Evaluating Summer School activity as a widening access opportunity to Higher

Education-Family Centred Provision

Jayne Hunt & Mark Richardson

Aims and Objectives:•Give an overview of UWN Family Summer School

•Evaluate the effectiveness of this scheme

•To discuss the impact summer schools can have on family groups

Where we work•University of Wales, Newport—widening access team•We target, typically, ‘hard to reach’ areas•Meaning our student’s are often socially and economically disadvantaged•Through bite size curriculum offer—we develop progression routes through to further and higher levels of study, employment or other community based activity.•The summer school is one such activity

Overview of Summer School

Format of summer school:•3 days •Open for current students and their children•Residential for up to half of those attending•Campus based•Series of lectures •Informal evening activities: quizzes, Wii Olympics

Content of Summer SchoolLectures/workshops included:•Philosophy•consumer ethics,• Moral ethics,• Sustainable development, •Critical thinking. •External input from Newport Gwent Dragons in the form of a healthy lifestyles taster session.•Dedicated points of contact with student support offering advice and guidance related to ‘Uni’ life

Children's activitives

Three groups;

•Ages 0-5 years- Crèche•Ages 6-8 years- Crèche Plus (ages specific activities) •Ages 8-16 years-Film School

Film SchoolOver 3 days the aim was to:

•Make 2 films•Which were thought up, designed, filmed, formatted and edited by the participating children.•Films were entered into First Film Awards (local film event)•Won Best Screen Play and Best Camera Work

Research findings•Perceptual barriers of HE and campus reduced•Increased levels of motivation and aspiration•Awareness of the variety and breadth of HE opportunity raised•Finance main reason for not accessing HE—workload a close second.•Meeting Campus based academic staff was considered a significant positive.

Impact on ChildrenCharlie’s* engagement in school has increased as a direct result of participating in the Summer School. He Has been asked to cover for choir and drama in school, using the skills he learnt at the Summer School such as Sound, audio, background—behind the stage work.

Parent reflection:The Summer school brought my child’s confidence out—and wants to do more behind the set work—more filming and videoing. Amy*—Was asked, what do you want to do when you have left school? “I want to go to university and I feel I can do this now”.

Adult Impact•13 went to clearing to access campus based HE

•Due to course demand only 3 managed to secure places at UWN

•1 managed to get onto a degree at Uni Glam

•Others stated that as a result of the summer school “We want to come to uni part time—we are doing extra modules now to make that happen”

Family Impact“Doing the summer school has now meant I can be more than just a mum—I can be a student too and learn with my kids. I can really do something. Fantastic—once in a lifetime experience going to a university and making a film. Both here [awards] and going to the university—overwhelming and just exciting—proud mum.

“Since the summer school I have now gone to uni myself—doing a foundation degree in childhood studies—Glamorgan—the summer school opened my eyes and that I can do it (HE)kids found it fantastic and they cant wait now to go to uni because it was so much fun”.

Discussion PointsWe want to discuss 3 particular areas1. Recruitment2. The effectiveness of summer school

activity for widening access3. What other institutions/providers

either think or are already engaged in with regards to summer school activity.