Where we work, and why
We work in areas with historically low participation in higher education and persistently high levels of deprivation, ensuring that young people aren’t disadvantaged by the postcode lottery.
Tyneside
Across Tyneside, there remains a persistent gap in educational attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers. In 2021, the North East region had the lowest higher education entry rate for 18-year-olds (32%) in England. The 2022 exam results reflect a widening gap between the North and the South of the country.
We worked with the following schools in 2021-22:
- Benfield School
- Burnside College
- Churchill Community College
- George Stephenson High School
- Gosforth Academy
- Longbenton High School
- North Gosforth Academy
- Walker Riverside Academy
Hastings & Bexhill
Hastings is the most deprived local authority in South East England. Almost 40% of young people are living in poverty compared with 29% for the whole of England. Recent government research shows that just 10% of young people in East Sussex eligible for free school meals progress to higher education.
We worked with the following schools in 2021-22:
- Ark Alexandra Academy
- Bexhill Academy
- Bexhill Sixth Form College
- East Sussex College Hastings
- The Hastings Academy
- The St Leonards Academy
Swindon
Swindon has low levels of residents with level 4 or higher qualification, 34.4% compared to a national rate of 40.3%, so it is common for families to have little or no experience of HE. Participation in some Wards in the town is less than 20%
Swindon’s relative deprivation is most severe in the education, skills and training domain, and nearly 10% of neighbourhoods in Swindon are among the most deprived in England. In 2016-17, just 34 per cent of pupils went to higher education, placing Swindon 147th out of 152 local authorities.
We worked with the following schools in 2021-22:
- Abbey Park School
- Cirencester College
- The Commonweal School
- Crowdy's Hill School
- Lawn Manor Academy
- Lydiard Park Academy
- New College, Swindon
- The Ridgeway School
- UTC, Swindon
Norfolk
Eight LSOAs in Norwich are in the top 10% most deprived nationally. That’s approximately 10% of the population - roughly 13,000 people. Norwich is in the bottom five out of 317 local authorities in England for educational attainment, skills and training, and has seen a dramatic rise in benefit claimants since the start of the pandemic.
We worked with the following schools in 2021-22:
- The Hewett Academy
- Jane Austen College
- Sprowston Community Academy
