No-one would doubt that all higher education providers care about their students and have been paying extra attention to student wellbeing during the past twelve months. But in a university centre that’s smaller in size than a typical university faculty, we’re lucky to have had the time and space to really focus on individuals and […]

In January you might have seen the headline on the BBC “Sir Antony Gormley announces ‘UK’s biggest art exhibition”. The Great Big Art Exhibition was launched by the artist Sir Antony Gormley, asking people to make an artwork at home and put it in their window or garden. At Immanuel College, we decided to offer […]

It’s been nearly a year since things were turned upside down and our delivery went from primarily in-person, to wholly virtual. Here are some brief lessons learned as we’ve navigated these unchartered waters:  We aren’t experts at this and we need to remember that. None of us are digital content creators. Although I’m sure we […]

2020 was a year of change and challenge, and we all had to adapt and find new ways of working online. Whilst live music and theatre is paused at the moment, we believe that the Performing Arts industry is more important than ever. I spoke to Vic Gimby, Director, Writer and Performing Arts lecturer at […]

On the final week before the Christmas break, Biology, Health and Social Care and Sports Studies students partook in an exciting live event coordinated by Medical Mavericks. Medical Mavericks are an organisation aiming to inspire the next generation of medics and scientists. In a non-COVID world they would take real medical and sports science equipment […]

Leeds Conservatoire has always enjoyed a great relationship with our feeder schools from across the UK and one of the highlights of our school’s liaison calendar is our School Workshop Days held at the beginning of July. This three-day event invites pupils and teachers to the Conservatoire for a series of taster workshops using our […]

Yousra Abdelal is a perfect example of the power of higher education to help young women become trailblazers.  By day she plays a major role in organising and promoting events held by Bradford College, where she is Marketing Events Coordinator. She is also an author, having published her debut novel, Hijab and Red Lipstick.   Published […]

Zac Sheppard discusses his new role I’m very excited to be taking up the position of Care to Go Higher Delivery Officer at Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY). This brand new role will expand on GHWY’s work with care-experienced young people. I’ll be working closely with Natalie Aldridge, Collaborative Outreach Officer, on a number of […]

GHWY and the Post-16 team at Immanuel College teamed up to deliver our first online parents’ session last week using Microsoft Teams. We divided the event into three sections – a (kind of…) fun quiz from me on what parents already knew about university and applications, a session on using the UCAS Hub from our […]

In response to the unprecedented restrictions experienced during Spring/Summer 2020 and beyond, Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) has sought to adapt and innovate to ensure our engagement with core target groups continues, albeit in a very different way.    This has included reimagining our bespoke outreach with care experienced young people, which usually takes place in a highly […]

The day begin ridiculously early with all the supervising teacher clutching coffee in their hands. It was still dark outside, and the coach was waiting, the air crisp, the atmosphere exciting, makeup undone. It would be foolish to say the bus was full of the excited ramble of awaiting students as everyone wanted nothing more […]

Back in early March, still in the throes of a busy month of visiting schools and HE fairs, I thought that virtual outreach was firmly the remit of our talented digital team. Fast forward six months and online presentations, live chats and podcasts are as much a part of my role as prospectuses, recoils and […]

The outreach work we do at Go Higher West Yorkshire has never been so important as during the past few months. Covid-19 has affected many groups of people, one of these being disadvantaged students. These young people would have missed out on much needed support and encouragement from teachers and practitioners like myself due to school […]

Professor Margaret House, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University and former Chair of GHWY’s Board, reflects on the consortium’s achievements.  Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) is one of the largest and most successful collaborative FE and HE partnerships for the delivery of HE opportunities in England. It has gained a reputation in the region for developing and promoting activities […]

For Mental Health Awareness Week,  University Centre Leeds answered students’ questions in relation to home learning/working and provided some tips. Some of the key points are detailed below. Maintaining productivity Students said working from home has positives including less commute time, time to do housework and time with children or pets but it can be […]

With all the craziness that’s happening around the world Positively Mad have done the students of Outwood Academy Hemsworth a massive favour.   They have produced some fantastic resources for the students around ‘Coping with COVID’. The resources contain tips and skills around productivity and the checking of social media sources.   The resources are […]

I started my role as a Higher Education Progression Officer at Leeds City College in January. I came from a HE admissions background and the role was different to anything I’d done before. The setting of a college has taken some getting used to, although the size of it isn’t far off that of a […]

A lot has changed in the past few months that has completely changed the way that work, society, and we ourselves function. In this blog, I will detail a few challenges, unexpected positives, and what I think are important things to consider with taking outreach forward in the next academic year. Challenges with Work and […]

It’s getting to that time where some of you will be starting to think about your Higher Education choices and with over 50,000 courses to choose from in the UK, it can be difficult to know where to start! Over the past few weeks I have been helping some students research different courses and a […]

Well, 2020 will certainly be a year to remember! While we battle with all the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, online tutoring has helped some of our students to breakdown a number of invisible barriers to their online learning experiences, and raise their hopes for the future. Go Higher West Yorkshire has funded some online subject […]

Welcome to Positively MAD week at the Ruth Gorse Academy! This programme, however, looks very different than the last week-long Go Higher West Yorkshire activity at school – while the Careers Fair in March saw employers and education providers from all over Yorkshire interacting with students in person, we, as everyone else, have now adapted […]

Back in November, Year 10 Photography and Art students from De Lacy Academy attended a “Photography & David Smith” workshop at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The students enjoyed a tour of the park and took photographs along the way, focusing on the sculpture work of David Smith. They then took part in a creative workshop where, […]

As part of an ongoing programme of good practice sharing events, Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) brought together delegates from 11 HE partners for ‘Averting Crisis: Supporting the Mental Health of Vulnerable Students’ in June 2020.  The diverse online session featured best practice presentations from University of Lincoln and Leeds College of Building, as well as constructive personal insights […]

Nine Bradford Academy students in Year 10 attended two Photography workshops at the University of Bradford to produce a final narrated video in conjunction with the Bradford Schools of Sanctuary’s Refugee Week project, titled ‘This is Me’. Prior to the start of the project, Dr Karen Thornton, Programme Leader BA (Hons) Film and Television Production […]

Despite the lockdown, James Rew from Leeds College of Music ploughed through and went ahead with planned training for the current Year 12 tutors and NQTs at Immanuel College. He moved his input online and delivered an interactive session on student finance, writing UCAS references and personal statements. The training covered a refresher on the […]

On February 12th 2020 myself and three other students from Cockburn School attended a Youth Voice Summit for Tackling Climate Change. It was an all-day event which took place in the Leeds Civic Hall, and it was attended by 116 students and staff from 21 high schools and colleges around Leeds. The day offered a […]

This is a scary and stressful time for all concerned students, their parents, teachers and advisers and university staff.  Like Christmas, it only happens once a year, requires huge amounts of preparation and build up and then seems to be over in a flash.  The difficulty with Clearing is that most students aren’t prepared for […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire’s Progression Officers recently launched a weekly challenge for students to engage in a positive activity during uncertain times. The challenge is designed to add a sense of purpose to students’ routines by providing a new challenge each week. GHWY’s challenge also includes the HE Provider of the week section, which encourages […]

When choosing your music or performing arts degree, it’s important to choose the right institution for you and your future career. Both conservatoires and universities offer these options for training, but what’s the difference? What does a conservatoire offer that you might not find in another higher education institution? What is a conservatoire? A conservatoire […]

APSG members will be aware that GHWY launched an online space, which is hosted through Basecamp, late last year. This is dedicated to collaborative working with and between group members. Its communicative functions, which are yet to be taken advantage of by members, can help to support:  More communication/collaboration in between meetings  Easier direct communications […]

Kirklees College has recently appointed a new GHWY outreach officer, Henna. She will be based at the College organising projects with local schools and the community to promote all things Higher Education and Higher Skills.   Zulakha Desai, Head of Higher Education and Higher Skills, said: ‘’We are so excited to have on board our new outreach […]

The GHWY / Uni-Connect Higher Education (HE) Roadshow was rolled out to higher and degree levels at the Ridings Centre Wakefield. Now in its third year, the two–day event offered free HE advice, careers interviews and entertainment.  Universities and University Centres from across West Yorkshire, along with Wakefield College, Wakefield College Apprenticeships, HMRC Apprenticeships, Police, Armed Forces Careers, Morrisons, and many other companies and […]

During these uncertain times it’s important to think creatively and engage students in activities that will enhance their purpose. Go Higher West Yorkshire’s Weekly Challenge was designed by one of our Progression Officers (Joanne Welding, Immanuel College) to encourage students to think about Higher Education in a fun and creative way. Each week, a new […]

On Wednesday 4th March, the Outreach Officers from the University Centre Leeds and University of Huddersfield held a Policing Taster Day at The West Yorkshire Police Training and Development Centre in Wakefield. The students that attended were from schools and colleges in West Yorkshire, and Wakefield College sent along a group of first year Level […]

The Merrion Centre Challenge is an annual project led by Ahead Partnership, an organisation that runs programmes that link businesses and schools together. This was a project that I organised both this year and last, and one where I really enjoyed seeing how much the students had developed by the end of it. For this […]

On Tuesday 25th February, I attended a trip to one of the most prestigious universities in the north- the University of Manchester. Myself and five other students from Carlton Bolling had the opportunity to explore the campus and expand our knowledge about the different student societies at the University. We took part in many fun […]

At the end of February, Leeds Beckett University and Notre Dame Sixth Form College collaborated to hold two Talking Heads events for students looking ahead to their futures in Higher Education and beyond. A repeat of a similar event held the previous academic year, the engagement was part of the Kaleidoscope project of intervention with […]

On the week of 3rd March, all pupils from the Ruth Gorse Academy participated in National Careers Week. Students engaged in form-time activities that allowed them to be introspective about their skills, learn about the wider world of careers, and access information about their options and pathways. Activities included speaking with teachers and staff about […]

On Thursday 5th March, Bradford Academy was visited by Paralympic medallist Elizabeth Wright, who delivered an inspirational and motivational assembly to Year 9 students and a character building workshop to selected students across Years 9-13. Elizabeth used her own journey to Paralympic success and experience of studying at University to demonstrate that anything is achievable! […]

Charlotte is currently a Year 13 student at Hanson School. Her experiences with GHWY include a STEM visit to the Jaguar Landrover factory at Halewood, a Start Your Health Career taster day at University of Leeds, a collaborative taster day for English Literature also at University of Leeds and various higher education fairs, assemblies and […]

On the 9th March, 7 lucky Year 10 students from Minsthorpe Community College attended the Explore English taster day with University of Leeds and Leeds Arts University. The aim of the day was to give the students a taste of what studying English at university is like. With the University of Leeds, the students took […]

As Go Higher continues through Phase 2 and works on despite COVID-19, Immanuel College students have still had lots of opportunities to try out new experiences to prepare them for their post-18 plans. Activities this term have been mainly for Years 9, 10 and 12. On the 6th March, Year 10 students attended an English […]

A University of Leeds Fellow visited De Lacy Academy this term to deliver a workshop to top set classes from Years 9, 10 and 11. Organised with the Leeds University Outreach Team, the session was based on engineering design and the geometric calculations required when measuring the scoliotic curve. A total of 81 students took […]

A select group of Year 10 students at Appleton Academy had a unique opportunity this term to learn about student finance from former CEO of Barclays Bank Peter Harvey. Peter enjoyed a 34-year career at the bank and rose to become CEO of the corporate/commercial bank and Vice-Chair of UK banking before retiring from the […]

Hello! I’m Michelle Nixon, the new HEP for Go Higher West Yorkshire! So, what is a HEP and what do they do?  Great question, and honestly, it was my first question in my first team meeting. HEP stands for Higher Education Provide, and there are currently 13 HEPs based in colleges and universities across the […]

Did you know women make up just 13% of the construction industry workforce? Leeds College of Building wants this to change. To celebrate International Women’s Day 2020, we welcomed 27 girls on to campus to learn about construction and the different careers available, from trades to construction management. Mount St Mary’s, Leeds West Academy, Cathedral […]

New College Pontefract is in its third year of a developed mentoring programme, pairing students to improve their academic performance whilst raising aspirations for the future. Peer Mentoring here is a working relationship between two students who are a similar age, where one student has more experience in a situation and can provide support as […]

On Tuesday the 11th February Elliott Hudson College hosted its annual Destinations Day event for all Year 12 students – and this year the event was bigger and better than ever! Destinations Day includes a careers fair set across two spaces in college, with over 40 stalls staffed by representatives from apprenticeship and higher education […]

On Wednesday the 15th January 2020, Elliott Hudson College welcomed back Operating Theatre Live – an interactive masterclass that allows students to develop their anatomical knowledge, take part in live dissection and gain an insight into different careers within healthcare. This event was aimed at Year 12 students studying Biology or Medical Science, and allowed […]

The University of Leeds has successfully delivered the National Art & Design Saturday Club in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies since November 2017 The Club is part of a national network created by the Sorrell Foundation and coordinated by the Saturday Club Trust, and gives young people aged 13 […]

All Higher Education Providers within Go Higher West Yorkshire provide support for students coming into and through their University and College. The University of Leeds for example supports students with their  ‘The Plus Programme’, which  is an extra support scheme available to students who have entered the University through specific access routes. The Plus Programme […]

On the 9th of January nine fortunate students from our school (including myself) went on a one night, 2-day, residential trip to one of the worlds most rated universities, Cambridge. Also joining us on this NCOP funded trip were students from three other schools in the Wakefield area. Despite having to meet at school for […]

Cameron is in his second year of a Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment at Leeds College of Building. He’s recently completed his UCAS application for university and is hoping to study a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. “When I look back at when I was at school, I can see that […]

On the 21st January, seven students from Appleton Academy travelled to Leeds Arts University to look at the department and take part in a workshop, helping students to understand how art can lead to exciting and diverse careers. They were guided around by Progression Support Worker Jenny Scannell and supervised by Heather Aveyard as they […]

It’s been a crazy start for Hemsworth students this year with activities taking place all the way across the year group, but let’s take a moment to appreciate the amazing work of the Art of Being Brilliant. The Art of Being Brilliant is based upon a book written by Andy Cope, about positivity and making […]

I was curious about the size and scale of the cohort we have to reach and target through widening participation engagement and so I looked at the GOV.UK datasets of GCSE attainment and the annual reports from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) websites. Working on the premise that Grade 4 in English and Maths […]

Immanuel year 13 students are thinking hard now about their plans for next year and the vast majority have decided on a university route. I asked a few of the students about the Go Higher West Yorkshire project and recorded their answers. For Immanuel students, the experience of seeing a university first-hand is really important. […]

In this article I discuss the approaches to targeting in a schools and colleges context and then look to individual criteria to be a recipient of the Uni Connect opportunities (previously branded as National Collaborative Outreach Programme). The directives and guidance from the Regulatory body for Higher Education, the Office for Students (OfS) is clear […]

On Thursday 14th November, Year 10 students engaged in 4 employability skills workshops delivered by the talented and comedic PUSH Talks presenters. Workshop topics ranged from soft/hard skills, communication and interview skills, confidence building and how to be a well-rounded individual. Bradford Academy students fully immersed themselves in the drama led Confidence Building workshop which […]

Returning to my old college as a staff member has been a surreal experience. It feels like I have come full circle in the best way; that is not to say, however, that my experience so far has been without challenge. The college is a vast organisation, spanning four sites and hosting thousands of students […]

A selection of Year 12 and 13 students from Pontefract New College this term attended a conference at the University of Warwick, hosted by The Training Partnership and featuring a number of talks from industry experts in Computer Science and a session on exam technique. The students, who were studying either Computer Science A Level […]

A small group year 9 students from our Bradford school had the opportunity to visit the University of Leeds’s Engineering department for a taster day, many of whom could go on to become the first in their families to attend higher education. ‘Engineering’ is a broad term which covers a vast variety of disciplines and […]

Level 3 Year 1 Construction students enjoyed an interactive taster session at Sheffield Hallam University this term.  Before we started the day, students were asked, ‘Do you want to go to university/study after completion of level 3?’  7 out of 25 students answered YES! The day started off with an insight to the careers that […]

Liverpool is one of England’s most productive musical cities (The Beatles, anyone?) so what better university for Wakefield College to attend for a music experience than The University of Liverpool. The students had an early start, arriving at 7am to travel to Liverpool. Upon arrival, their Liverpool tour started at the university with an opportunity […]

For the past 3 years Wakefield College have taken 2nd Year music performers to see a live orchestra at Huddersfield Town Hall with the support of funding by Go Higher West Yorkshire, with the trip forming part of their introduction to film music. As the film and TV industry has been vastly growing over the […]

As part of Tong Leadership Academy’s Careers Focused Day, student ambassadors visited the school to deliver a HE workshop, providing students with information about Higher Education. This involved information about a variety of topics including HE routes, social aspects such as clubs/societies as well as opportunities to gain experience abroad. This workshop encouraged the students […]

Explore History aimed to be a truly exploratory look at history from different cultural and historical perspectives and it did not disappoint. The day began at the University of Leeds with a Research Skills Workshop led by Postgraduate Researcher Emily Webb. Following this students embarked on a journey through time and history and took park […]

World Skills Live at Birmingham NEC is one of the largest careers conventions in the UK, and this year Year 9 students from Carlton Bolling had the opportunity to go along and interact with a range of employers who were delivering live demonstrations of their trade. The event was well attended from schools from all […]

As part of the careers curriculum, all Year 9 students have the opportunity to visit a higher education institution. At Trinity Academy Halifax, we want students to raise student aspirations and introduce them to the range of options open to them in the future. We believe that by showing students what a university is like, […]

Students from Castleford Academy this term enjoyed an informative visit from the Maria Mallaband Group. Alyson Thompson, Apprenticeship Training Manager from the Group, came into school to talk about what they have to offer students who would be looking into apprenticeships working within their company. This included things like pay, workload, opportunities and progression. Alongside […]

This term on the 20th November 2019, the school careers advisor and I took a group of 12 female Year 10 students on a trip to Wellington Place as a follow up event to an impressive “Women in Leadership” day that took place last year. The day was organised by Ahead Partnership to give school […]

This week, students at Calderdale College have been solving clues and unlocking the padlocks against the clock with a new Maths and English escape room initiative. Students have been absorbed with puzzles and games, designed to keep our Level 2 and 3 students, who recently re-sat GCSE English and Maths, motivated to continue with their […]

In the Autumn term, Year 11 students at Minsthorpe Community College listened to a talk delivered by David Hodgson, author of “The Brain Box” and creator of the Buzz Quiz. This activity aimed to equip students with a new perspective on studying to aid them, not only through their GCSEs but through Further and even […]

Calderdale College’s Art and Design students have launched a new project called “Home Pride” which celebrates the local area through art. Students are working collaboratively with Calderdale Libraries and Hargreaves Foundry to produce a number of art pieces, all of which promote Calderdale and West Yorkshire. From these, a series of works will be selected […]

It’s been an exciting Autumn term at Mount St Mary’s! Read on for a round up of all the great NCOP activity that’s been taking place… OCT// Year 10 students had the opportunity to visit the ITV Studios in Leeds for ITV News Day. Here students learnt about all the different careers options available within […]

On Monday December 2nd, top set Year 11 Science students from Hanson Academy joined a handful of interested sixth formers for an exciting opportunity to find out more about Optometry. The students took part in a workshop delivered by a practicing optometrist to introduce optometry as a potential career option. Many of the students were […]

Back when I started working on the National Collaborative Outreach Programme in 2017, it was a priority to seek out important community locations and stakeholders that were primed for engagement with our work around Higher Education and Widening Participation. It quickly became apparent when working in the Wakefield region that the libraries were an integral […]

Considering a career within the creative industry? Our Year 7, 8 and 9 Castleford Academy students learnt about the dedication, passion and drive required to make it to the top of any career and how to succeed in the future. The BBC Bitesize roadshow, presented by BBC Radio 1xtra DJ Nick Bright brought along 3 […]

Ever thought about the range of health care professionals one elderly lady would meet as a result of a fall and calling 999? Dr Grace Roberts from the University of Leeds came along to Immanuel College to showcase to parents and students the range of careers and opportunities available in health care. It isn’t all […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire is delighted to have arranged its first NCOP community event in the Knottingley area. It was well attended and evaluation on the evening showed most people rated the event as excellent. The aim of this event was to work with Warwick ahead, part of Big Local areas across England who are […]

In the Autumn term, Airedale Academy has a very special visitor in school. Jamie Peacock MBE came to meet with our Year 11 male students to inspire them for this very important and challenging year ahead. His personal story of how he went from an average amateur rugby league player, who had been over looked […]

Interest in higher apprenticeships continues to grow since the programme launched in 2011. They now account for 20% of the 2,500 apprentices that attend Leeds College of Building. One area where the College is bucking the trend is with applications from females. Over the last four years, the College has seen an increase in the […]

Recent graduates and college leavers from Go Higher West Yorkshire’s 13 partners have got plenty to celebrate this Yorkshire Day (1 August). As they move into employment, the wide range of expertise they offer will make them highly sought after by employers. Many will also be able to help plug the region’s skills shortages, which […]

Meegan Worcester, who sat on the estranged student panel at Go Higher West Yorkshire’s Good Practice event, reflects on her experience. The session, which encouraged and supported partners to reach out to estranged students, was held on 10 June 2019 at the University of Leeds. Being a part of the Stand Alone estranged student panel […]

Ninety students from ten schools and colleges across West Yorkshire enjoyed a programme of activities that was designed to provide an immersive Higher Education (HE) experience. The young people attended Go Higher West Yorkshire’s ‘Class of 2025’ Collaborative Summer School, which was held between 16-17 July 2019. The residential followed the student journey from registration […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire is a partnership of  universities and colleges in West Yorkshire. We provide a single point of contact for information on our Higher Education Provider partners, to help with access and preparation for studying. As part of this work, we deliver the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) in West Yorkshire. The programme […]

Go class of 2025! 2025 may seem a long time away… This is the year that our current year 10 students can expect to graduate from university. To give students a taste now of being a university student, a group of Immanuel students took part in a 2 day residential, with schools from across Bradford, […]

Kirklees College puts learning at the heart of all it does and makes it their mission to ensure all its students are given the chance to create opportunity and change their lives. Whether that be through study, delivering work placement opportunities or enabling each student to reach and fulfil their potential through extra curriculum activities, […]

On Monday 1st July 2019, approximately 59 students travelled the 2 hour journey from De Lacy,  Airedale Academy and Featherstone Academy to the Outward Bound centre in Ullswater which is located in the Lake District to take part in the Wakefield District Housing (WDH) community leadership programme (CLP) for the week. The students spent 5 […]

From Here to There A note on the project lead: Tom Senior, worked as an Outreach Officer on behalf of Go Higher West Yorkshire, employed by Leeds Beckett University. Tom initiated the idea of students expressing their ideas, hopes and fears towards Higher Education through a variety of academic subject areas. This project was driven […]

How can GHWY encourage and support our partners to reach out to estranged students, and to train their staff to be better equipped to understand and respond to unique issues faced by this group? These and related topics were explored in the third in a series of good practice sharing events that was held at […]

In May 2018 The University Centre at Leeds City College launched their community outreach programme that continues to grow. They offer a number of fun activities in community hubs across the city, working with young people, parents/carers, influencers, organisation leaders, and mature learners. The purpose of the activities is to provide a ‘have-a-go’ opportunity to […]

The Progression Framework is a requirement of all Uni Connect partnerships, and is in line with the Office for Students increased emphasis on the need for sustained outreach interventions that build upon one another. This is also supported by our own research and evaluation, which was found that ‘helping underrepresented communities progress to higher education […]

This Foster Care Fortnight Go Higher West Yorkshire is highlighting our efforts to reach and upskill the professionals who can potentially have the greatest influence on care experienced young people: foster carers, children’s home staff and personal advisors. The GHWY Care Leaver Covenant – which has received national recognition – is part of our long […]

After the success of last year’s GHWY construction project, it was students from De Lacy Academy who had the opportunity to take part in this year’s project, this time in partnership with ENGIE. Spanning a three-month period, the Year 9 students took part in an exciting range of workshops covering topics such as the Construction […]

Date: 20th March 2019 Going to visit a university and meeting “real life” students has come out again as a huge plus in Immanuel College students’ feelings about their trip to the University of Huddersfield this week. Twenty-eight Year 9 and 10 students went to Huddersfield University for the day and took part in activities […]

250 young people, their families and teachers from across West Yorkshire and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from South Kirkby and Moorthorpe Town Council attended an event on Wednesday 13 March to get inspired about a career in the live events and creative industries. Go Higher West Yorkshire, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Backstage Academy […]

A railway station, a new housing development, a doctor’s surgery, open spaces – all part of the design project which is the Kirkstall Forge site in Leeds. Two students from Year 12 at Immanuel College went along to find out more about the engineering opportunities available in the UK construction industry. Other career opportunities include […]

On Friday 15th March 5 Year 10 girls from Bradford Academy spent the day at the University of Leeds learning about many different strands of Engineering, as part of Leeds Festival of Science. The students were able to understand many different areas of work which require engineers and get involved in practical, hands-on activities working […]

We all want the best for our students.  We want them to excel academically and we want to prepare them as best we can to make the transition from study to employment. An article in the Irish Times said that, “new graduates expect authenticity from employers; want jobs with meaning and are determined to make […]

When: 06/03/2019, 12:00 – 14:45 Where: Leeds City College- Printworks Campus- International Kitchen NCOP facilitated Year 9 Food Technology students attending Leeds City College for an engaging and hands on Hospitality and Catering Curriculum Taster Session. The students arrived at the busy LCC Printworks campus (which was also hosting a careers fair!) and were immediately able to […]

On 25th February, the first morning back after the half term break, Year 10 were well and truly thrown in at the deep end as they had the opportunity to watch a play performed entirely in Spanish. 2 native Spanish speakers from ‘Onatti Productions’ performed the hilariously entertaining ‘El Viejo Saloon’ a play about a […]

Looked after children and young people enjoyed two interactive workshops that gave them the opportunity to explore what their future could hold at Go Higher West Yorkshire’s recent Foster Family Fun Day. The event, which was held at Leeds City Museum on Tuesday, 20 February, aimed to encourage 5-16 year olds who are currently in […]

Offering 2 days of free higher education advice, careers interviews and entertainment, the GHWY/NCOP HE Roadshow descended on the Ridings centre Wakefield for the second year running. Universities and University Centres from across West Yorkshire, along with Wakefield College, Wakefield College Apprenticeships, HMRC Apprenticeships, HSBC and Children’s University, joined together in Wakefield to raise the […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire/National Collaborative Outreach Programme are by now seasoned collaborators, however a visitor from over the pond took things to another level even by our standards! In January 2019 Judine Somerville (http://www.justjudine.co/my-biography.html), star of stage and screen, flew in from New York City to work with students across West Yorkshire.  Primarily based at […]

Where: Leeds Minster and Makkah Mosque in Leeds When: 21/01/2018 Time: 09:00-15:00 NCOP facilitated Year 10 RE students from Cockburn John Charles  to go on an ‘Exploring Faiths’ trip, to assist in raising attainment and increasing knowledge of the different faiths of their city and places of worship, both of which are crucial to success […]

Over the Christmas break 15 lucky students from Bradford Academy were given the opportunity to enjoy an overnight stay in London. The students enjoyed a sightseeing guided tour which included a visit to the British Museum, seeing the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, wandering around Green Park and being entertained by the fantastic […]

Practical and achievable solutions to evidence the impact of widening participation at higher education providers were discussed at GHWY’s second Good Practice Programme event. Evaluation for All: Developing Evidence of Widening Participation, which was held at the University of Leeds on 14 December 2018, drew on a range of expertise and provided ideas that were […]

Leeds College of Building Taster Day On Monday 17th December a group of Year 11 boys from Bradford Academy were given the fantastic opportunity to visit Leeds College of Building (LCB). The 11 students are a group who meet regularly with teacher Andrew Sutcliffe, as he supports them in planning their next steps after sitting […]

On Monday 3rd December, we welcomed the Leeds TV crew into Kirklees College, or more precisely the Taylor Hill campus where all the Animal Management courses are based. The aim of the day was to make a film all about life on the HNC in Animal Management. The added bonus was we got to meet […]

On the 21st November staff, students and family members from Featherstone Academy came together with Jayne Kaye from Wakefield University Centre and Laura Bareham from the University of Huddersfield to celebrate the fantastic achievements of the ‘Roving Reporters’. Signalling the end of a project that spanned over a year in total, it was fantastic to […]

Student Life from a commuter’s perspective Applying to University is the first big step towards a new and exciting adventure. Amongst all the excitement and anticipation as you wait to hear back from your chosen universities, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed too! It can be nerve-wrecking deciding on which University to apply to, and which […]

If we can all agree on one thing, it’s that life is not fair. We all have our own challenges to overcome but some seem to have more challenges than others, and some challenges are a lot more obvious than others. I’ve been interested in disability for a long time. My Mum worked with a […]

Over the Autumn half term I have had the privilege to invite parents, carers and other family members and friends into our Academy to learn more about Further and Higher Education, and what they can do to support their young people through this challenging period. Roy Ward led the 3 after school sessions. Roy works […]

Last week 15 students from Cockburn Academy went to the “Explore STEM” event at University of Leeds with a number of schools across Leeds and Wakefield. This was a great event and opportunity for students to learn more about what STEM is and what it would be like to study in this area at a […]

As an 18-year-old aspiring Solicitor, I had two options… Do I go to University, or do I apply for a legal apprenticeship? Either route seemed daunting at the time, and it was the first time that I had found myself at a crossroad that would affect the rest of my life. Many University visits and […]

A big thank you to Howard from Kirkstall Forge for coming into Cockburn Academy last week to speak to students about careers in construction and routes onto their apprenticeship pathway. Howard discussed a number of different pathways available stressing the less conventional options available to students who are interested in construction from Project Management and […]

When people say that university is the best years of your life I didn’t really believe them, but now being here in my fourth and final year, I can honestly say I would love to do it all again! I grew up in a small village where I knew everybody and everybody knew you. I […]

Leeds West Academy were privileged to welcome Medical Mavericks into the academy. Medical Mavericks are a company that seek to inspire all students to make more informed decisions about their career and lifestyle choices. They introduced our students to different careers within the medical profession, explaining that there are over 300+ career opportunities related to the medical profession. They provided our […]

It is 5pm on the day of the University of Bradford’s Summer Experience Awards & Networking Evening. Speakers are booked, the buffet laid out, name badges await collection, the photographer is ready and waiting, and balloons reach for the ceiling tugging at their weights. Everything is in place for a fabulous celebration of the work […]

On the 4th of July, a group of students and I went to York St John’s University for a taster session in Politics and English and a brief Campus Tour. The entire experience was something that I enjoyed immensely, and has helped in my decision to further pursue English and writing. When we arrived, we […]

It was closed to public vehicles way back in 1993. Then entirely closed to public transport in 1996. So, you would need a good memory to remember seeing a bus parked on Briggate, Leeds. (I just about remember …) That is unless you were in the city on Friday the 17th of August 2018. That […]

Over the past two weeks I have completed a Summer Project with the Research and Evaluation team at Go Higher West Yorkshire. It has been a fantastic 2 weeks and it has been inspirational to learn about the great work they do. I have been lucky enough to gain an insight into a wide range […]

Date: 2 July 2018 Location: Airedale Academy Time: 9.00 – 2.30pm   Medical Mavericks ran workshops for some very lucky Year 9 and Year 10 students about the different careers available post 16. Beth, a 3rd year medical student, showed students an array of medical tests that they could try for themselves in this fantastic, […]

Students inspired by sporting legends to work hard Since March 2018, 12 Year 9 boys have been working hard on making small changes everyday. The Marginal Gains programme was led by Sean Dirrane of Cosmos Engagement and focused on the ways that these small changes can lead to big results across a range of areas in our lives. The […]

Name: Tom Senior Role: Higher Education Progression Outreach Officer Institution: Leeds Beckett University I met my colleague Jayne Kaye at South Elmsall train station, Saturday morning (21/07/18) – fully laden with resources and equipment – for our time at the festival in South Kirkby. When we had eventually found the site and set up, I went […]

Year 9 students at Leeds West Academy went on an exciting visit to Liverpool last month; as part of the IntoUniversity‘s Extended Horizons residential programme. The trip included exploring the Albert Docks, a tour of Liverpool University, pizza making, crazy golf, watching the World Cup England match, a ferry trip to Wallasey and an inspirational journey […]

On Thursday, 12th July, Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College invited A level NCOP students to take part in a creative writing masterclass. The session was led by Martyn Bedford, senior lecturer in creative writing at Leeds Trinity University and author of eight novels. Martyn introduced the session  by talking about some of his students who […]

9 lucky Bradford Academy students were given the fantastic opportunity to attend cooking school held at Bradford College at the start of July, 2018. The two week course saw students start with basics (day 1 was all about eggs!) and build up to be able to cook an entire meal! The most impressive recipes included […]

Thursday 12th July All of Year 12 from Bradford Academy were invited to attend a formal conference style event to begin thinking about their future options Post-16 & Post-18. The morning event allowed students to access their UCAS accounts online and start thinking about what a good personal statement looks like. The students also undertook 2 […]

Over four hundred years ago Shakespeare embarked upon a journey from Stratford to London to showcase his writing in a liberal, vibrant theatre just outside London on the south side of the River Thames. He worked at the Globe for fifteen years, during which time he wrote some of his most famous plays including Hamlet, […]

How many Higher Education institutions are there in the UK? How many courses do universities offer in the UK? What is a Russell Group university? What’s the difference between a campus university and a city centre university? In June a group of Immanuel College parents and students braved the heat to learn the answers to […]

Name: Tom Senior Position: NCOP Outreach Officer, Leeds Beckett University I had the pleasure of spending three hours on – and off – the Go Higher West Yorkshire bus, in the company of fellow colleagues Chris and Catherine at Bradford Academy, last Thursday. During that time, we spoke with staff, parents, students and their younger siblings about […]

The Hepworth Gallery is certainly worth a visit! As part of the Go Higher programme at Immanuel College a group of year 12 students visited the Hepworth gallery in Wakefield on one of the hottest days of the year. Luckily the venue was very well air conditioned! The visit was designed to give the students […]

Students of Airedale Academy were excited to meet published author Steve Way for a day filled with creative writing. Author of STEM-based fiction writing and the ‘How to Write Creatively’ manuals, Steve conducted a writing masterclass with Year 9 and 10 students, encouraging them to consider writing and reading as a future opportunity to study […]

During the half-term holidays, I was given the opportunity to do a “Routes into STEM” course, organised by the Engineering Development Trust. The EDT is one of the country’s largest providers of enrichment activities for young people in technology and engineering. The course was fully subsidised by my school through NCOP, but all participants had […]

On Tuesday 12th June a group of Year 9 learners made the 40 minute journey from Bradford Academy to the University of Leeds Parkinson Building, where we were met by our student ambassadors, who were to be our hosts for the event “Research in the Spotlight”. The day began with students from 5 different schools […]

A group of students from Wakefield schools travelled to the Lake District this term for an exciting five-day residential with the Outward Bound Trust. Following a rigorous application process, 46  students from Airedale, Featherstone and Freeston Academies were chosen to attend by Wakefield District Housing (WDH) as part of their Community Leadership Programme. Aiming to […]

Students from Bradford Academy had a chance to “meet the professionals” in a variety of Health Care careers at the Go Higher in Healthcare event held at The University of Leeds on Wednesday 6th June. Year 12 students with a keen interest in pursuing a career in Healthcare were joined by Year 10 students, many […]

Learn By Design’s recent visit to St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form College included the ‘Science Show’ followed by three consecutive workshops with a STEM focus. The Science Show was delivered to the whole Year 9 group as an extended assembly. Students enjoyed the demonstrations as the workshop leader involved students to participate […]

One of the UK’s hidden gems of the live events industry and learning is lifting the curtain on its secrets to encourage some of West Yorkshire’s most talented students to head to university.  Production Park in South Kirkby is the ‘go to’ location for the world’s top performers when planning their live events. A creative […]

As part of the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP), 29 students from the Castleford area took part in an exciting project co-delivered by Go Higher West Yorkshire and national house builders Keepmoat Homes. The students, who were selected from Castleford Academy and Airedale Academy, worked with both student and industry ambassadors to explore different elements […]

  Every week, young people from the Ravenscliffe estate in Eccleshill, Bradford, go to the Ravenscliffe Youth Centre for an open access youth group where they take part in arts and crafts activities, sports and games. Following meetings with the Youth Worker at the Centre, the NCOP Outreach Officer from Bradford College met with a […]

On Friday 11th May a group of 19 students from Bradford Academy got to experience a graduation ceremony to reward their hard work and achievements throughout ‘The Brilliant Club’. The Brilliant club is an award-winning charity that exists to increase the number of pupils from under-represented backgrounds progressing to highly-selective universities, by allowing students the […]

The Research and Evaluation Team were delighted to host a Realist Evaluation Workshop, held at Leeds Beckett’s Cloth Hall Court on Tuesday 1 May. The event was well-attended by colleagues from across the country, including members of the NCOP Data and Evaluation Group, the national NCOP Evaluation Team at CFE Research and the NEON Evaluation […]

Building confidence and empowerment were the order of the day at Titus Salt School this May. Girls from Years 9 and 10 had the opportunity to attend two workshops with Street Style Surgery. The workshops were drama-based and involved the girls acting out various scenarios in order to explore their own feelings of self-confidence. The […]

The future started to come into focus on Tuesday 1st May as Year 10 pupils, parents and carers at Titus Salt School had the opportunity to find out about post-16 options.   Year 10 pupils and their parents and carers were able to ask questions of a panel of representatives from local universities and charitable […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire’s programme of good practice sharing events aimed exclusively at our Higher Education (HE) provider partners was launched on 30 April 2018. Addressing Barriers to Student Success, held at Leeds Beckett University, gave staff the opportunity to experience the benefits of the partnership by gaining insight into innovative thinking and projects across […]

Go Higher West Yorkshire welcomed children and young people who are currently in care to three fun workshops at Bankfield Museum in Halifax last month, exploring themes around law, crime and justice. Tying in with the Museum’s Horrible Halifax exhibition, the Foster Family Fun Day: Law and Justice was designed to encourage 5-16 year olds, […]

On the 25th and 26th April, selected Year 11 students from St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form College visited Harrogate International Convention Centre to attend the ‘Strive for 5’ PiXL conferences. Students who are currently averaging on the borderline of level 4/5 grades were selected to enhance their understanding of the exam papers and […]

Our Exam Buster Revision Skills Engage Evening took place on Wednesday 28th March from 5.30pm-7pm. The evening aimed to support parents in developing the confidence, skills, knowledge and understanding required to support their child in learning at home. The Exam Buster session was available for the parents of Leeds West Academy students in Years 10, […]

During the first week of term after the Easter break, NCOP supplier ‘Thinking Space’ came into school to host Future Proof Philosophy workshops with Year 9 students who had just kick-started their new RE syllabus. Students engaged positively with each of the three workshops delivered in a consecutive series by Thinking Space, encouraging deeper thinking […]

On Thursday 15th March, a selected group of Year 9 boys participated in a life skills and goal setting session with founder of LOAF Training, Gavin Scott. Gavin earned immediate respect from the boys due to his previous background as a professional referee, using examples from his past career to demonstrate important life skills such […]

At Go Higher West Yorkshire we are dedicated to supporting young people and parents into Higher Education.  That’s why Higher Education Progression Officer James Kelly from Appleton Academy, alongside Roy Ward, our Outreach Officer from Bradford College organised the first in a series of workshops designed to allow parents and families to find out more […]

On the 9th March 2018, five professionals from different careers in the media came into school to talk about what it is like to have a job in the media industry. They each had a different job, ranging from Photographer to Sports Journalist. Students who were taking Media as a GCSE option and who may […]

The Leeds team have arranged a weekly informal meet-up where parents work with a representative from Leeds Arts University and the school’s Higher Education Progression Officers to learn more about Higher Education. The aim of these sessions has been for parents and carers to feel more knowledgeable about the Higher Education process. This will enable […]

On Thursday 15th March, we helped Leeds West Academy facilitate their ‘Marginal Gains’ programme with their Year 9 boys. Sean Dirrane from Cosmos Engagement Ltd lead the boys through a number of engaging activities, which focused on the ways that small changes can build up to make big improvements. After stacking sugar cubes and transferring peas using […]

On the 5th March 2018, St Wilfrid’s hosted a careers fair for Years 8, 9, 10, 11 and Sixth Form students. A variety of universities, colleges, services and other Higher Education providers with post-college opportunities were promoting what they can offer to students, including the National Citizen Service (NCS), University of Huddersfield, Wakefield College, Army […]

The whole of Year 12 and the Head of Sixth Form at Beckfoot Oakbank School attended an hour long workshop to reflect on personal goals, encouraging students to be open minded and ambitious when it comes to thinking about Higher Education and university. The aim was to offer a fun and engaging session for students […]

Year 9 and 10 pupils from Airedale Academy took a trip to Sheffield in January to enjoy Science Live! at the City Hall. One of a series of events for GCSE Science students cross the UK, the day gave the students a chance to see and hear five of Britain’s top scientists, including human fertility […]

Year 11 students from Airedale academy visited Herd Farm Activity Centre this month, enjoying an English and Maths-based residential aimed at raising confidence with revision and building life skills to support living away from home in Higher Education. Students enjoyed four different team building activities outside as well as two days of English and Maths […]

The second and third pilot phases of the GHWY NCOP Young Researchers programme are taking place in February and March 2018. After a successful first pilot study which took place in the Wakefield area at Castleford Academy (see more details here). Researchers from the NCOP team are delivering workshops in schools across Leeds and Bradford. […]

Inner South Youth Committee Consultation 30th January 2018, Elland Road, 3pm-4.30pm At Go Higher West Yorkshire we are committed to enhancing the lives of young people, helping them reach their true potential and allow them to experience new opportunities. To help achieve this, we have been involved in the Inner South Youth Committee Consultation to […]

Year 10 students at Immanuel College have been thinking about their post 18 options and choices in Go Higher activity sessions during their lunch times. In one activity the students sorted cards on possible options, for example choosing a university course, getting a job, taking a gap year, visiting university open days, etc and thought […]

January saw Airedale Academy hosting its first ever careers fair, aimed at broadening the horizons of the students and helping them make informed choices for their future. The event, organised by Progression Officer Tracey Heptinstall and Careers Advisor Jo Sergeant, brought together a variety of providers from colleges to universities, the army to the fire […]

On Friday 9th February, Mr Senior and Miss Collins accompanied 8 of our Year 12 students to The Brilliant Club Scholars Programme graduation ceremony at the University of Leeds. At the event, the students had the opportunity to ask current undergraduates from a range of subject areas any burning questions that they may have about […]

To give Immanuel students a feel for the range of Russell group universities in Yorkshire, we went on a visit with 26 Year 11 and 12 students to University of York . A Russell group university is one based around research and the university students are taught by lecturers engaged in cutting edge developments. York […]

26 & 27 January 2018 Go Higher West Yorkshire brought Higher Education directly to the people of Wakefield this month. Supported by West Yorkshire Higher Education institutions the roadshow brought together a team of specialists to Wakefield city centre to inform, inspire and entertain! Wakefield is the only city in England without a traditional university, […]

After only two days back at school post-Christmas holidays, 40 year ten students from the Wakefield NCOP schools spent two days and one night at the University of Cambridge last week. Accompanied by Higher Education Progression Officers from each school, the students from Airedale Academy, Castleford Academy, St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School and Hemsworth Arts […]

Higher Education Progression Officer Katie Chetwood deliverd a Photography Project which aimed to raise aspirations for young people in the Holmewood area. Prior to the project, learners from the Holmewood area in Bradford had expressed distaste about their neighbourhood: litter, fly-tipping, reputation and prejudice were all areas of concern. ‘My Holmewood’ was a three-day intensive […]

Students in the sixth form at St Wilfrid’s have been busy preparing their UCAS applications for university this term and have received some great offers already from universities up and down the country. One student, who in September was convinced he would stay living at home, has now received an unconditional offer for Petroleum Engineering […]

Every classroom has one student (or perhaps more than one) that needs a little “extra attention” or support to help them realise and reach their full potential.  We had the pleasure to work with young people at Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School who needed a creative push to help them get back on track […]

On Thursday 30th November 40 Year 9 Immanuel College students had a fabulous day at the University of Leeds taking part in a physics activity with current physics students at the university. The day had a STEM (science, technology, engineering and technology) focus. The students learnt about the forces and energy used in a roller […]

Will Atkinson, the NCOP Outreach Officer at Leeds Beckett University, returned to Elliott Hudson College by popular demand to deliver a presentation to Y13 parents about student finance. The presentation gave lots of useful and local information about student finance and the real cost of attending university. Will was great at presenting a realistic overview […]

Fourteen students from Minsthorpe Community College recently undertook an intensive two-day training course from ‘Talentino!’, a careers company specialising in the development of young people’s early careers. The students, all in Year 9, engaged in a range of activities that culminated in being awarded the title of ‘Career Ambassador’. Being a Career Ambassador will involve […]

Performance in Education gave two fantastic week’s tour to schools within West Yorkshire helping year 9 students understand what Higher Education is and raising their aspirations to get there through ‘Steps to Success’. Year 10 students developed the skills needed in a changing future job market in a thought provoking drama piece entitled ‘Working Wonders’, and explored […]

Castleford Academy has been working closely with Leeds Beckett University in order to support our Year 13 students with their UCAS application process. Will Atkinson, the NCOP Outreach Officer at the university, has delivered informative workshops on both Personal Statements and Student Finance as well as setting up mock interviews with the university’s Student Ambassadors. […]

A group of Year 11 boys from Airedale Academy attended a residential at Herd Farm in Leeds to build their resilience and challenge themselves in advance of their GCSE exams later this year. Split across three groups, the boys took part in challenges such as a zip wire, army assault course and crate stacking, facing […]

Over 80 careers and education professionals from schools, colleges, academies and higher education providers from across West Yorkshire attended the NCOP ‘Motivate to Succeed’ event on 17th October 2017 at Cathedral Academy in Wakefield. The event was aimed at showcasing the NCOP CPD and resources programme and featured a presentation from the inspirational key note […]

Date: Wednesday 20th September 2017 Location: Karmand Community Centre, Barkerend Road, Bradford Time: 5pm to 7.30pm Over 40 young people, parents and family members attended a launch event for the project in a busy and active community centre which draws in people from across Bowling as well as other areas of Bradford. We had a […]

Title: Out of a Conversation St Agnes Parents Group: Burmantoffs Sometimes it is as simple as a conversation, with the right person, that sparks an idea and starts to builds a strong relationship. In June 2017, our Outreach Officers at Leeds College of Building and the Ward Lead Officer for Leeds met with the Reverend […]

  Institution: Leeds Trinity University Event : Sports as a future option – with Jamie Peacock What an amazing day!  It’s Thursday 14th September 2017 and we have been working with 50 KS5 students from across our NCOP schools and colleges to introduce them to a life of sport and how to succeed in this field […]

Building links and Going Higher! Institution: Immanuel College Year group: 12 Event : 2 Day Residential at Queens College – 18th and 19th September 2017 We were excited to be offered an opportunity for 10 of our year 12 students, including 5 NCOP students, to take part in a residential visit as part of a relationship developed […]

Year 12 and 13 Students at Minsthorpe Community College enjoyed an engaging day of training on 13th September 2017 delivered in collaboration with external provider ‘Positively MAD’ and funded through NCOP. Through a variety of exciting workshops, around 200 students developed a number of key skills including revision techniques, organisation and time management. Developing these […]

  The Progression Module Plus is a formal programme of study designed to help post-16 students make informed decisions about their future. Over the past decade, tens of thousands of students in the Yorkshire region have studied the Progression Module which is delivered by the University of Huddersfield and Leeds Beckett University. The recent injection […]

This year’s collaborative residential was bigger and better than ever. 94 year 10 pupils from schools across the region attended the ‘Class of 2023’ summer school from Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 July. The three days were themed in order to reflect a Higher Education student’s journey: making informed decisions about courses, sampling university and […]

This term the GHWY team supported the Progression to Post 16 evening on Tuesday, 20th June 2017. This event was held at Burntwood Court Hotel by Minsthorpe Community College and was an introduction to Post 16 choices across the Wakefield District for their year10 students and families.  The aim was to support students and their […]

The Inspirational Learning group came in to deliver the National Enterprise challenge to our entire year 9 cohort over the course of a full day. It is the UK’s Largest Employability/Enterprise Competition which is delivered to over 40,000 young people across the country yearly. This was an opportunity for young people to take part in […]