Our impact
Higher Horizons has been delivering outreach activities in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire since 2017. Everything we do is driven by evidence of what works. Our impact evaluation has found that those learners who complete 5+ hours of Higher Horizons activity including at least one campus visit are statistically significantly more likely to progress to university than those from a similar background.
You can find out more information about the impact of our work below.
Since 2017 we have delivered 7,000 activities to 50,000 young people at 170 schools and colleges.
Over
information, advice and guidance workshops
campus experience
days
subject masterclasses
attainmentraising programmes
Mentoring programmes
residentialsummer schools
Over
information, advice and guidance workshops
campus experience
days
subject masterclasses
attainmentraising programmes
Mentoring programmes
residentialsummer schools
Research
Higher Horizons has conducted some research into what drives the university and college choices and participation of the students we work with. You can find a list of recent projects below.
Evaluation Report 2023-24
This new report examines headline findings from the evaluation of activities delivered in 23-24. It also includes case studies of two students who benefited from Higher Horizons activities and progressed to university.
Impact Report (2024)
This impact report examines the progression rates of those learners who took part in the Higher Horizons programme and subsequently progressed to higher education by age 19 between 2017/18 and 2020/21.
Evaluation Report 2022-23
An overview report of evaluation findings from the 22-23 academic year, covering our in-school workshops, campus visits and attainment raising activities.
Includes some impact data around progression rates for Higher Horizons learners.
Impact of Activity Types on Progression Rates
This study looks at the progression rates of young people who took part in the Higher Horizons programme and subsequently progressed to university between 2017 and 2020. Those who took part in campus visits had the highest rates of progression to higher education.
Bucking the Trend
Life story interviews with several young men from white working-class backgrounds who bucked the trend and progressed to higher education.
Perspectives & Prospects
Exploring the educational ambitions and motivations of white working-class boys across the North West of England.
Triggers & Timings
Examining educational transitions (GCSES; post-16 study and training; post-18 destinations) among young people from economically disadvantaged areas with low rates of university participation.
Views from the Chalk-face (Main Study)
Examining teachers’ perceptions of Higher Horizons and the impact of our activities.
Views from the Chalk-face (Supplementary study 1)
Examining teachers’ views on the role of outreach during the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges experienced by young people in schools as they returned to school.
Views from the Chalk-face (Supplementary study 2)
Examining outreach practitioners’ perspectives on supporting the schools and colleges involved in Views from the Chalk-face; and their reflections on the study’s findings.
Conversations with teaching professionals
Developing a better understanding of current and future outreach needs: following the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of teaching professionals who have engaged in Higher Horizons activities reflect on the needs of their students.
Conversations with teaching professionals
Developing a better understanding of current and future outreach needs: following the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of teaching professionals who have engaged in Higher Horizons activities reflect on the needs of their students.
Case studies
From time to time we write case studies about some of the
students we’ve supported through our programme.
