National Projects

Aimhigher funding had been allocated for a number of national projects. These were either activities that cut across all regions and would operate more effectively at a national level, or examples of innovative practice which it would be beneficial to roll out nationally.

The funding stream for the following projects has ended, but individual schemes have continued in various forms – further information can be found by following the appropriate weblink.

Brief details for all the national projects, and weblinks to find out more and the latest information, can be found below.

Visit the Who's Who section to contact the national project co-ordinators.

AchieveAbility
www.achieveability.org.uk

The vision and overall aim of the AchieveAbility project was to raise awareness and understanding of the needs of students with SpLD (Specific Learning Differences) to facilitate their progression to Higher Education. The project was informed by the recommendations made by the National Disability Team Interim Report.

Aimhigher National Mentoring Scheme (ANMS)
www.hementornet.org

The ANMS is the name of the national partnership that was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. It was funded up until July 2007, and provided students with an experience of working with young people in schools

ASDAN
www.asdan.org.uk

The overall aim of this two-year project was to raise attainment and potential progression and entry to HE by helping to develop more independent and autonomous learners in schools using the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (COPE) as the central project instrument. This was done by providing curriculum delivery support for staff and learners in association with HE admissions officers and HE students. Further details can be found here.

BME Education Strategy Group
William Ackah at w.ackah@bbk.ac.uk

This national project funding supports the BME Education Strategy Group - formed to conduct research into widening participation in higher education among black and minority ethnic (BME) learners.

Chemistry: The Next Generation
www.rsc.org/CFOF

A two-year pilot project which was launched in 2004 with the aim of raising the aspirations of potential students in schools and colleges who are under-represented in HE to take up courses in chemical sciences. Building on the successful pilot scheme, Chemistry: The Next Generation now forms part of a larger programme of activity entitled Chemistry for our Future.

Compact Scheme Project
www.leeds.ac.uk/ace/access/access.htm

The University of Leeds was funded by HEFCE to lead a research project investigating the effects of various alternative entry schemes across the country

Creative Partners 4 Progression (CP4P)
www.creative-partnerships.com/projects/104265/

CP4P linked two national Creative Partnerships and Aimhigher with the aim of developing a model to illustrate how creativity can facilitate an engagement with and enhancement of learning, and equip young people for employment within the creative industries.

Higher Education Gateway for Gifted and Talented
www.nagty.ac.uk/

The project aimed to raise expectations among under-represented groups from England's top 5 per cent of gifted young people. It provided a web portal to give national exposure to regional activities, as well as providing online study groups and a forum for staff. Other activities included events for parents and carers, and over 100 outreach activities. The project also produced a quality framework for HEIs working with gifted and talented young people.

National Disability Project
Dr N. V. Wylie at v.wylie@wlv.ac.uk

The project focused on improving the participation of disabled learners, particularly those with sensory and physical impairments, in summer school provision.

National Primary Project
www.ahgtm.ac.uk/projects/?page_id=691

The National Primary Project sought to develop the capacity of further and higher education institutions to deliver primary focused widening participation activities.

Raising Aspirations Into Science and Engineering (RAISE)
Weblink not available

The RAISE project runs activities such as summer schools, discovery days and awards events focused on science and engineering. Revision support will also be provided in a way that brings pupils into university laboratories.

Raising Achievement and Aspirations Through Football
www.celt.mmu.ac.uk/ltia/issue11/duggan.shtml

The project aimed to raise attainment and awareness among pupils through out-of-school 'catch-up' homework/coursework sessions. Parent and carer groups will also be set up to raise awareness of the pupils' curriculum and its demands, and how they can support their children. In addition, football coaching will be offered to pupils and parents/carers to encourage engagement with the scheme. The scheme will involve contact with professional and ex-footballers and with HE and FE students and staff.

Royal Anthropological Institute
www.discoveranthropology.org.uk

The project aimed to develop actions and strategies to inform teachers and young people, especially those in the Aimhigher target groups, about anthropology as a university subject; and to bring the subject more generally into pre-university education.

The Way Ahead
Tim Farthing at tim.farthing@citycluster.co.uk

The aim of the project was to support the raising of aspirations, achievement rates and participation in further and higher education of looked after young people. The background to the project has been developed from 'Every Child Matters' along with the Government's agenda for improving the co-ordination and quality of services for vulnerable children and young people.

Trade Unions Aimhigher
Marge Bentovim at mbentovim@aol.com

The national Trade Unions Aimhigher project was developed by Aimhigher Greater Manchester and unionlearn with the over-arching aim of generating increased demand for higher level learning in the workplace by developing a collaborative approach between unions and unionlearn, Aimhigher partnerships and higher education organisations.

UNIAID Interactive
www.uniaidinteractive.org.uk

The ‘UNIAID Interactive’ project has developed a suite of workshops and materials, inspired by UNIAID’s online tools, to help demystify the student financial challenge. It is led by Aimhigher Central London in partnership with UNIAID, the Students’ Charity and Aimhigher Greater Merseyside.