14 - 19 Education

The purpose of Aimhigher is to encourage students who would be first in their family to go into  Higher Education to apply to university , if they wish to go and can get the grades. The main target age range is 14-19.

It also aims to encourage students who are under-represented in Higher Education through ethnicity, disability or because they are children looked after.

Wandsworth Local Authority is part of Aspire, the SE London partnership of Aimhigher, which encompasses the 6 adjoining boroughs of Wandsworth:

• Lambeth
• Southwark
• Greenwich
• Lewisham 
• Bexley

These boroughs are funded together, and plan and work together in conjunction with the universities of Greenwich, Goldsmiths, London South Bank and Kings , as well as other universities in London and around the country. 

About the programmes

Programmes are devised which give these students an opportunity to experience university life, to meet undergraduates and postgraduates, to attend taster sessions, to have access to student mentors, and to find out about UCAS procedures and funding information. Individual boroughs also develop programmes such as taking year 7 to university, taking parents of ethnically under-represented students to university, or setting up projects where school students can take level 4 university units during their AS and  A2  level years. 

The Aimhigher programme ends on July 31 2011, when HEFCE funding ceases.

National Aimhigher Websites

Materials for Teachers and Tutors

www.teachernet.gov.uk/aimhigher

Available from this site are the Tutors' Resource Pack, which contains material for students in Years 12 & 13, and the Teachers' Pack contains material for students from Year 9 through to 11

Action on Access

www.actiononaccess.org

The national co-ordinating team to support widening participation strategies

Aimhigher portal

www.direct.gov.uk/uni

The starting point for anyone wanting to find out about Aimhigher

Department for Education

www.education.gov.uk

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

www.bis.gov.uk

A key funder of the Aimhigher programme

Student Finance

www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

For finding out what financial help is available from the Government for those thinking of attending university

SHELL (School-Higher Education Links in London)

www.londonhigher.ac.uk/SHELL

Schools can contact London universities direct by looking at the SHELL website.

More information 

For more information on Aimhigher, please contact Hazel Hardy

Email: hhardy@wandsworth.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8871 8111