Higher Horizons Impact Report 2026

Higher Horizons has today published a new report highlighting the positive impact of its outreach work on young people’s progression to higher education.

The report presents the most comprehensive analysis to date of outcomes for students who have engaged with the programme compared with similar students who have not. The full report and technical annex is now available on the Higher Horizons website.

The research is based on a large dataset of 22,790 students tracked through the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) into Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) records. It focuses on cohorts expected to enter higher education between 2019 and 2022.

To ensure findings are reliable, the analysis draws on multiple statistical approaches, including regression modelling and matched comparison methods. These approaches allow outcomes for participants to be compared with those of demographically similar non-participants, providing a strong evidence base for understanding programme impact. The consistency of results across different methods provides high confidence that the findings are robust.

Clear evidence of positive impact

The report finds strong evidence that participation in Higher Horizons is associated with improved progression to higher education:

  • Participants had around 52% higher odds of progressing to higher education by age 19 than non-participants.
  • When compared with similar students, participants had a progression rate of 8–9 percentage points higher than non-participants.
  • Students who engaged more intensively with the programme saw the greatest benefits, with those receiving 3 or more hours of engagement significantly more likely to progress.

The findings also show that what students do within the programme matters:

  • Activities such as Campus Visits, Summer Schools and Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) are most strongly associated with progression to higher education.

Importantly, the programme is reaching its intended audience. Participants are more likely to come from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education, yet still progress at higher rates than comparable peers.

 

Supporting young people through disruption

The report also highlights the wider context in which this work has taken place. The cohorts included in the study experienced significant disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including changes to schooling, assessment and transitions to higher education.

The programme itself has also faced disruption in recent years, with successive cuts to its funding by previous governments. Despite these challenges, the findings show that engagement with Higher Horizons has remained positively associated with progression outcomes, underlining the importance of sustained outreach support.

The research was conducted by Dr. Hannah Merry, Head of Higher Horizons Operations, who said, “We are really pleased to be able to release this report and further contribute to the evidence base for widening access. This report demonstrates the difference that sustained, high-quality outreach can make for young people across our region. At a time when we are waiting to hear about the government’s priorities for the future of this work, it is important to take stock and reflect on what has worked well over the last decade to take forward as much of this good practice as we can.”

The report identifies clear opportunities to strengthen impact further, including:

  • Increasing the amount of sustained engagement students receive
  • Prioritising highly immersive activities such as campus experiences
  • Continuing to focus on students from underrepresented backgrounds

Future analysis will build on this work as new national data becomes available.

You can read the full report here.

And read the technical annex here.