In a few weeks’ time, students who sat GCSEs this summer will receive results they hope mark a stepping stone to A-level study and on to university. For others, the big day is even sooner, as they wait to see if they got the grades needed to go to their chosen university.
However, for many others, the idea of university is rarely, if ever, considered - especially for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, of the 425,680 accepted in August 2024, only 25,800 were students from the least advantaged UK backgrounds.
If we want more young people to realise their capabilities and ambitions by pursuing a university education, this is something we have to address.
Opening doors to university
That’s why for the past 10 years, many of our secondary schools across Oasis Community Learning have partnered with the university access charity, .
The charity’s Scholars Programme aims to inspire a love of learning in less advantaged students, who have every potential to pursue higher education but may lack the confidence or knowledge to see it as a place for them.
So far, more than 1,200 of our students in Years 7-10 have taken part, giving them the opportunity to build their understanding of degree-level education, answer society’s big questions and feel more prepared for their next steps.
How it works
The programme consists of seven small group tutorials led by a PhD researcher in their subject specialism, either in school or online.
This university-style experience culminates in a final assignment that is marked by their tutor using university grades. Students then celebrate their achievements on a full day out at a leading university, where they meet undergraduates and attend their own graduation ceremony.
Across Oasis academies, students have been exposed to how academic knowledge applies to real-world issues through the expertise of their tutors. This has equipped them to approach thought-provoking big questions posed by their courses, including “How do DNA defects cause cancer?” and “Can texts fight colonialism and inequality?”.
Whether it’s decoding DNA sequences in order to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs or analysing how art can act as a form of political resistance, students become scholars not just of a new subject area, but of the world around them.
Insight into university life
This exposure helps them to gain insights beyond their current level of education and confidently discuss new ideas they may not encounter in class or at home - especially if they’re the first in their family to consider university.
Furthermore, not only does the programme help students to plan and write university-standard essays, but the events’ campus tours and panel discussions also provide an insight into university life, giving our students and their parents greater confidence in their potential next steps.
Since we began delivering The Scholars Programme across Oasis academies, the growth of academic confidence among our young people is unmistakable.
For example, after completing courses on the philosophy of mental causation and migrant care workers in autumn 2023-24, over 70 per cent of our students at Oasis Academy South Bank in London said they could complete university-style assignments to a high standard, while 90 per cent believed they could study at the university of their choice if they continued to work hard.
A national impact
It’s also great to see that effect echoed nationally. For the past nine years, independent have found that students who complete The Scholars Programme are significantly more likely to apply to, and progress within, a competitive university than students from similar backgrounds.
In addition to university progression, the programme also has a proven impact on GCSE attainment. Data from the Higher Education Access Tracker students who took part in Years 7-10 were more likely to achieve a grade 9-5 in English and maths at GCSE than peers with similar prior attainment.
As the government prepares to share its final curriculum and assessment review report, it should recognise the transformative potential of programmes like this, which foster intellectual curiosity, academic confidence and belonging.
We’ve seen the difference it has made to our young people’s hopes for the future, but it needs to become something embedded across all secondary schools - ensuring every young person, regardless of background, understands their options and feels empowered to pursue them.
Sara-Jayne Martin is the national lead for research and best practice at Oasis Community Learning
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