We're now operating 8 centres in London and one in Nottingham, with further new centres in Hackney and Nottingham due to launch this year.
How it all began
Ten years ago, three friends, Hugh Rayment-Pickard, Clare Richards and Rachel Carr, were involved in a local community project in North Kensington, a borough of social and economic extremes. Shocked by the scale of underachievement amongst Britain’s poorest families, these social entrepreneurs launched the IntoUniversity scheme.
After a successful pilot in North Kensington, they decided to launch the programme as a charity in its own right in 2007, and centres opened up in Lambeth, Brent, Bow, Haringey, Hackney and Hammersmith.
In 2010, the team was approached by senior staff from The University of Nottingham, who proposed a partnership with the university's widening participation department in order to deliver IntoUniversity's award-winning programme to children and young people in the area. The first centre was launched in Autumn 2011. Read more about IntoUniversity Nottingham here.
A home-from-home
Across our network of centres we deliver our innovative programme of Academic Support, Mentoring and FOCUS to young people from the age of 7 to 18+.
The centres are staffed by a team of Education Workers, headed up by a Centre Leader. We also receive valuable support from our volunteers and interns.
Last Academic year we helped over 5000 children and young people. We tracked the progress of our 2009-2010 students after leaving school. This showed that 70% of IntoUniversity students progress to university compared with the national average of 43%.
And our students (who come from disadvantaged backgrounds) do considerably better with our help than the national average for pupils on Free School Meals.
What do the students say?
“Thank you for helping us decide what we will do in the future. You have inspired us to go to university.”
- Year 6 student at an IntoUniversity Bow FOCUS Week
What do the teachers say?
“The week was extremely valuable in terms of learning... The class has shown enthusiasm around the topics covered in the week.”
- Year 6 teacher commenting on an IntoUniversity FOCUS Event
"Their conversations about going to university are now more realistic, with a serious interest. It was a great opportunity for the children to be more involved with the community and encourage the children to learn outside of school.”
- Year 6 teacher commenting on an IntoUniversity FOCUS Eventa
“Students are now keen to aim high and to set goals. They are also more likely to see university as a real pathway and have gained greater confidence and feel more self-assured.”
- Secondary school teacher commenting on the Careers in FOCUS programme