'Life-changing': Inside the unique scheme helping Scots pupils into university - or not

According to Gillian Lavercombe, one of the brains behind University of the West of Scotland’s Foundation Academy, it’s a win if young people decide not to go to further education.

Now in its fourth year, the Academy has expanded rapidly from an initial pilot of 500 pupils in seven schools to 1250 in 34 schools.

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In fact, it has been so popular UWS is putting the breaks on before the scheme becomes unmanageable.

“I thought the pilot was going to be a small start,” Ms Lavercombe said, “But when staff came back and said we had 500 pupils enrolled I nearly fell off my chair.

“The programme continues to grow but our priority now is consolidation: maintaining quality, relevance, and authenticity as numbers increase.

“We’re very keen that scaling up must not come at the expense of the relationships and impact that make the Foundation Academy effective.”

UWS, according to Vice Principal Marcus Ross, is pre-eminent in widening participation in Scottish higher education.

That commitment led to the Foundation Academy - a 12-month programme for fifth and sixth year pupils to both give them a taste of university life and support their transition.

As well as visits to campus and taster sessions of courses, pupils have a tutor who visits the school to help with relevant issues such as UCAS applications.

Mr Ross said: “This work grew out of a period of reflection about what we were doing, why we were doing it, and how we were doing it.

“While we were pleased with our success in widening participation and rightly celebrated that contribution, we were increasingly conscious that success could not be measured by outcomes alone.

“The process mattered too.”

Ms Lavercombe, who is head of student recruitment at UWS, said she and her team were hearing consistent feedback from local authorities and schools about the significant changes in the education landscape following the pandemic.

Young people were returning to school in very different circumstances and there were real concerns about how well they were being supported in their transition to university.

“This prompted an important question for us: should we simply continue doing what had worked well in the past, or should we reflect and adapt in response to these changes?,” she added.

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The university decided that, rather than relying solely on short-term, targeted outreach interventions, there was an opportunity to do something more structured and sustainable.

From this came the idea of developing a formal programme that was distinct from the National Schools Programme and other widening participation initiatives operating across Scotland.

Ms Lavercombe said: “Rather than relying on one-off campus visits, open days, or short taster sessions, we asked what it might look like to create a programme that was primarily delivered in schools.”

“The aim was to demystify higher education and explore the transition from school to university in a realistic and supportive way.

“Importantly, this was not about promoting UWS alone, but about recognising our broader role within the communities we serve.

“We wanted to leave a legacy within schools and help young people see universities as accessible, supportive places rather than distant or intimidating institutions.”

It was also important that the programme was delivered in person as feedback from teenagers showed a real fatigue with and disengagement from online learning.

The scheme now involves around 25 academic staff who deliver sessions directly in schools over a 10-week period.

After completing their S5 exams, pupils are brought onto campus for immersive, subject-focused experiences.

Unlike traditional open days, students engage directly with disciplines such as nursing or engineering to understand what studying those subjects at university really involves.

The focus is on active learning, practical engagement, and helping students see that university is not as daunting as they might imagine.

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It includes early engagement in schools, immersive campus activity in June, tailored support around exam results in August, and a 10-to-12-week in-school module called Step Up to University. This module focuses on practical skills such as budgeting, self-management, planning for transition, and reflective learning.

Students develop an action plan for their future and produce a strong personal statement or CV by the end of the programme.

They also secure a qualification UWS treats as equivalent to a B at Higher for access to its courses.

Ms Lavercombe added: “Success is not defined solely by progression into higher education, but by helping young people see new possibilities for themselves within their communities.

“Beyond preparation for university, the programme helps students recognise and articulate the value of their existing experiences because many begin the journey believing they have little to offer.

“Sometimes success is a student realising that university is not the right path for them - and making that decision informed and early.”

For Jenna Bird and her classmates, the experience was life-changing.

Ms Bird, who went to Gleniffer High School in Paisley, knew she wanted to go to university but had no idea what course or what university life might be like.

The 19-year-old is now in second year at St Andrews University studying social anthropology and theology - a course she chose after a UWS taster session.

She said: “I had a vague idea that I wanted to do something related to social sciences, but I didn’t know exactly what that would look like.

“Through the Foundation Academy, I chose the criminology strand.

“I later realised that what I really wanted to study was social anthropology and theology, which is different but still closely related.”

Some of her friends, she added, had no idea whether they wanted to go to university at all, but one also took part in the criminology taster and is now studying that course at Edinburgh University.

Another tried a nursing taster, which funnelled her towards studying to be a paramedic at Aberdeen University.

Ms Bird added: “One of the biggest benefits of the Foundation Academy was how it reduced anxiety about university.

“Seeing lecturers in action and meeting them made them feel very approachable and down to earth.”

The student also said the qualification gained as part of the course was a huge boon and helped her apply, not only to university, but also to become head girl at school.

Ms Bird added: “Overall, the programme helped build my confidence, gave me practical skills, and made university feel achievable.

“It played a significant role in shaping my choices and preparing me for the transition after school.”