Into University

IntoUniversity is an educational programme aimed at children and young people who are most at risk of failing to meet their potential to go to university because of economic, social, cultural or linguistic disadvantage. Young people from disadvantaged postcode districts are 4 times less likely to get good GCSEs than students from well-off areas, and 6 times less likely to go to university. IntoUniversity centres provide sustained academic support, motivation and encouragement to give all young people a fair chance of realising their potential.

The vision of IntoUniversity is to provide a national network of high quality, local learning centres where young people are inspired to achieve. At each local centre IntoUniversity will offer an innovative programme that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain either a place at university or another chosen aspiration. It also explains the university application process to those parents who are unfamiliar with the UK system.

One of the distinctive aspects of the IntoUniversity programme is that it consists of three strands - FOCUS, Academic Support and Mentoring - that span the age range 8 to 18. Elements in these three strands include: primary and secondary academic support, half-term FOCUS weeks, primary FOCUS weeks and days, Extending Horizons weekends, school liaison work, school scholarships, mentoring, aspire and achieve days and a buddy scheme.

Tom’s Trust is helping to set up a new centre in Kensal Green, close to where Tom used to live. - www.intouniversity.org