The University for Children and Communities (UCC)

The UCC was a partnership of all of the further and higher education institutions, the Local Authorities and Careers Scotland in the North East of Scotland. It was funded until December 2005. Its overall aim was to increase the number of pupils from target schools who progress on to Further and/or Higher Education. The project worked with the secondary schools and their associated primary schools which had the lowest rates of progression in the North East of Scotland. The UCC worked with primary school pupils, secondary school pupils and their families and communities to encourage participation in further and higher education in the following areas: Northfield, St Machar, Kincorth, Torry, Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

The UCC agreed revised targets with its partners and with the Forum. There are four targets for the project to achieve by December 2005:

The target secondary schools will have a growth in the progression rate into full time HE (i.e. HNC level and above) of 3% from 2002/03 to 2004/05.
The target secondary schools will have a growth in the progression rate into full time FE of 5% from 2002/03 to 2004/05.
The project will make a positive change in attitudes towards FE and HE.
Following evaluation, good practice will be disseminated and promoted.

The project set objectives to meet these targets. These included; work with secondary schools on ACE days, FE experience days, HE experience days, P7 transition summer schools and bespoke activities as required; work with certain primary schools within the Aberdeen City area to undertake a pilot of the Children's University project; and work with families and communities to break down barriers to learning by involvement at grass roots level initiatives such as Community Learning Awards and the Printfield project.

The work of the UCC was subject to an internal evaluation. The internal evaluation was itself evaluated by an external agency. The evaluation provided a template of good practice to inform the development of the next stage of the Forum’s work with schools. The Forum decided to build on the work of the UCC and to extend the good practice developed to schools, Colleges and HEIs to the rest of its area, the new project would, however, focus on schools only. The new project has the working title of ASPIRENorth.

Area covered: specific secondary schools in the North East of Scotland and their associated primary schools.

For more information, contact Rob Wallen, Aberdeen College Tel: 01224 612055 email r.wallen@abcol.ac.uk

Caitriona Maciver, North Forum Manager
Castle House, Fairways Business Park, Castle Heather, Inverness, IV2 6AA
Tel: 01463 701010 email: c.maciver@abdn.ac.uk