Primary Age Outreach and Evaluation to Secure Fair Access

Access Academy Training

  • Date

      05/12/2017

  • Location/Venue

      London

  • Time

      9:30 am - 4:00 pm

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Long-term outreach activities with primary age learners and their robust evaluation are continuously recognised as paramount to narrowing the aspiration and attainment gaps before they reach a critical level. The Sutton Trust has estimated that “two thirds of pupils on free school meals who are among the top fifth of performers at age 11 are not among the top fifth of performers at GCSE, and half do not go on to university”. Within this context, primary age outreach and its evaluation takes on a unique and clear imperative.

This one day event will look at a number of issues regarding primary age outreach and evaluation and will equip delegates with resources to bring back to their work. During the day, we will:

  • Consider how to best monitor and evaluate the impact of primary age outreach activities
  • Examine new research on what institutions are doing in this area
  • Learn about examples of best practice through examination of two successful case studies
  • Hear from a panel of teachers about how to engage this age group
  • Develop the work you are doing at your own institution or organisation through group work with practitioners from across the country and the day’s presenters.

Confirmed Speakers

Julian Crockford, Widening Participation Research and Evaluation Unit Manager (The University of Sheffield)
Helen O’Donnell, CEO and Director of Partnerships (Children’s University Trust)
Emma Maslin, Aspirations Coordinator (Dyke House Sports & Technology College)
Kim Simms, Outreach Officer (The University of Sheffield)

More speakers to be announced

While outreach with primary age learners and the evaluation of these activities undoubtedly present their own challenges, they also yield dividends to institutions and organisations that work collaboratively. As Mike Thompson from Aimhigher West Midlands writes, “The primary phase represents a neutral, non-competitive space where the business case for working together to underpin long-term, sector-wide gains is strong.” With this in mind, we will consider ways of moving forward collaboratively with primary age outreach and evaluation in order to best achieve our collective goals.

Places at this event are strictly limited so early booking is advisable.