Uni Connect funds help raise aspirations at Littlehampton Academy
One of SLN’s most important roles is to allocate Uni Connect funds across Sussex, ensuring they reach the areas where they can have the greatest impact. Last year, allocated funding enabled Littlehampton Academy to retain a dedicated HE Champion for the second year running, with impressive results…
With 40% of its students living in Uni Connect wards, Littlehampton Academy has a high number of students who are under-represented in higher education and who would be the first in their families to consider university as an option.
Following a successful trial, the Academy chose to use SLN’s allocation of Uni Connect funding to retain a dedicated Higher Education Champion in the school for a second year. A comprehensive programme of support, including face-to-face guidance, active participation in initiatives such as SLN’s Get Career Confident programme and funded university tours for individual students has reaped dividends.
Awareness of higher education pathways continues to be raised across the school, including amongst staff, and over the past two years the presence of a Higher Education Champion has had a profound impact on aspirations. The result? Over three quarters (77%) of Uni Connect Year 13 students from the school successfully applied and received offers for university places in 2021.
To find out more about Littlehampton Academy’s experience click here. If you would like to find out more about how SLN supports local schools, please contact SLN’s Schools Liaison Programme Manager, Fay Lofty, by clicking here.