Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) have publicised a ‘Contextualised HE Entry Track Impact Report’.

It demonstrates that sustained outreach makes a measurable difference to student progression into HE - especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It also highlights that Uni Connect in particular, delivers the biggest gains for free school meals learners.

Key finding from the report are:

Intensive outreach boosts higher education entry by up to 29%

Students who took part in an intensive outreach package* were up to 29% more likely to enter higher education than a matched group of peers who received minimal outreach.

Impact was strongest for the most disadvantaged

Students eligible for free school meals engaging in intensive outreach were up to 48% more likely to progress to higher education compared to matched peers.

Uni Connect delivers the biggest gains for free school meal learners

The largest relative increase in higher education entry for students eligible for free school meals was seen amongst those who participated in Uni Connect funded outreach.

Intensive outreach increases access to selective higher education providers

Students receiving intensive outreach from high tariff universities were up to 19% more likely to enter a high tariff higher education institution than similar students who received minimal outreach.

Compelling evidence for sustained outreach across Key Stages 4 and 5

Higher education provider outreach has the highest impact when delivered to students eligible for free school meals across multiple Key Stages.

These key findings strengthen the case for long-term, multi-stage outreach — especially for supporting learners eligible for free school meals.

These results build on our existing HESA Track impact research, triangulating findings of positive impact of outreach participation whilst including previously unavailable controls for student-level prior attainment as part of a quasiexperimental matched cohort design.

 

 

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