GHWY Newsletter for HE Providers #8

Welcome to issue eight of GHWY's Newsletter for HE Providers.

If your institution is planning any activities in support of Refugee Week - be that with blogs or events - then let us know so that we can help with the promotion.

The Week - which celebrates the contribution of refugees to the UK and encourages a better understanding between communities - will be held nationwide between 17-23 June.

The programme of educational, arts and cultural activities will this year have the theme of 'you, me and those who came before'.

As always, we'd love to hear your news, stories or events so if you'd like to share anything please get in touch.

GHWY says a fond farewell to Katie

Katie Peyton-Lister, GHWY's Higher Level Skills Manager, leaves at the end of May to take up a post at the University of Leeds.

She started with us in January 2016 and has made a huge, positive impact on the work of the partnership. For the first time, the team had a role dedicated to bringing partners together to help meet skills needs in our region.

Her achievements during her time with us include building strong links with local organisations, supporting the development of the regional skills plan, and revitalising the Go Higher Skills Group with a renewed sense of purpose.

We're really going to miss her friendliness, commitment to work and sense of humour.

GHWY's Care Leaver Covenant highlighted by Centre for Social Justice

A new Centre for Social Justice report into the persistent poor outcomes for care leavers highlights the commitment we have shown to the group.

The '12 By 24' publication makes several recommendations to increase the number of care experienced young people entering HE. This includes developing a 'Gold Standard' that would be promoted via the Care Leaver Covenant.

Our Covenant is used as a case study into good practice, looking at how we identified the existing ways in which partners support care leavers, and further ways in which individual institutions could support the group.

Read more.

Supporting better outcomes for care experienced children

Thirty-five primary teacher training students at Leeds Trinity University recently benefited from a guest lecture about the education of care experienced children.

Jancis Andrew, Head of the Virtual School for Children Looked After at Leeds City Council, aimed to develop an understanding of how the students can play a part in transforming the learning experience of children in care so they can achieve their educational potential.

Read more.

Unlocking potential: harnessing the influence of fosterers and children's home carers

As part of Foster Care Fortnight, GHWY delivered a guest workshop to Leeds Trinity University's Level 5 Apprenticeship in Children's Home Management.

Students on the course received a whistle-stop tour of HE and its potential value for care leavers.

The talk was part of Care to Go Higher, our new training programme. It will provide key influencers with an insight into HE to equip them to support a care-experienced young person to make informed choices about their education.

Read more.

Leeds City College signs skills agreement with Leeds Playhouse

Students at Leeds City College will benefit from training initiatives and work experience as a result of a newly signed agreement with Leeds Playhouse.

The two organisations will work closely together to help underpin the skills offering in the Cultural Quarter, which will be home to the College's new £60m School of Creative Arts.

They have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the principles of working together.

Read more.

Raising participation in HE at Wakefield College

Too few young people resident in the Wakefield district chose to progress into HE, even though they are qualified to do so and there is a good chance it would improve their life chances.

Wakefield College recognises its role in addressing this, and it is reflected in its HE strategy and involvement in NCOP.

Tony Rex, the College's Director of Higher Education Development, explains more.

Read more.

Unconditional offers and unintended consequences

If you work with students applying to university you will have noticed the growing trend for universities to make unconditional offers.

This started back in 2014 and has been growing year on year ever since. It's not a straightforward picture and can take different guises, but few of these offers are genuinely 'unconditional'.

Julie Pink, Head of Schools and Colleges Liaison Service at the University of Huddersfield, discusses the implications of such offers.

Read more.

With Estranged Students: A GHWY Good Practice Programme Event

When: Monday, 10 June between 12-5pm
Where: University of Leeds

Delegates will receive an overview of estrangement, up-to-date information on Stand Alone's work and training, examples of best practice and case-studies from across the region, and have the opportunity to discuss the drafting of the Stand Alone pledge.

The event will provide actionable advice and training for HE providers of all sizes and resource levels.

For further information and to register for a place.

From elsewhere around the web...

Tackling skills gap 'harmed by short-term politics - BBC News

My headteacher said: 'Stop crying, you got into Oxford!' - The Guardian