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Background
The Learning Country recognised a phenomenon of key stage three (KS3) under achievement in secondary schools. These results have to be viewed as disappointing when compared with earlier key stage two (KS2) performance by the same pupils when they were in the primary sector. With this in mind the South-East Wales partnership was established and given the label 'First Campus'.
The aim of the project is to engage further with schools to raise the awareness of progression routes into Higher Education for pupils. In particular highlighting that learning is fun and to plant the idea that university is an option for all. Making university facilities available to young people raises their educational aspirations and achievements and hopefully encourages them to progress to higher levels of learning.
First Campus was officially launched by Jane Davison AM, Minister for Education at the National Assembly for Wales. Prior to the launch of First Campus on Thursday 3rd July 2003 school pupils took part in a competition to design the partnership logo. Aimee James from Llanrumney High School designed the winning logo. First Campus is now in its fourth year of operation and continues to increase higher education participation from groups and communities in Wales by raising aspirations, and creating new study opportunities and learning pathways to higher education. It engages with four main groups of people of all ages who are currently under-represented in higher education.
The Welsh Assembly Government has set targets for two of the groups - targets for disabled students and black and ethnic minority communities are to be agreed:
• People living in Communities First areas,
• People from black and ethnic minority communities,
• People who wish to study through the medium of Welsh,
• Disabled people.
Rationale
First Campus concentrates on all four Reaching Wider targets, Community First, Welsh Medium, BME and Disability, developing activities to meet specific targets. The programme of events has been reviewed and a slightly different approach has been adopted for 2006-2008 with activities being focused on development and progression allowing pupils to access HEIs a number of times throughout the year. There will be some one-off events which will tend to be larger scale and high impact; these will be focused at schools from all three hubs across our target area. Examples of these are the Stock Market Challenge event and GlamLit.
All proposed activities will serve to fulfil the First Campus Mission Statement:
• Targeting schools within the deprived areas of SE Wales.
• Providing courses through the medium of Welsh.
• Being inclusive of pupils of diverse ethnic origins.
• Being inclusive of pupils with disabilities.
• Raising standards at Key Stage 3 and 4.
• Introducing pupils to the world of higher education on a variety of campuses.
• Supporting learning by using HE resources and expertise.
• Providing workshops and activities emphasising the role and importance of modern languages.
• Collaborating with the Open University in order to encourage their active role in First Campus.
The First Campus partnership is especially concerned by statistics produced by the National Assembly for Wales, in particular the worrying Key Stage 4 summary of the percentage of 15 year olds achieving A* - C grades in the South East Wales local education authorities. The programme of activities is designed to help raise achievements within key subject areas.
First Campus Child Protection Policy
First Campus wants to ensure that it meets its responsibility to safeguard and protect the children it works with and to ensure that the highest possible standards are maintained. Each HEI within the First Campus partnership has, or is currently finalising, its own Child Protection Policy. The First Campus Child Protection Policy has been produced in accordance with those policies.
Children in care and Children who care
First Campus is committed to working with 'looked after children' and 'children who care', providing them with opportunities to access First Campus events. If you are a professional working with 'looked after children' or 'children who care' and are interested in First Campus activities or events then please don't hesitate to contact us.
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