Norfolk University Access Programme

The Norfolk University Access Programme is a series of workshops, training sessions, learning days and a week long summer school created specifically to advise students about applying to the Russell Group universities and Oxbridge (15 students on the course last year gained a place at Oxford or Cambridge).

The programme, co-ordinated by Norwich School, runs throughout the year, and focuses around those students currently studying for their AS-Levels – and expecting to do well.

Aims

During the course of the programme Norwich School hosts over a hundred and twenty of the brightest sixth formers from over 15 state schools around Norfolk and North Suffolk, with students travelling to Norwich School from as far as King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Thetford.

The Norfolk University Access Summer programme, now in its 14th year, is designed to raise the aspirations of talented Year 12 students and to allow them to experience subject tutorials and guidance about applying to Cambridge, Oxford and other top universities including the Russell Group universities.

Background

At the request of Heads of Sixth in Norfolk the NUAP was established in 2001 and was designed to encourage under-represented groups in Norfolk to raise their aspirations and dispel myths surrounding the university application process - particularly in terms of Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities.

A challenging menu of activities is offered in the programme - with the summer school being the real highlight. Admissions tutors from the UK, USA and Europe attend, there are talks from visiting speakers and MPs. Help is given towards putting together personal statements and participants get to experience university style lectures and seminars.

Resources

The school facilities are provided free of charge for the programmes duration and it is taught by Norwich School staff, helped by current under-graduates from top UK universities. Principal subjects offered include Economics, English, History, Languages, Law, Medicine, Philosophy, Psychology and all the Sciences.

The programme is supported financially by Norwich School, the Ogden Trust and Norfolk County Council (in the past the Sutton Trust and AimHigher have supported the scheme).

Impact

Feedback from the scheme is always very positive. The participants invariably feel that they had been inspired by the quality of the teaching and by the extra guidance they had received for the UCAS application process, which complemented what they received from their own schools. Everyone (both teachers and students) enjoys the opportunity to go into much more depth in their subject areas as well as the chance to share ideas and make friends with students from other schools.

Pupil Involvement

This scheme is for young people from Year 12, we would expect about 120 to be involved annually (the scheme has seen as many as 180 enrol!)

Frequency

The scheme runs from February of the Year 12 to the end of the first term in Year 13.