IntoUniversity provides local learning centres where young people are inspired to achieve.
At each local centre IntoUniversity offers an innovative programme that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain either a university place or another chosen aspiration.
The Problem we address
In communities across the UK there are students who can benefit from additional support in order to achieve their ambitions.
They provide academic support, mentoring and programmes that promote young people’s aspirations.
The Innovative support programme
This programme provides children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the help that many children receive as a matter of course. There are three main strands:
- Academic Support
- FOCUS
- Mentoring
Academic Support
Primary and secondary students come down to our centres for Academic Support, where they receive after-school help with homework, coursework, literacy and numeracy from trained tutors. IntoUniversity also offer one-to-one support with GCSE, AS Level, A2 Level and degree options, coursework, revision, exam techniques, UCAS forms, interview techniques and gap years.
FOCUS
The school curriculum gives little sense of the university experience of concentrated, passionate learning in a specialist area. The FOCUS Programme offers young people learning experiences which aim to immerse them in a single topic or subject area. It includes: primary school workshops and FOCUS Weeks, secondary school workshops and holiday FOCUS activities, Extending Horizons weekends away, and after-school Careers in FOCUS.
To find out more out the FOCUS Programme, please click here.
Mentoring
Students aged 10-17 attending Academic Support have the opportunity to join the Mentoring Programme. They are paired with a university student who provides help with school work, social skills, and confidence-building. The mentors act as role models who have already made it to university, and encourage the young people to think about their futures and raise their aspirations.
On the Corporate Mentoring Scheme Year 13 students are paired with graduates in full-time employment. They are supported throughout their final year of college and first year of university. Young people from our target groups are more likely to drop out of university in their first year than their peers, so with the help of their mentors they feel encouraged to continue with their study.
IntoUniversity also run a Buddy Scheme. Groups of secondary students work with university student volunteers to engage in hands-on activities focussed a specific discipline for a full day at a university. Past Buddy Days have focussed on science, medicine, law and engineering.
Are you a parent or guardian who would like to find out more about IntoUniversity?
IntoUniversity has 24 learning centres across the country. Hammersmith's centre can be found at the bottom of this page.
They provide a quiet, safe and stimulating classroom environment for children and young people to do their homework or get advice on their future.
Before you contact
If you would like to register a child with IntoUniversity, please first think about the following questions:
- Is the child or young person ‘looked-after’?
- Is the child or young person entitled to free school meals?
- Is the child or young person living in social housing?
If the answer to any of these questions is YES, please get in touch with your nearest centre to discuss the support they can provide.
Details about our IntoUniversity programme can be found here.
**Before attending the centre for the first time, you will need to register by emailing or calling the centre.