Access to Sheffield (Y12-13)

Access to Sheffield (Y12-13) is an academic, sustained engagement programme at The University of Sheffield, designed to support students from target groups who are underrepresented in higher education.

The programme provides Year 12-13 students in South Yorkshire with an opportunity to experience student life at Sheffield and prepare for university study through a range of on-campus taster lectures, academic workshops and subject experiences. Students can apply for one of five themed programmes which cover: Medicine, Dentistry, STEM, Law and Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences.

Participants also experience the social side of university life through a residential summer school, where they work closely with current undergraduate students to get an authentic feel for student life and the skills required to support their wider life experiences.

Each subject programme consists of a sequential curriculum which is underpinned by the Skill Builder framework, allowing students to practise and demonstrate essential skills that develop their academic confidence and self-efficacy.

To understand the impact of the programme and measure progress in skill building, participants complete Skills Builder Benchmark at the start and end of the programme. The resulting skill scores allow students to celebrate their achievements and identify areas for future development.

Through participating in Access to Sheffield (Y12-13), students are able to reflect on their own skill set and the importance of skills for academic success, in order to support their personal development and progression to higher education