Creating World Class Partnerships Between Schools & Higher Education
School - HE links in London (SHELL)
In 2003, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (now the Department for Education) launched the London Challenge and began to transform the landscape of education in London schools. Through it, we have worked with schools and partners to make London a centre for world class education.
Building on this success, the London Challenge has introduced a new aim - to support London students’ progression to higher education. This work will be focused on two pledges, to ensure that by 2011:
- Every maintained secondary school in London will have a partnership with a higher education institution.
- A higher proportion of young Londoners will go on to higher education, including the more competitive universities.
Tools for schools
Click here to find out how schools can contact universities in London.
Find out about the courses available in universities in London by visiting www.studylondon.ac.uk/courses.
SHELL - what's in it for me?
For Schools
- Masterclasses on the latest research in subject areas.
- Better information, advice and guidance to give to pupils and parents - particularly on student finance and admissions.
- Opportunities for enhancing the curriculum. Generating a better understanding of progression.
For HEIs
- Better understanding of recent advances in the areas of personalised learning and pedagogical development.
- Creating long-term and sustainable outreach programmes.
- Enriching undergraduate opportunities by facilitating the mentoring of pupils.
News
- Strengthening school-HE partnership in collaboration with London’s students’ unions
- John Hall, Head of SHELL, delivered a talk to incoming University of London students’ union representatives on 9 July 2010 as part of their summer training programme
- Higher Education and Schools Partnerships Conference, 25 May 2010
- Professor Malcolm Gillies opened the Neil Stewart Associates conference held in London on 25 May 2010 ... ...
- SHELL seminar on university-school relationships, 4 May 2010
- Entitled 'Findings from the three HEFCE-funded studies of university-school relationships undertaken in London’...
- SHELL Conference 9 March 2010
- View keynote presentation and delegate pack handouts...
- London Education Partnership Awards (LEPA)
- The LEPA are to be presented on 7 June 2010....
- Helping university staff to demonstrate their community engagement
- A number of universities across the country have been designated as 'beacons' for examining community engagement...
- Connecting London's schools and universities.
- Delivering practical benefits for both sides.
Article published in Central Government (Issue 19) October 2009. - Universities working with London's schools.
- A working partnership.
Article published in Central Government (Issue 18) April 2009. - The SHELL Delivery Plan (2009-11): Building stronger school-university partnerships in London.
- Submitted to the Minister for London Schools in April 2009.
How we will help
- Provide a one-stop shop for higher education outreach programmes in London
- Our website will hold a directory of departmental contacts in higher education institutions.
- Offer advice and guidance on establishing links
- We are on hand to discuss what type of partnerships will be fruitful for you, how to set these up and where to start the process.
- Celebrate and promote innovation and commitment to school/higher education links through the annual London Education Partnership Awards
- We welcome entries to these prestigious London Challenge sponsored awards: www.lepawards.org.uk
- Promote the recruitment of people from the higher education sector to join school governing bodies and vice versa
- Embedding the link between sectors through governing bodies is a great way to secure a sustainable partnership.
- Provide additional funding for gifted and talented pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
- The London Challenge offers enhanced annual bursaries for pupils identified as gifted and talented and claiming free school meals, which can be directed at higher education experiences.
- Working with others
- SHELL has two very important principles: (i) the school and HE sectors must work together as equal partners; (ii) SHELL must work closely with related programmes, such as London Aimhigher, and with London's local authorities.
The London School and HE picture
The statistics on young people’s progression to higher education in London paint an encouraging, if patchy, picture.
Proportion of young people from low income backgrounds progressing to higher education.*
* Data collected for National Indicator 106 (2006/7)
Proportion
- 21% to 29%
- 11% to 20%
- 0% to 10%
- n/a
Case Studies
We will be compiling examples of good practice in partnership working between schools and HEIs across London, but to begin with we recommend the videos and other materials on the sites of London's four Aimhigher partnerships. The partnerships in East London, South East London and South London have been in action since 2003. The former Central, North and West London partnerships have been united as the new WECAN partnership since summer 2009, and their site with an introductory video is at WECAN.
