As well as providing outreach to schools and colleges across the country, the Widening Access and Participation team can offer bespoke guidance to students who may need additional support in order to access Higher Education.
Our Widening Access Officers can meet with students and/or their supporters to discuss the support Edge Hill can offer, and can also arrange bespoke visits to campus. To find out more about the support we can provide for specific students, please see the tabs below.
- What is Widening Access and Participation?
- Care-experienced and Estranged students
- Mature Students
- Young Adult Carers
- Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Students
- Further support
What is Widening Access and Participation?
The terms “widening access” and “widening participation” refer to the activity undertaken by institutions to develop and support the aspirations and attainment of students form different social groups who may not normally consider Higher Education as an option or are under-represented within HE.
Groups of students who may be identified in relation to widening access and participation include:
- Students who are or have been eligible for pupil premium funding / Ever6 free school meals
- Students from low participation neighbourhoods (where very few people go on to higher education)
- Students who are the first generation in their family to go to university
- Students who have experience of being in the care of their Local Authority
- Students who are estranged from their family
- Students who have caring responsibilities
- Students living with a disability or mental health condition
- Students from an ethnic minority
- Students who have refugee status
- Students from military families
- Individuals who are returning to learning as mature students
Edge Hill University has a long-standing commitment to widening access to higher education, and the theme of opportunity for all is a key component of the institution’s vision. Our work with students is a key part of Edge Hill University’s Access and Participation Plan commitments, in addition to other widening participation work being conducted by other departments and faculties across the institution.
As part of our widening access and participation work, we currently run both stand-alone events and extended outreach programmes which are designed to support aspiration to HE for students currently in secondary school who meet our WP criteria. For more information on these programmes, please visit our dedicated webpages.
For students in sixth form or college, who are considering entry into HE and meet our WP criteria, we can also offer bespoke 1 to 1 or small group sessions which are designed to support students during the HE application process.
Additionally, Edge Hill University runs a two-year Widening Access to Medicine programme which is designed to support local students from state schools who have the ability and personal attributes to be successful in their application for a place in medical school. For more information on the WAM programme, please visit our dedicated webpages.
The Widening Access and Participation Team also work with three regional Uni Connect partnerships; Shaping Futures, Future U and Hello Future. The Uni Connect hubs were created by the Office for Students to offer impartial advice, guidance and activities to young people and their parents or carers, and new outreach hubs have been established to help teachers and advisors find impartial information about the outreach activity available in their local areas.
For more information on our WP outreach activity, please contact our Widening Access and Participation team on [email protected].
Care-experienced and Estranged students
Students who have experience of Local Authority care or are estranged from their family may experience significant barriers to their education and subsequent progression to Higher Education.
At Edge Hill, we want to support care-experienced and estranged students to access and succeed within HE, and we offer students a variety of support both pre-entry and whilst studying on-course in order to help with this.
Our dedicated pre-entry point of contact in the Widening Access and Participation team can offer bespoke information and advice on accessing Higher Education and can work with students on a 1 to 1 or group basis. Our dedicated member of staff can also visit students in their own educational institution, as well as organise bespoke tailored visits to the University campus to meet with current students and staff.
On-course student support
Finance and Accommodation Support
Our partnerships and pledges
If you have any questions or would like more information, please get in touch with us via [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss the support available.
Our team also works with educational practitioners, school/college staff and Virtual Head Teachers to offer support to students in care/about to leave care and those supporting estranged students and would welcome enquiries from anyone seeking support for them.
Mature Students
If a student is 21 or over at the start of their studies, UCAS (the University and Colleges Admissions Service) will consider them to be a mature student. At Edge Hill University we recognise and celebrate the skills, motivation and life experiences that this diverse group of students bring to University life. However, we also recognise that making the decision to come to University can be a difficult one as many mature students may have extra considerations to take into account. This could include how they are going to fit study around existing practical and financial commitments, if they need to top up their level 3 qualifications in order to apply for a place, and concerns around whether or not they are going to “fit in” at University.
We have a dedicated Widening Access Officer for Access to HE and mature students who can work with you and your students to help them address these issues, whether in group settings or on a 1 to 1 basis. If you would like to talk to them, please contact us on [email protected].
Dedicated activity
Financial Support
Pastoral support
If you have any questions or would like more information, please get in touch with us via [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss the support available.
Young Adult Carers
Young Adult Carers are aged between 18 and 25 and care for or look after a family member, friend or other individual, due to disability, chronic or terminal illness, mental health difficulty and/or drug/alcohol dependency.
We recognise the challenges that Young Adult carers face when considering and choosing to study at University, as they will often be undertaking their caring responsibilities alongside their studies, which can be challenging.
To support students during their exploration and application to HE, our dedicated pre-entry point of contact in the Widening Access and Participation team can offer bespoke information and advice to Young Adult Carers on accessing Higher Education and can work with students on a 1 to 1 or group basis. Our member of staff can also visit students in their own school or college, as well as organise bespoke tailored visits to the University campus to meet with current students and staff.
As well as our pre-entry support, students can also access the following support whilst at Edge Hill:
Student Support
Financial Support
If you have any questions or would like more information, please get in touch with us via [email protected], and we will be happy to discuss the support available to students looking to access Higher Education.
We also work with educational practitioners and other school/college staff to offer support to students who may have caring responsibilities, and would welcome enquiries from anyone seeking support for their students.
Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Students
As part of our ongoing Access and Participation Plan (APP) commitments to supporting more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students to access University, the Widening Access and Participation team undertake dedicated activity to support students progression into Higher Education.
Edge Hill Diversity Access Programme
At Edge Hill University we are committed to diversifying our student community. Our research into how we can better support our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students highlights that supporting students pre-entry can improve their success, particularly when it comes to choosing the right course, building confidence in accessing student support services, and feeling part of the university community.
Our Diversity Access Programme not only provides the necessary information, advice and guidance for students considering Higher Education, but also offers tailored support on the above possible barriers. The programme is for a small group of Year 12 (sixth form) or Year One (college) students- participation on the programme is limited due to the bespoke nature of the content delivered. The 2022-23 Diversity Access Programme is currently being recruited to for delivery from Spring 2022 onwards, please contact the Widening Access and Participation team to find out more by emailing [email protected]
Student voice
Students who identify as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic can apply to be a member of our Student Advisory Panel and help to steer the University’s approach to supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students. Panel students are asked to attend several meetings per academic year and offer feedback on projects, events and ideas for enhancing the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students at Edge Hill University. Panel members receive bespoke training from Careers for their involvement, and eligible students will earn points towards an Extra Edge or Competitive Edge certificate.
Financial support
On-course undergraduate and PGCE students at Edge Hill University can also apply for up to £2,000 from the Student Opportunity Fund, in order to support a career-enhancing project, initiative or opportunity that will enrich their student experience and enhance their employability and transferable skills.
If you have questions or would like more information, please get in touch with us via [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss the support available.
Further support
Students from low participation neighbourhoods, eligible for pupil premium, or are first generation in family to enter Higher Education
Disabled students
Students with refugee status or seeking asylum
Students from military families and military leavers
Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showman and Boatmen students
If you have questions or would like more information, please get in touch with us via [email protected] and we will be happy to discuss the support available.