partnerships with schools. See: Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, ‘Guidance to the Director of Fair Access’ (February, 2011).

Page | 29

6.2 Which universities will we target?

We will aim to create strong partnerships with universities that meet the following criteria:

Those that feature in the ‘Sutton Trust 30’ list of the most selective universities, particularly

the Russell Group of universities, who account for 56% of all PhD students in the UK29.

Those that are based in and around London in order that PhD students can travel to schools

with relative ease and at low cost

The following nine universities meet these criteria:

1. Imperial College, London 6. Royal Holloway, London

2. King’s College, London 7. University of Cambridge

3. London School of Economics 8. University of Oxford

4. University College, London 9. University of Surrey

5. School of Oriental African Studies

Given the location of the universities that meet our criteria, the system of regional clusters could be

arranged as follows:

North London University College, London

East London University of Cambridge

South London King’s College, London

West London University of Oxford

We have recently reached an agreement with King’s College to run an initial Partner University

scheme this year, as part of which they will support programmes in our South London cluster, with a

view to expanding its scope next year. We have also opened discussions with the ‘Rising Stars’

postgraduate programme at the University of Cambridge about becoming our East London Partner

University, which we hope will result in a similar pilot scheme. By running these schemes with

leading universities, we hope to provide a clear direction for the expansion of the partnership

structure over the next five years.

Whilst we build these relationships with Partner Universities, PhD students from the universities that

meet our criteria will be recruited and placed across London as demand from schools requires.

Indeed, even when our partnership structure has been finalised, we still intend to recruit and place

PhD students from other universities in non-partner schools.

29

House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, ‘Memorandum submitted by The Russell Group: FC 67’ (February, 2010)

Page | 30

6.3 How we will market The Brilliant Club to universities

Our strategy for creating partnerships with target universities will be to:

Work closely with Widening Participation teams at each university in order to understand

their aims and priorities in terms of widening participation and community engagement.

We will use this understanding to develop partnership proposals that meet the aims of both

The Brilliant Club and the individual universities.

Work closely with Researcher Development teams at each university to understand how we

can develop the teaching, leadership and research dissemination skills of their PhD students.

Build relationships with groups of universities, including the Russell Group and the 1994

Group, enabling us to share the impact of The Brilliant Club and to understand how we can

best expand our provision to additional universities.

Build a strong relationship with the Office for Fair Access and gain their approval of The

Brilliant Club as a suitable programme on which universities can spend additional fee income

in order to meet the requirements of their Access Agreements.

For collegiate universities (including Oxford and Cambridge), work with individual colleges as

well as the university-level departments.

6.4 Our Offer to PhD Students

We provide an opportunity for community engagement that has a real impact on the lives of young

people and that uses and develops the skills of PhD students specifically, rather than the majority of

other schemes which are primarily targeted at undergraduates.

Unlike most other schemes, we pay PhD students a competitive daily rate plus expenses. We do this

not only because we believe that they deserve it for the good work they do, but also in order to

ensure a professional service for the school and a professional experience for the PhD student.

When placing PhD students to work as Brilliant Club tutors, we commit to:

Paying them up to £600 per programme (depending on the number of groups) and a

maximum of £50 travel expenses.

Providing a programme of teacher training and an opportunity to gain practical experience

in the classroom, both of which are often limited whilst studying for a PhD but then required

for the vast majority of post-doctoral appointments.

Helping them to develop programmes of study, a skill that will be highly valued if they

continue to pursue careers in academia.

Placing them within a school that is supportive of The Brilliant Club and dedicated to

widening access to highly selective universities.

Providing a programme of on-going support from qualified teachers.

Giving them the opportunity to share their experiences of community engagement with the

postgraduate community.

Page | 31

6.5 Which PhD students will we target?

There are approximately 50,000 PhD students in the UK, the majority of whom are studying at highly

selective universities, providing a large talent pool from which to recruit30. Indeed, if we are able to

place just 1% of all PhD students in the UK to deliver Brilliant Club programmes each year then we

will have a direct impact on 6,000 pupils from low participation communities.

The selection criteria we use for recruiting PhD students are as follows:

Passionate advocates for their subject and for education more broadly, especially in terms of

fair access to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Inquisitive and interactive communicators who can share their ideas and knowledge in a way

that is accessible to pupils.

Conscientious workers who have demonstrated the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate high

quality sessions in a formal context.

Reflective practitioners who are able to adapt and improve their performance as a result of

feedback and their own target setting.

Effective collaborators who are keen to work with pupils, teachers and The Brilliant Club to

improve our programmes for the benefit of pupils.

Further to this, we will also prioritise PhD students with skills and experiences that are likely to make

them particularly effective as Brilliant Club tutorial leaders. This includes PhD students who:

Come from, or otherwise have experience of, low participation communities

Have previous experience of teaching, especially within the university context

6.6 How we will market The Brilliant Club to PhD students

In order to meet our targets for PhD recruitment we will work to:

Develop strong relationships with our Partner Universities, from which we aim to recruit

approximately 75% of our PhD students.

In particular, focus these efforts on departments that can help us communicate effectively

with PhD students, prioritising the Widening Participation and Researcher Development

departments at each university.

Develop relationships with groups within universities that are predominantly made up of

PhD students, including Research Societies and Middle Common Rooms.

Work hard to ensure an excellent experience for our tutors in order to maximise retention

rates (keeping costs lower) and ensure that a positive message is spread amongst the

postgraduate community.

30

http://www.postgrad.com/editorial/uk_pg_students/

Page | 32

Corporate partnerships

7.1 Our offer to corporates 7.2 Which corporates will we target? 7.3 How we will market The Brilliant Club to corporates

7.1 Our offer to corporates

We believe that working effectively with Partner Schools and Partner Universities will be the critical

factor if The Brilliant Club is to become financially sustainable within three to five years. Whilst we

plan that revenue from trading will cover the organisation’s core costs over the long-term, this does

not mean that we will not capitalise on the mutually beneficial offer we feel that we can make to

corporate firms. So, beyond our immediate priorities, we intend that our relationships with schools

and universities will be augmented by Corporate Partners, who will commit to sponsoring regional

clusters and supporting the delivery of our programmes through practical and financial means.

A significant number of firms choose to focus some of their corporate social responsibility activities

within education, often targeting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds specifically. For example,

in 2009 KPMG became founding sponsors of The City Academy, Hackney, which last year received an

‘Outstanding’ rating by OFSTED. More than just community engagement, however, many firms are

actively recruiting from low participation communities and schemes like Lloyd’s Scholars are now

becoming more widespread31.

Communities with low rates of participation in higher education also tend to have low rates of

participation in high status and professional jobs. Working with The Brilliant Club will support

Corporate Partners in their efforts to bring a positive impact to these low participation communities.

Through engagement opportunities for their existing staff, as well as sponsorship of our regional

clusters, we will offer Corporate Partners a platform to build awareness of their business activities,

including the types of careers that are available with the firm and how they recruit for them.

In order to become a Corporate Partner, we ask firms to:

Contribute £10,000 to sponsor a regional cluster, thereby supporting the delivery of our

programmes in a number of Partner Schools. Sponsoring a cluster gives firms the

opportunity to gain leverage for their funding, providing access to a broader number of

people than would be possible in programmes funded by the firm alone.

Help us promote engagement opportunities to their existing staff. As well as helping to bring

a positive impact to low participation communities, The Brilliant Club also supports firms

who want to provide meaningful volunteering experiences for their staff which support the

development of both pupil and employee.

31

For more information see http://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/community/lloyds_scholars.asp

Page | 33

Host events such as our Dragons’ Den Grand Final at their corporate facilities, making

necessary arrangements with their facilities team and also providing staff with experience of

recruitment processes to engage with the pupils as part of the programme of events.

Join a working group to monitor, evaluate and suggest improvements to our programmes

and to our partnership structure.

7.2 Which corporate firms will we target?

We will target corporate firms who meet the following criteria:

A good ‘ethos match’ with The Brilliant Club. Promotional literature notwithstanding, we will

prioritise firms who are committed to increasing opportunities to young people from low

participation backgrounds, for example, firms who may have been particularly pro-active in

recruiting from low participation communities.

A strong track record in delivering outstanding corporate social responsibility activities,

particularly within education.

In the first instance, we will prioritise those firms that we already have an existing relationship with.

For example, after being listed in the top ten young social entrepreneurs in the country by Striding

Out and Ernst and Young, we have been invited to join the Ernst and Young ‘Accelerate’ programme,

and have received extensive feedback on our strategy from their CSR department, with further

meetings scheduled. We have also recently become members of PwC’s ‘Social Enterprise Club’ and

will pursue this relationship further over the coming year.

7.3 How we will market The Brilliant Club to corporates

In order to attract corporate firms we will pursue the following strategy:

Make initial contact with firms through CSR departments who, as well as supporting us

through their own budgets, can act as a gateway to other departments who could also

benefit from working with The Brilliant Club.

Highlight the immediate benefits to firms in terms of the social impact that they can bring to

low participation communities by working with The Brilliant Club and the opportunity to

provide meaningful volunteering opportunities for their staff.

Highlight the longer-term benefit in terms of building awareness of their business activities,

including the type of careers that are available with the firm and how they recruit for them.

Page | 34

Section 8: Opportunities and risks

8.1 Opportunities and how we will take advantage of them 8.2 Potential risks and how we will mitigate against them 8.3 Programmes with similar aims

8.1 Opportunities and how we will take advantage of them

We strongly believe that The Brilliant Club presents an attractive offer to schools, universities and

PhD students, offering an innovative solution that addresses a range of challenges that they share.

There have been a number of trends and policy changes over the past few years, at both school and

university levels, that give further support to this idea and suggest that now is a particularly good

time for The Brilliant Club to launch.

Opportunity

How we will take advantage of it

The Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium was introduced in 2010 in order to address “the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals and their wealthier peers by ensuring that funding to tackle disadvantage reaches the pupils who need it most.

32” The value of the premium to schools currently

stands at £488 per pupil who is in receipt of free school meals and will increase to £600 in 2012/13. Along with this additional funding will come increased scrutiny of the support that schools provide for pupils in receipt of free school meals. The Brilliant Club is well placed to support schools in meeting their commitments to high performing students in receipt of free school Meals, and we will draw their attention to comments from Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, who stated that: “The pupil premium was introduced to ensure that targeted programmes like The Brilliant Club are made available to the pupils who deserve them most.”

From 2012/13, higher level tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year are being introduced.

Universities will only be able to charge students fees above £6,000 per year if the Office for Fair Access agrees to their Access Agreements, which must set targets for widening participation and commit a certain percentage of additional funding from higher level tuition fees to support this aim. The vast majority of highly selective universities will be charging higher level fees as standard, and the corresponding increase in investment in widening participation represents a significant opportunity for The Brilliant Club to help universities meet the targets that they have set out in their Access Agreements. For further information see ‘Appendix 7b: Programmes and Access Agreement Targets of Brilliant Club Target Universities.’ In order to maximise this opportunity, we have arranged a meeting with the Office for Fair Access to gain their approval of The Brilliant Club as a suitable programme on which universities can spend additional fee income.

32

www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/premium/a0076063/pupil-premium-what-you-need-to-know

Page | 35

Aim Higher, a national programme that existed to “encourage progression to higher education,” was formally closed in July 2011.

This programme, which was jointly funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), was a pillar of the work that many schools undertook to encourage applications to university. Its closure leaves a need for effective outreach programmes, including the provision of information, advice and guidance, that The Brilliant Club is well situated to meet. Through our relationships with universities, we aim to help support them in developing and delivering their own programmes. For example, we are currently in discussions with the Russell Group about co-creating a scheme of work targeted at Key Stage 4 students.

Growing numbers of schools in disadvantaged areas are achieving good results in national exams.

The overall number of pupils in receipt of free school meals who achieve 5A*-C grades at GCSE (including English and Maths) is 27.6 percentage points lower than non-free school meals pupils

33. However, there are increasing numbers of

schools in deprived communities that send relatively high numbers of pupils to university and for whom it has become a priority to overcome the ‘next barrier’ and begin sending higher numbers of pupils to highly selective universities.

34

As this trend increases, there is a significant opportunity for The Brilliant Club to work with these schools and support them in their efforts to develop in their high performing students the grades, skills and confidence that are required to access to highly selective universities.

An increasing number of schools are converting to Academy status and the number of services provided by Local Authorities is decreasing.

There are now over 1500 academies in England, and they have greater control over budgets than Local Authority schools. With the growth of the academies movement, the number of services provided by Local Authorities is decreasing, and only two London boroughs now have central Gifted and Talented provision. In the academic year 2009/10 UK secondary schools in London spent an average of £83,159 each on ‘bought in curriculum services.’

35 With the number of

academies and the value of the Pupil Premium both continuing to rise, this type of expenditure is likely to be increasingly targeted at pupils from low income backgrounds. In the broader context of budget cuts, we do not necessarily think that overall levels of spending on ‘bought in curriculum services will increase, but given the above we can reasonably assume that targeted spending on pupils from low income backgrounds is likely to be relatively insulated from said budget cuts.

33

www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/premium/a0076063/pupil-premium-what-you-need-to-know 34

Evans, S. and Whitehead, R. ‘London’s Calling’ 35

www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/pressnotices/a0072297/parents-get-more-information-about-school-performance

Page | 36

8.2 Potential risks and how we will mitigate against them

Potential Risk

How we will mitigate against it

Our PhD students do not routinely deliver excellent teaching and learning

The success of The Brilliant Club will rely on our ability to recruit high quality PhD students and ensure that they deliver excellent teaching and learning. To achieve this we have put three key processes in place, each of which being specifically designed to meet the differing needs of our primary school tutors and secondary school tutors.

1. A rigorous selection process consisting of:

An informal meeting with prospective PhD students prior to the application in order to ensure they fully understand the aims and values of The Brilliant Club

A written application including a specifically designed application form and CV

An assessment centre during which the candidates are interviewed one-on-one, take part in a group exercise and plan and deliver a mini-lesson to qualified teachers

2. A tailored training programme for all tutors consisting of:

An introduction to the context of the English education system, with particular reference to schools in low participation communities and widening access to highly selective universities

A recap of The Brilliant Club’s aims and values

An introduction to essential learning theory and effective pedagogy for tutorials

Briefing in professional codes of practice

3. A programme of support from qualified teachers consisting of:

A formal observation with feedback from a Brilliant Club Programme Director

A formal observation with feedback from a teacher in the placement school

General support from The Brilliant Club, with a Programme Director always available by phone or email

An intervention strategy where subject specialists offer additional support with the delivery of tutorials

The cost of the programme is too high for schools

In order for us to become financially sustainable, our operational model relies on schools paying for our programmes. To ensure that our programmes are priced at a feasible level for schools we have consulted with Head Teachers and set our prices at a level that they deemed appropriate. In addition, to increase the likelihood of sales we will:

Encourage schools to become Partner School and embed The Brilliant Club as a cornerstone of their provision for high performing pupils. This reduces the risk of schools seeing it as a one-off programme that can be ‘dropped’ and brings increased stability to the organisation.

Work directly with Head Teachers and Senior Managers when introducing The Brilliant Club to schools. This enables greater flexibility when allocating funding for the programme as opposed to, say, working with a Gifted and Talented Coordinator who is likely to have a very limited budget

Page | 37

Contributions from universities do not meet our targets

Although we believe that The Brilliant Club presents an attractive offer to universities, and we expect that we will be able to recruit Partner Universities, we recognise that it is necessary to prepare for scenarios where contributions from universities do not meet our targets

36.

If universities contribute 75% of our target, we will become fully sustainable by 2014/15.

If universities contribute 50% of our target, we will become fully sustainable by 2015/16.

If universities contribute 25% of our target, we will become fully sustainable by 2015/16.

If universities do not contribute any financial resources at all, we will still become fully sustainable by 2015/16.

We are unable to differentiate ourselves from other widening access programmes

With the number of other organisations operating in this space set to increase, The Brilliant Club will need to both differentiate itself and provide a compelling account of its impact on pupil outcomes if it is to take full advantage of the opportunities outlined above. There is a range of organisations and programmes that aim to widen access to universities, and they can be divided into two main categories:

Programmes that are run by particular universities (usually by Widening Participation departments)

Programmes that are run by individual organisations with a specific mission to widen access

Wherever possible, The Brilliant Club will work in collaboration with similar organisations and programmes – for example, by recommending summer schools and mentoring schemes to pupils involved with The Brilliant Club. Indeed, we ran one of our pilot programmes as part of a HEAPS summer school, and plan to run the same programme again this year with more pupils. The next section highlights the unique features of The Brilliant Club and how it compares with other programmes with similar aims.

36

These scenarios are covered in the sensitivities analysis in our financial forecast, please refer to ‘Appendix 6: Financial Forecasts.’

Page | 38

8.3 Programmes with similar aims

The following table summarises a range of features that can be found across programmes with

similar aims and highlights the fact that The Brilliant Club represents an innovative and wide ranging

offer to schools, universities and PhD students. For a detailed description of programmes with

similar aims, please see ‘Appendix 7: Programmes with Similar Aims to The Brilliant Club.’

Ph

Ds

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de

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s

The Brilliant Club

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

HEAPS

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Into University

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Social Mobility Foundation

✓ ✓ ✓

The Access Project

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Realising Opportunities

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Pure Potential

✓ ✓ ✓

Sutton Trust Summer Schools

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Page | 39

Appendices

Appendix 1: The Brilliant Club Partnership Structure

Re

gio

nal

Clu

ste

r A

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g. H

arri

s Fe

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n

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al C

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+ working group feedback

+ working group feedback

+ working group feedback

+ working group feedback

Page | 40

Appendix 2: Confirmed Bookings 2011/12

Primary Schools Borough Partner School

Stewart Fleming School

Warren Road Primary School

Berrymede Junior School

Blair Peach Primary School

Hawksmoor Primary School

Wybourne Primary School

Bromley

Bromley

Ealing

Greenwich

Greenwich

Greenwich

Secondary schools Borough Partner School

London Academy

Bexley Business Academy

Parliament Hill School

The Harris Federation

Harris Academy, Purley

Burlington Danes Academy

Chiswick Community School

Feltham Community College

Gumley House Convent School

Lampton School

Lilian Baylis Technology School

The Norwood School

The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation

Sedgehill School

Southwark LEA

Bethnal Green Technology College

Barnet

Bexley

Camden

Croydon

Croydon

Hammersmith/Fulham

Hounslow

Hounslow

Hounslow

Hounslow

Lambeth

Lambeth

Lewisham

Lewisham

Southwark

Tower Hamlets

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Page | 41

Appendix 3: Performance Measures No. of pupils who have participated in our programmes who secure places at a highly selective universities

Year

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed at least one TBC programme at any Key Stage securing places at selective universities

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed a TBC programme at Key Stage 5 securing places at selective universities

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed TBC programmes at 3 Key Stages securing places at selective universities

2011/12 N/A N/A N/A

2012/13 50% 50% N/A

2013/14 50% 55% N/A

No. of pupils receiving, or ever eligible for, free school meals who have participated in our programmes and who secure places at a highly selective universities

Year

Target % of year 13 FSM pupils who have completed at least one TBC programme at any Key Stage securing places at selective universities

Target % of year 13 FSM pupils who have completed a TBC programme at Key Stage 5 securing places at selective universities

Target % of year 13 FSM pupils who have completed TBC programmes at 3 Key Stages securing places at selective universities

2011/12 N/A N/A N/A

2012/13 50% 50% N/A

2013/14 50% 55% N/A

No. of pupils who have participated in our programmes who apply to at least one highly selective university

Year

Target % year 13 pupils who have completed at least one TBC programme at any Key Stage who apply to at least one selective university

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed a TBC programme at Key Stage 5 who apply to at least one selective university

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed TBC programmes at 3 Key Stages who apply to at least one selective university

2011/12 N/A N/A N/A

2012/13 75% 75% N/A

2013/14 75% 80% N/A

No. of pupils who have participated in our programmes who achieve at least 320 UCAS points at A2

Year

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed at least one TBC programme at any Key Stage who achieve at least 320 UCAS points

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed a TBC programme at Key Stage 5 who achieve at least 320 UCAS points

Target % of year 13 pupils who have completed TBC programmes at 3 Key Stages who achieve at least 320 UCAS points

2011/12 N/A N/A N/A

2012/13 70% 70% N/A

2013/14 70% 70% N/A

No. of pupils who have participated in our programmes who achieve at least 5 A-A* grades at GCSE

Year

Target % of year 11 pupils who have completed at least one programme at any Key Stage who achieve at least 5 A-A* grades at GCSE

Target % of year 11 pupils who have completed a TBC programme at Key Stage 4 who achieve at least 5 A-A* grades at GCSE

Target % of year 11 pupils who have completed TBC programmes at 3 Key Stages who achieve at least 5 A-A* grades at GCSE

2011/12 60% 60% N/A

2012/13 60% 62.5% N/A

2013/14 60% 65% N/A

No. of pupils who gain at least level 5 in English, maths and science SATS at age 11

Year

Target % of year 6 pupils in TBC achieving at least Level 5 in English, maths and science SATS

Target % of year 6 FSM pupils in TBC achieving at least Level 5 in English, maths and science SATS

2011/12 60% 60%

2012/13 62.5% 62.5%

2013/14 65% 65%

No. of pupils achieving above their current Key Stage based on their extended essay

Year Key Stage 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Key Stage 5

2011/12 75% 75% 75% 75%

2012/13 75% 75% 75% 75%

2013/14 75% 75% 75% 75%

% of pupils who report increased motivation as a result of participating in The Brilliant Club

Year

Target % Key Stage 2 pupils reporting increased motivation

Target % Key Stage 3 reporting increased motivation

Target % Key Stage 4 reporting increased motivation

Target % Key Stage 5 reporting increased motivation

2011/12 80% 80% 80% 80%

2012/13 82.5% 82.5% 82.5% 82.5%

2013/14 85% 85% 85% 85%

Page | 42

Appendix 4: Examples of Brilliant Club Programmes

Expert Learners

Programme overview

The Story of the World

Programme overview

Page | 43

Appendix 5: The Brilliant Club Organisational Structure

CEO

(J

MS)

C

SO

(JM

S/SC

) C

OO

(S

C)

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rnal

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Page | 44

Appendix 6a: Financial Forecast, Alternative Version 1

Case Break-even Maximum

deficit carried forward

Cumulative surplus/(deficit) over five years

Assumptions

Alt v1 Year 5 107,730 (101,910) 50% of standard university contributions

Cashflow summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income 80,625 260,750 396,700 530,500 662,150

Programme expenditure (37,750) (131,260) (198,010) (262,520) (324,970)

Operating surplus/(deficit) 42,875 129,490 198,690 267,980 337,180

Operations costs (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Net cashflow (36,730) (36,890) (23,710) (10,400) 5,820

Income and Expenditure per programme Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Number of sales 22 50 76 100 122

Number of programmes 52 162 244 324 402

Per programme

Programme income 1,550 1,610 1,626 1,637 1,647

Programme expenditure 726 810 812 810 808

Operations costs 312 180 144 132 117

Staff costs 1,219 847 767 727 707

5 Year Cashflow Total Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Revenue

Schools

Expert Learners 252,525 16,125 34,400 51,600 51,600 81,600

TBA 118,575 9,375 15,600 25,600 25,600 36,800

Partner Schools 1,302,000 42,000 180,000 270,000 270,000 450,000

Primary 180,000 12,000 24,000 36,000 36,000 60,000

Universities

Partner Schools 77,625 1,125 6,750 13,500 13,500 33,750

Operating costs

Expert Learners (120,640) (8,180) (16,360) (24,540) (24,540) (38,840)

TBA (59,320) (5,000) (7,760) (12,760) (12,760) (18,280)

Partner Schools (689,500) (18,900) (95,800) (143,700) (143,700) (239,500)

Primary (85,050) (5,670) (11,340) (17,010) (17,010) (28,350)

Programme cashflow 976,215 42,875 129,490 198,690 198,690 337,180

Fixed costs

Operations (170,400) (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (35,200) (47,200)

Staff costs (907,725) (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (187,200) (284,160)

Surplus/(deficit) (101,910) (36,730) (36,890) (23,710) (23,710) 5,820

Cash b/f - (36,730) (73,620) (73,620) (107,730)

Cash c/f (36,730) (73,620) (97,330) (97,330) (101,910)

Page | 45

Appendix 6b: Financial Forecasts, Alternative Version 2

Case Break-even Maximum

deficit carried forward

Cumulative surplus/(deficit) over five years

Assumptions

Alt v2 Year 5 95,679 (95,600)

0% of standard university contributions 3% increase in sales prices 2% decrease in tutor costs, 2% decrease in staff costs

Cashflow summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income 81,885 261,620 394,696 523,240 647,252

Programme expenditure (37,366) (129,856) (195,892) (259,712) (321,496)

Operating surplus/(deficit) 44,519 131,764 198,804 263,528 325,756

Operations costs (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (62,137) (134,534) (183,456) (230,966) (278,477)

Net cashflow (33,818) (31,870) (19,852) (10,138) 79

Income and Expenditure per programme Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Number of sales 22 50 76 100 122

Number of programmes 52 162 244 324 402

Per programme

Programme income 1,575 1,615 1,618 1,615 1,610

Programme expenditure 719 802 803 802 800

Operations costs 312 180 144 132 117

Staff costs 1,195 830 752 713 693

5 Year Cashflow Total Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Revenue

Schools

Expert Learners 260,101 16,609 35,432 53,148 70,864 84,048

TBA 122,132 9,656 16,068 26,368 32,136 37,904

Partner Schools 1,341,060 43,260 185,400 278,100 370,800 463,500

Primary 185,400 12,360 24,720 37,080 49,440 61,800

Universities

Partner Schools - - - - - -

Operating costs

Expert Learners (119,224) (8,084) (16,168) (24,252) (32,336) (38,384)

TBA (58,678) (4,946) (7,676) (12,622) (15,352) (18,082)

Partner Schools (682,180) (18,720) (94,780) (142,170) (189,560) (236,950)

Primary (84,240) (5,616) (11,232) (16,848) (22,464) (28,080)

Programme cashflow 964,371 44,519 131,764 198,804 263,528 325,756

Fixed costs

Operations (170,400) (16,200) (29,100) (35,200) (42,700) (47,200)

Staff costs (889,571) (62,137) (134,534) (183,456) (230,966) (278,477)

Surplus/(deficit) (95,600) (33,818) (31,870) (19,852) (10,138) 79

Cash b/f - (33,818) (65,689) (85,541) (95,679)

Cash c/f (33,818) (65,689) (85,541) (95,679) (95,600)

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Appendix 6c: Financial Forecasts, Best Case

Cashflow summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Programme income 84,840 278,580 426,864 575,160 723,468

Programme expenditure (36,966) (128,236) (193,452) (256,472) (317,476)

Operating surplus/(deficit) 47,874 150,344 233,412 318,688 405,992

Operations costs (16,200) (28,800) (34,900) (42,400) (46,900)

Staff costs (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Net cashflow (31,731) (15,736) 11,312 40,608 74,932

Income and Expenditure per programme Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Number of sales 22 50 76 100 122

Number of programmes 52 162 244 324 402

Per programme

Programme income 1,632 1,720 1,749 1,775 1,800

Programme expenditure 711 792 793 792 790

Operations costs 312 178 143 131 117

Staff costs 1,219 847 767 727 707

Case Break-even Maximum

deficit carried forward

Cumulative surplus/(deficit) over five years

Assumptions

Best Year 2 47,467 79,385

Higher university contributions: Set at £3000 per Partner School with a take up rate of 25% in year 1 rising to 45% in year 5. 2% increase in sales prices 2% decrease in tutor costs, 10% decrease in rent

5 Year Cashflow Total Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Revenue

Schools

Expert Learners 257,576 16,448 35,088 52,632 70,176 83,232

TBA 120,947 9,563 15,912 26,112 31,824 37,536

Partner Schools 1,328,040 42,840 183,600 275,400 367,200 459,000

Primary 183,600 12,240 24,480 36,720 48,960 61,200

Universities

Partner Schools 198,750 3,750 19,500 36,000 57,000 82,500

Operating costs

Expert Learners (117,744) (7,984) (15,968) (23,952) (31,936) (37,904)

TBA (57,918) (4,886) (7,576) (12,462) (15,152) (17,842)

Partner Schools (673,600) (18,540) (93,580) (140,370) (187,160) (233,950)

Primary (83,340) (5,556) (11,112) (16,668) (22,224) (27,780)

Programme cashflow 1,156,310 47,874 150,344 233,412 318,688 405,992

Fixed costs

Operations (169,200) (16,200) (28,800) (34,900) (42,400) (46,900)

Staff costs (907,725) (63,405) (137,280) (187,200) (235,680) (284,160)

Surplus/(deficit) 79,385 (31,731) (15,736) 11,312 40,608 74,932

Cash b/f - (31,731) (47,467) (36,155) 4,453

Cash c/f (31,731) (47,467) (36,155) 4,453 79,385

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Appendix 7: Programmes with Similar Aims to The Brilliant Club

a) Individual Organisations:

Programme Aim Method Target pupils Impact

Higher Education Access Programme for Schools

To support and inspire increasing numbers of pupils to be more ambitious, informed and successful in their post-18 choices we match chosen pupils with a mentor to support them throughout sixth form.

Mentoring and a calendar of interventions to provide focus for the mentoring sessions in the form of: university trips (including Oxford, Southampton and Warwick), a residential visit to Cambridge and a suite of academic enrichment activities during the summer.

Those with proven academic ability and who come from groups who are under-represented in universities, including those with no parental experience of university and those who have claimed free school meals.

72% of last year’s group went on to higher education institutions, with 61% attending their first choice and four students receiving offers from Oxford and Cambridge.

Into University

To provide a national network of high quality, local learning centres where young people are inspired to achieve. At each local centre IntoUniversity will offer an innovative programme that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain either a university place or another chosen aspiration.

IntoUniversity centres provide sustained academic support, motivation and encouragement to give deprived young people a fair chance of realising their full potential through a combination of: • After-school support • Undergraduate mentors • FOCUS weeks

7 – 18 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds.

70.3% of year 13 IntoUniversity participants progressed directly to Higher Education

Sutton Trust Summer Schools

To demystify elite universities and to equip students – most of whom will be the first in their families to go on to higher education – with the knowledge and insight to make high quality applications to prestigious universities.

Summer schools offered at selective universities throughout the UK for year 12 students.

Year 12 who meet all or Year 12 students who meet all or most of the following criteria: (i) first generation in their family to attend university, (ii) have achieved at least 5 A*-A grades at GCSE, (iii) come from communities with low overall progression rates to higher education, (iv) are taking relevant subjects in relation to the subject stream they are applying for, (v) attend schools or colleges with a low overall A level point score, (vi) under the age of 18 at the time of the summer school.

6 in 10 students have 6 in 10 students have progressed to degrees at one of the elite Russell Group universities, and one quarter have ended up at one of the host summer school universities.

Pure Potential

Raises the aspirations of thousands of sixth-formers every year, encouraging them to apply to and helping them to achieve offers from excellent universities and leading graduate recruiters.

Pure Potential organise a range of events for both school and university students to support students into universities and careers.

Sixth-form and undergraduate students from state schools.

UCAS report that over a third of students that attend events go on to study a Russell Group university, and more than three quarters end up at a Times Top 50 University.

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Appendix 7: Programmes with Similar Aims to The Brilliant Club

b) Programmes and Access Agreement Targets of Brilliant Club Target Universities:

Imperial College London

Aims

To pursue activities targeted at capable disadvantaged school children who have potential in those subjects required for entry to the College; to help to address the problems caused by a shortage of well qualified science teachers in state schools, namely the decline in interest and attainment in science; to pursue activities which raise the aspirations of school children, towards HE generally and science in particular, from primary education through to A-Level and thereby encourage them to apply to the right university for them irrespective of their background.

Method

The Widening Participation School Visits Programme benefits around 15,000 pupils and parents from disadvantaged schools each year and provides a comprehensive service covering all aspects of higher education awareness and application. The Reach Out Lab was opened in 2010 to provide additional facilities to deliver practical programmes and an experience of university for pupils aged six to eighteen, specifically from schools without ready access to laboratories: 75% of its users (3,000 school children) come from disadvantaged schools. Pimlico Connection is an example of a voluntary tutoring scheme in which our undergraduate and postgraduate students participate in regular sessions at a local primary or secondary school to engage in tutoring and mentoring in science-related subjects whilst raising aspirations and providing positive role models for both science and higher education. The Residential Summer School for students aiming to give a taste of university life and raise attainment in maths/science A-Levels.

Target Capable disadvantaged students who have potential in those subjects required for entry to the College.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

20% increase (on tbd baseline data) from undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

At least 35%.

School of Oriental and African Studies

Aims “SOAS is committed to increasing the social and ethnic diversity of its students, especially by encouraging greater participation from under-represented groups. Diversity is one of the distinguishing features of SOAS, and we strive to ensure equal opportunity for all students regardless of their age, gender, ethnic origin or religious background.”

Method

Summer Schools for Key Stage 4 and sixth-form students and Immersion Weeks as a means of targeting hard to reach groups. The Conference for Access Students provides contact with academics and current HE students, along with mentoring to provide sustained access to HE students. Pathway to Professions provides structured pre-entry advice and to support with movement towards career in the professions.

Target Students from low socio-economic backgrounds and low participation neighbourhoods.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

Increase % of intake from low participation neighbourhoods from 4.1% to 5.9% within three years.

Increase % of intake from socio-economic classes 4 – 7 from 21.5% to 28% within three years.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

37% (equating to approximately £1.2 million).

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University College London

Aims To recruit and retain the academically brightest students who share our values and will thrive in the rigorous teaching and learning environment that UCL provides and to continue to encourage those from disadvantaged backgrounds to aspire to undertake a university education.

Method

The UCL Horizons programme is a scheme that encourages sustained engagement with UCL through a Saturday School (which runs across four terms), a Summer School (which runs over the holidays) and an Autumn Careers Programme, with occasional workshops at other times. The Languages and Study Skills Summer School targets students between years 12 and 13 and is intended to offer additional support to students from under-represented backgrounds to learn a language and will also seek to raise the A-Level attainment of its participants through intensive study skills sessions that will assist them in their studies at school. UCL also run an extended programme of activities through UCL’s Museums and Collections, including primary school activities, a residential summer school delivered with one of London’s museums and a year 9 programme consisting of a series of two-week activity blocks targeted to raise aspiration and awareness of higher education opportunities.

Target Students from state schools and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds (SEC 4 – 8).

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

Increase applications from students from low participating neighbourhoods by 25% from 2012 – 2017.

Increase applications by students from lower socio-economic groups by 25% from 2012-2017.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

30% (equating to approximately £8.2 million when fully implemented).

King’s College London

Aims

Promoting access to the professions, building upon the success of the Extended Medical Degree Programme and plans to extend into other disciplines. Partnership and progression whereby the College builds close partnerships with schools, colleges, other HEIs, charities and the King’s College London Students’ Union. Placing a particular focus on STEM subjects. Supporting our students to benefit fully from their education once they are at King’s.

Method

Strategic partnership with Realising Opportunities (RO), which is a unique collaboration of 12 research intensive universities working together to promote fair access and social mobility of students from under-represented groups. Collaboration with the Harris Federation of South London Schools, working in partnership across different age groups in schools throughout the federation with the objective of increasing the number of pupils who will successfully apply to King’s. A new link with the Helena Kennedy Foundation, where we will work with them to develop best practice on hardship metrics and also support for students in the university environment. IntoUniversity, a charitable organisation working extensively with children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to raise aspiration and attainment in education. Also, Racing Towards Excellence ‘outperformance’ techniques will feature in King’s local outreach programming and also retention and employability for current students.

Target Students from state schools and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

75.5% students from state schools in 2013/14 intake.

17.25% students from low socio-economic backgrounds in 2013/14 intake.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

30% (equating to approximately £7.2 million in 2013/14).

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London School of Economics

Aims

“We are pleased with the progress made towards our benchmarks for state school, low socio-economic and low participation neighbourhood students. We aim to build upon the success of recent years, by reaching more pre-university students from a wider cross section of society and continuing to recruit students from these under-represented groups to LSE.”

Method

New programmes from 2012: Transition programme – this series of one day events for students from Year 7 to Year 13 is designed to raise aspirations and develop skills to raise attainment throughout their school career. Introduction to the Social Sciences – this one day event for Year 8 pupils introduces them to the social sciences, helps them explore their academic interests and consider how these can open up a range of possibilities for the future. Easter School – this three day event for Year 9 pupils, which takes place before GCSE choices are made, provides a taste of university life through focusing on two or three social science subjects. Student mentoring – although we have been running student mentoring in schools for several years, we will be rolling this out to students in the younger pre-14 age group for the first time. Interactive social science workshops in schools – led by the SU at LSE and supported by the WP team, existing LSE students run interactive social science workshops in schools for students from year 9 to 11.

Target Students from low performing state schools, students who are eligible for free school meals, students who live in low participation neighbourhoods, students in Local Authority Care, students from under-represented ethnic groups and students whose parents have no experience of higher education.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

Aim to enrol between 19 and 21% of intake from students from low socio-economic backgrounds from 2012.

Aim to enrol between 4 and 6% of entrants from low participation neighbourhoods from 2012.

Aim to increase applications from black African Caribbean students to 750 by 2017.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

47.7% (by 2014/15, equating to approximately £2.8 million).

University of Cambridge

Aims The University of Cambridge aims to attract the best and brightest students in the UK, regardless of background, and already engages in an extensive range of outreach activities to support this objective.

Method

Cambridge aims to increase the number of places offered on events with demonstrable impact, particularly summer schools, teachers’ events and higher education ‘taster’ days. It also intends preserve the legacy of Aim Higher work as it relates to Cambridge (for example, through a programme of engagement with younger students in and around Cambridgeshire in partnership with schools, colleges and higher education institutions in the region). It will deliver a sustained programme of activities and advice for younger students in local secondary schools, develop initiatives to engage with students in state schools across the UK to encourage them to choose appropriate subject combinations and make applications to selective higher education institutions. It also plans to continue to work closely with the University of Oxford on national outreach initiatives.

Target

The university works with a number of specific under-represented and disadvantaged groups across the UK in order to raise aspiration and to improve access to higher education. These include: children in care, students eligible for free school meals, Black, Asian and minority ethnicity students, mature learners, students educated in further education colleges, and bright students in schools and colleges which have not historically sent students to the University of Cambridge.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

To increase the proportion of UK resident students admitted from UK state sector schools and colleges so that they fall within a range of 61-63%.

To increase the proportion of UK resident students admitted from low participation neighbourhoods to approx. 4% by 2016/17.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

32% (by 2016-17, equating to approximately £9.8 million per annum.

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University of Oxford

Aims

To attract applications from all individuals with the potential to study at the University, to inform them fully; to admit the very best; to educate them in an intensive, world-class teaching system, and to support them while at Oxford. Our overall objective is that the activities outlined within this Agreement should have long term effects on widening access to Oxford from currently under-represented groups. We believe that the measures also should have a wider impact in helping to raise attainment in schools and improving participation in higher education as a whole.

Method

UNIQ residential summer schools for UK state-educated students to give an experience of university study. In addition, the University supports candidates who are not successful in obtaining a UNIQ summer schools place by providing Oxford undergraduates to act as e-mentors. Regional Teacher Conferences to engage both new and experienced teachers in promoting access and encouraging participation in higher education. A regional link programme has been developed, to ensure that each geographical local authority region is supported by a specific Oxford college, and that schools and colleges within that region have a clear first point of contact with Oxford. Oxford Young Ambassadors (OYA) scheme is set to run for three years, in the initial year (2010-11) it admitted 20 year 8 students predicted to achieve B grades at GCSE and who will be first generation entrants to higher education.

Target State school pupils from low-socio economic and low participation neighbourhoods.

Key Access Agreement milestones by 2013/14

Increase the percentage of UK undergraduate students at Oxford from postcodes which demonstrate significant socio-economic disadvantage, as measured by ACORN postcode datasets, from 0.07 to 0.09% in 2016/17.

Increase the percentage of UK undergraduate students at Oxford from postcodes which demonstrate low participation in Higher Education as measured by POLAR2 from 0.11 to 0.13% by 2016/17.

% Additional fee income to be spent on Access

50% (equating to approximately £11.35 million).

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Contact Details:

Postal Address:

The Brilliant Club

c/o Teach First,

4 More London Riverside

SE1 2AU

Jonathan Sobczyk:

jonny@thebrilliantclub.org

07855 551746

Simon Coyle:

simon@thebrilliantclub.org

07939 800226

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Carly Mitchell Deputy Principal, London Academy

The Brilliant Club has helped develop in our students a desire to graduate

from a top university. It has acted as the beginning of their journey to this success and has made our young

people believe it is possible.

Yr 11 student

Expert Learners Programme

You should offer The Brilliant Club to as many people as you can – it can really change someone’s

outlook on life.

Babak Somekh

PhD Candidate, Oxford University

The Brilliant Club is an excellent programme that has the potential to transform the UK education system.

I have enjoyed my experience tutoring and am proud to be associated with

such a worthwhile cause.

Yr 9 student

Opening Minds Programme

You shouldn’t change the fact that you let us think for ourselves.

Michael Gove MP

Secretary of State for Education

Placing PhD students into challenging schools is a great way to raise aspiration and attainment. The pupil premium was

introduced to ensure that targeted programmes like The Brilliant Club are made available to the students

who deserve them most.

Brett Wigdortz CEO, Teach First

By building a movement to mobilise the postgraduate community and engage them

with challenging schools, The Brilliant Club is already improving access to top universities.

More than this, they are taking real steps towards a cultural shift in this country’s

education system that helps address educational disadvantage by bridging

the gap between school and university.

Testimonies?

Lord Adonis

Director, The Institute for Government

The Brilliant Club does a simple but profoundly important thing. It enables some of our best young

university researchers to apply their skills in schools. Nothing does more to encourage teenagers to go on

to university than seeing dynamic university researchers and teachers in action.

The Brilliant Club makes that possible.

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www.thebrilliantclub.org