We’re pleased to announce that we now have all nine schools recruited to deliver Our Future, Our Way, the bespoke programme that we’ve designed as part of our Office for Students-funded work to support higher education access for children who are on or have been subject to a child protection plan.
The Our Future, Our Way programme will involve 10 touchpoints with an Academic Guide, including two visits to competitive universities – in South Yorkshire, to The University of Sheffield and in North London, to Imperial College.
Based on our insights phase, we’ve made some thoughtful adaptations to our original model.
We heard that:
A young person evaluating the model reflected:
“What stands out most to me is how genuinely the model reflects the realities young people face — particularly those who are often overlooked, such as children on a child protection plan. I really appreciated the flexibility built into the structure, especially around timing and school pressures, which shows an understanding of the system’s limitations. The inclusion of trusted adults and opportunities for self-reflection also makes the model feel human, not just educational. It’s thoughtful, grounded, and realistic — that’s what makes it strong.”
Programme delivery starts in January, and you can keep in touch and/or find out more about the project by signing up here.
Insights Symposium held at the University of Sheffield
New project: Office for Students’ Equality in Higher Education Innovation Fund