Abstract:

Background:
It is well documented in literature, that learners from a socially deprived background are underrepresented in Higher Education (Gorard & See, 2009; Gorard, 2010). The social inequalities for these learners means that they are often ‘hard to reach and difficult to motivate’ due to the multiple barriers they have to overcome (Simon, Mallaburn & Seton, 2020). The ‘Chemistry for All’ (CfA) initiative was a 5-year longitudinal outreach programme funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry to investigate the barriers for engagement in chemistry in England, beyond compulsory school age. The key findings from the project indicated that 29.5% of the learners involved had increased their confidence in science/chemistry whilst 29.9% had increased their knowledge of suitable career pathways in science/chemistry (https://www.rsc.org/)

Objectives:
This North West HEI was one of the four university outreach providers that delivered a longitudinal outreach programme. The programme was based upon five key themes: Theme 1 – Enrichment; Theme 2 – Enhancement; Theme 3 – Motivation; Theme 4 – Aspiration; Theme 5 – Careers. All activities were high-energy that enriched and enhanced the science/chemistry curriculum for these types of learners (Mallaburn, Seton & Goodwin, 2018). Through partnerships with local schools, an intensive set of interventions have accompanied students through their educational journey from ages 12 – 16. This talk will provide an insight of the programme design and impact from a provider’s perspective and how the outcomes of their programme informed the CfA report and recommendations. A mixed method approach collected evaluation data from students and annually from teachers regarding the impact of the programme.

Discussion and Conclusions:
The data from the students indicated high engagement and enjoyment with the activities, especially practical work. The students benefitted from a student-centred ethos where they were empowered to take charge of their own learning. They particularly enjoyed independently working with university student role models from similar demographic backgrounds. Throughout the five years, the confidence in these young people was evident as they developed a sense of ‘belonging’ in the university settings. In this study, sustained and progressive outreach interventions are more effective than ad hoc single events and could lead to a review of university outreach provision in the future. The data from the overall CfA report provides key recommendations for policymakers, outreach providers, schools, teachers, and parents, which are informed from our findings.

References:
[1] Chemistry for All, https://www.rsc.org/new-perspectives/talent/is-chemistry-accessible-for-all
[2] Gorard, S. & See, B. H. (2009). The impact of socio‐economic status on participation and attainment in science, Studies in Science Education, 45:1, 93-129
[3] Gorard, S. (2010). Education Can Compensate for Society – a Bit, British Journal of Educational Studies, 58:1, 47-65
[4] Mallaburn, A., Seton, L. and Goodwin, M (2018) Chemistry: The essential spark for engagement. Education in Science, 272. pp. 26-27
[5] Simon, S., Mallaburn, A. & Seton, L. (2020). Enhancing school students' engagement in chemistry through a university-led enrichment programme. In: Engaging Learners with Chemistry: projects to stimulate interest and participation Editors:  Simon S. & Ilka P, Royal Society of Chemistry: RSC Publishing (pp. 192-224)

Keywords:

Outreach, chemistry, widening participation, barriers to learning.