Raising aspirations for non-traditional students through Higher Education outreach activities: A review of literature relevant to the Uni Connect programme

The Uni Connect programme delivers targeted Higher Education outreach activities to young people in Years 9 to 13. Funded by the Office for Students (OfS), Uni Connect is delivered through 29 local learning partnerships primarily comprising universities and colleges. The focus of Uni Connect is on geographical areas where the Higher Education participation of young people is much lower than expected based on GCSE-level attainment (those who could, but are currently not, progressing to Higher Education). Some 997 wards across England have been identified as falling into this category, including 24 wards in Lincolnshire. This review summarises key literature between 1998 and 2020 relevant to the Uni Connect programme. It focuses on more recent publications by those researching in the compulsory education sector. The review includes the rationale behind the Uni Connect initiative and the theoretical frameworks being employed. It specifically explores young people’s transition into Higher Education, the application process and how they make informed post-18 choices about their future pathways. Literature concerning the impact of outreach activities delivered in secondary schools on a student’s journey into Higher Education is also considered. Each of these areas are interlinked and not mutually exclusive, reflecting the often-complex journey, or not, into Higher Education.