AccessHE

Become a member

Find out more about the benefits of becoming a member

Are you an AccessHE member yet? To find out more about how you could benefit why not take a look at our Membership page or Contact AccessHE for more information.

  • Become a member

    Find out more about the benefits of becoming a member

    Are you an AccessHE member yet? To find out more about how you could benefit why not take a look at our Membership page or Contact AccessHE for more information.

  • London HE Access Data Service

    The right data is crucial

    Are you an AccessHE member yet? To find out more about how you could benefit why not take a look at our Membership page or Contact AccessHE for more information.

  • AccessHE activities

    The London AccessHE Data Service enables HEIs to:

    Source comprehensive data about the performance of schools and colleges in London.
    Interpret and use this data in their own institutional context.
    Track the progress of learners they have worked with into HE.

AccessHE is the new pan-London organisation enabling the provision of support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter Higher Education.

AccessHE Bulletin  

In this week’s bulletin (9 May 2012):

- *NEW* AccessHE Transition and Retention Action Forum – 31 May 2012

- *NEW* AccessHE Looked After Children Action Forum – 20 June 2012

- *NEW* AccessHE 10:10 Project Event – 2 July 2012

- *NEW* Student Finance England (SFE) – Applications, resources & policy messages

- AccessHE Student Ambassador Academy Forum – Tuesday 15 May 2012

- AccessHE Expos: Multi-HEI learner events for learners – Tuesday 12 June 2012

- London Access Data Service – exclusive to AccessHE Partner HEIs

- AccessHE and Brightside E-mentoring Pilot

- The University Challenge: Free CPD conference for teachers and advisors in preparing tomorrow’s students

- Amity International Model United Nations 2012


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AccessHE Student Ambassador Academy Forum

Tuesday 15 May 2012

(10.00am-12.00pm), central London

The aim of this meeting is identify how AccessHE can support the delivery of access work with Student Ambassadors. It will look to establish an agenda in this area that AccessHE can take forward in 2012-13 on behalf of partners. There will be feedback on the progress so far of the AccessHE & Brightside E-mentoring Pilot, and discussions regarding collaboration in the training of ambassadors in areas of core and additional skills they may require, the role and value of accrediting their work and where opportunities exist for collaborative working in this area.

If you (or a colleague) are able to attend then please register at:

http://accesshestudentambassadorforum.eventbrite.co.uk/

NB As spaces are limited they will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

If you have any questions or queries concerning this event please contact Laura Manga at Ementoring@londonhigher.ac.uk

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Transition and Retention Action Forum

Thursday 31 May 2012

10am-12pm, central London

The AccessHE Action Forum on Transition and Retention has pleasure in presenting Kathryn Boin, Manager of Transition and Orientation Programs at the University of Melbourne to speak to delegates via the Internet. Kathryn was responsible for setting up UCL’s Transition Programme. She will discuss the background and development of the University of Melbourne’s as well as UCL’s Transition programmes. Outlining the initiatives designed to demystify university life, such as on-campus experiences and outreach activities to students, teachers and parents while highligting the programme’s emphasis on meaningful relationships between schools and university communities. This is an opportunity for delegates to hear from an Australian perspective about a successful transition and retention initiative developed over ten years to address the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and how they learn to adjust to new environments, manage their expectations and dealing with the issues of transition from school to university. She will also draw on her experience in the UK education system while at UCL.

If you wish to attend then please contact Simon McGuinness at simon.mcguinness@londonhigher.ac.uk asap as places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Attendees are invited to email questions in advance to Simon McGuinness for Kathryn to incorporate in her presentation.

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AccessHE Expos

Tuesday 12 June 2012

AccessHE Expos

The first events of AccessHE’s innovative series of multi-HEI ‘Expos’ for learners take place on Tuesday 12 June 2012. Each Expo is a half-day event to be held at a university in central London (near to Russell Square tube station).

Learning about university for Year 9 students and Studying at university for Year 10 students will allow students to take part in short taster sessions in different subject areas delivered by staff and student ambassadors from four different universities.

Tuesday 12 June 2012 – morning

- Learning about university for Year 9 students 

Tuesday 12 June 2012 – afternoon

- Studying at university for Year 10 students

The ‘Studying outside London’ Expo is aimed at Year 11/12 students and will feature a range of universities from outside London presenting workshops, addressing different aspects of studying at university away from home. Students will be able to attend all the workshop sessions and have the chance to speak directly to university staff and ask questions as part of a ‘Uni Surgery’ session.

Monday 2 July 2012- morning

- Studying outside London for Year 11/12 students

There are still some places available at all the above events, to be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information or to secure places for your students please contact Jonathan Eames at jonathan.eames@londonhigher.ac.uk by close of play Friday 11 May 2012.

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AccessHE Looked After Children Action Forum

Wednesday 20 June 2012

(10.00am-12.00pm), central London

This meeting will be used as a planning session for the forthcoming AccessHE conference ‘Progression to Higher Education for Looked After Children in London’ which will be held in the autumn.

To book a place at the Forum please contact Jonathan Eames at jonathan.eames@londonhigher.ac.uk

by close of play Tuesday 12 June 2012.

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10:10 Project Event

Monday 2 July 2012

(central London)

This event is open to participants in the current 10:10 project.

All AccessHE Advocates participating in 10:10 project have received an update and are now aware of the HEI event in central London scheduled for Monday 2 July 2012. To date the following universities have kindly agreed to participate on the day – University of Cambridge, City University London, University of Greenwich, The University of Liverpool, London School of Economics & Political Science, The University of Manchester, The University of Nottingham and the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Schools are asked to register their interest and to extend an invitation to the parents/guardians of participating pupils to attend after work (or earlier if possible) and meet student ambassadors and university staff to learn more about life as a student, finance information and first year student support programmes.

If you, your pupils and/or parents wish to attend this event then please contact Simon McGuinness before the end of May 2012 at

simon.mcguinness@londonhigher.ac.uk

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London Access Data Service – exclusive to AccessHE Partner HEIs

Have you used the London Access Data Service www.accesshe.ac.uk/data-service?

AccessHE has collated evidence relevant to progression to HE to produce an ‘access profile’ of all state schools and colleges in London. It includes datasets from publicly available sources in addition to data which AccessHE has compiled in association with the Centre For London DEMOS. The Data Service is exclusive to AccessHE Partner HEIs and enables HEIs to:

  • source comprehensive data about the performance of schools and colleges in London and the nature of their learners
  • interpret and use this data in their own institutional context
  • upload data and track the progress of learners participating in HEI interventions as part of the ‘London Access Cohort’ with a secure tracking programme into HE.

NB AccessHE Partner HEIs were emailed unique login details last November.

For further information or if you are having difficulty logging on to the Data Service please contact Simon McGuinness at

Simon.McGuinness@londonhigher.ac.uk

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AccessHE and Brightside E-mentoring Pilot

The 16 mentoring cohorts across schools and colleges in London have now built strong working relationships with their allocated AccessHE Mentors.  Our 150 Mentees have spent over 70 hours on our bespoke E-mentoring platform and have received 600 messages from their AccessHE Mentors discussing topics such as revision techniques, time management, course options and student finance.  If your HEI has students who would benefit from becoming an AccessHE Mentor in this excellent CENTRALLY MANAGED and FREE outreach opportunity then please contact Laura Mangan at Ementoring@londonhigher.ac.uk  for further information.

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Student Finance England (SFE)

Full Time Student Finance Applications 12/13

With the student finance application deadline date just weeks away, SFE is trying to encourage London students to apply for their student finance early to ensure they meet the 31 May deadline. Last year around 190,000 London students applied for funding from Student Finance England and over a third (34%) of new students missed the deadline.  On average, applications take around 6-8 weeks to process. SFE will be processing over one million student finance applications again this year and want to ensure as many people as possible are paid on time at the start of the academic year. Delaying applications or applying after the deadlines can potentially lead to problems and frustrations later. Students will need to pay for their accommodation, books/resources and have some money for all the fun to be had during freshers’ week while the universities will be due the first instalment of the tuition fee early in the academic year. So the earlier a student can get their completed application to SFE the better.  Students do not (in most cases) need a confirmed university place to apply for their finance, they can choose the course they are most likely to start so SFE can begin the assessment process – it’s easy to update/make changes later through their online accounts. Students can apply online now at:

www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

SFE Resources & Early 13/14 Policy Messages
Ben Rutter (SFE) delivered a presentation at the 1st Annual AccessHE Advocates’ Conference in March 2012 and a version of this presentation can be downloaded at www.accesshe.ac.uk/SFE-Presentation.ppt . If you have any further questions or feedback on the existing resources or suggestions for new additions or are running any training events that Ben could contribute to, then please contact Ben Rutter, Student Finance Advisor, Student Finance Information Team, London, Email: ben_rutter@slc.co.uk, Tel: 07554 458871

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The University Challenge: Free CPD conference for teachers and advisors in preparing tomorrow’s students

(Friday 25 May 2012, 9.30am–3.30pm)

The University of Manchester

This one-day national conference is a free event to help equip teachers and advisors with a range of resources, information and advice relevant to progression to higher education. It will address the key topics of access to selective universities; admissions; student finance and funding; changes to the UCAS system; and best practice in the provision of information advice and guidance (IAG) in schools and colleges. Delegates will have the opportunity to attend workshops and discussion panels that will enable them to ask questions and receive information first hand from experts. For further information and to book for this free event please visit www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/schoolsandcolleges/teachers/teacher-activities .

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Amity International Model United Nations 2012

The Amity International Model United Nations 2012, is to be held for 3 days from Thursday, 29 November to Saturday 1 December 2012 at Amity University, Sector 125, Noida (adjacent to New Delhi) – India’s biggest MUN conference. If you are interested or have any queries then please contact Ms Jyoti Arora

jarora@aisn.amity.edu

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What AccessHE can offer

Working with AccessHE provides the opportunity to work efficiently to support the progression of learners from London into Higher Education. Our digital hub will be the major route by which information regarding HE progression in London is available to professionals and potential students. AccessHE will facilitate collaboration and activities that aim to increase social mobility in the capital.