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Become a programme partner – join a regional movement unlocking high attainment in the South West
Your Future Story is building a South West coalition to unlock high attainment and long-term progression for under-resourced young people. We convene schools and trusts, universities, employers and funders to remove barriers together – from rural isolation to limited access to enrichment – so talent can flourish where it’s found.
Why is this needed?
Young people from under-resourced backgrounds in the South West face some of the greatest barriers in England to thriving at school and progressing to higher education. The region has the lowest HE progression rate nationally, and the country’s largest school attainment gaps for disadvantaged pupils. Rural and coastal isolation, dispersed deprivation, limited transport and fewer enrichment opportunities intensify the challenge — meaning access work often misses the most remote schools and able pupils can be overlooked.
What we’re doing – and why it works
Designed for the South West, built for the long term: Your Future Story provides sustained support from Year 7 through to university entry, delivered through a school-centred, cohort model that fosters belonging and counters isolation. Each year pupils receive Teacher Champion mentoring, skills workshops, Scholarship Masterclasses, and university and employer visits. All participation costs and transport are funded so geography is never a barrier. The model is place-specific, addressing rural and coastal realities by convening local hubs, working with South West universities and employers, and embedding support into school life.
A unique, sustained support model: Unlike short, single-year interventions, YFS follows each cohort for eight years, building a strong peer identity and continuity of guidance that isolated high-attaining pupils in small or coastal schools rarely experience. The cohort approach scales annually – 100 new pupils per year – towards a network of 1,000 pupils by 2035, ensuring reach alongside depth of support.
Building capacity in schools. Alongside pupil support, YFS develops the adults around them. Teacher Champions receive training, resources and a clear mentoring framework; Senior Leaders take part in the Colyton Foundation’s Leading High Attainment course – combining expert webinars, a study visit and an in-school implementation project – to embed a whole-school strategy for high attainment and effective family engagement. Participation is fully funded, with cover/transport contributions to reduce pressure on school budgets. This leaves lasting capability beyond any single cohort and grows a regional network of leaders committed to social mobility.
Why it works. The programme tackles the specific barriers of the South West – dispersed deprivation, long travel distances and fewer enrichment opportunities – by bringing opportunity to pupils and connecting learning to visible local pathways. It sustains high attainment, motivation and future ambitions through trusted in-school mentoring, practical family engagement and repeated encounters with universities and employers, all underpinned by an evaluation framework focused on belonging, attainment and informed progression.
A unique, sustained support model: Unlike short, single-year interventions, YFS follows each cohort for eight years, building a strong peer identity and continuity of guidance that isolated high-attaining pupils in small or coastal schools rarely experience. The cohort approach scales annually – 100 new pupils per year – towards a network of 1,000 pupils by 2035, ensuring reach alongside depth of support.
Building capacity in schools. Alongside pupil support, YFS develops the adults around them. Teacher Champions receive training, resources and a clear mentoring framework; Senior Leaders take part in the Colyton Foundation’s Leading High Attainment course – combining expert webinars, a study visit and an in-school implementation project – to embed a whole-school strategy for high attainment and effective family engagement. Participation is fully funded, with cover/transport contributions to reduce pressure on school budgets. This leaves lasting capability beyond any single cohort and grows a regional network of leaders committed to social mobility.
Why it works. The programme tackles the specific barriers of the South West – dispersed deprivation, long travel distances and fewer enrichment opportunities – by bringing opportunity to pupils and connecting learning to visible local pathways. It sustains high attainment, motivation and future ambitions through trusted in-school mentoring, practical family engagement and repeated encounters with universities and employers, all underpinned by an evaluation framework focused on belonging, attainment and informed progression.
The coalition we’re building
- Grant-making charities & foundations – target resources precisely at high-attaining pupils in rural under-resourced communities that other programme struggle to reach; and demonstrate measurable impact on attainment and progression.
- South West businesses & employers – host inspirational visits, offer staff mentoring or work experience, and showcase high-skill regional careers.
- Schools & Multi-Academy Trusts – nominate pupils, appoint a Teacher Champion and integrate Your Future Story within your culture of high expectations; there is no charge to schools and cover costs for training are provided.
How partners can contribute
- Funding & investment – multi-year grants to secure cohort stability; targeted support for programme activities, residentials, employer vists, travel and evaluation.
- Experiences & access – host employer visits, site tours and skills tasters; provide mentors and work experience placements.
- Expertise & co-delivery – universities and specialist organisations co-plan elements, provide facilities and staff input, and contribute to Scholarship Masterclasses.
- Data-driven improvement – participate in robust evaluation that captures pupil outcomes and community impact, strengthening your own CSR or access reporting.
What partners gain
- Clear impact – a route to direct resources where they change trajectories, including pupils whom traditional access work struggles to reach.
- Regional pride, real stories – employer and university encounters connect learning to South West opportunities, building a pipeline of local talent.
- Capacity in schools – the Leading High Attainment programme for Senior Leaders and Teacher Champion role and training strengthens whole-school culture around high attainment and family engagement.
Examples of partnership in action
- Employer visits – immersive days that show pathways from school to high-skill roles in the region; all transport, food and materials funded so access is never a barrier.
- University collaboration – day and residential visits, student mentors, facilities and staff contributions to masterclasses; aligned to widening participation goals.
- Evaluation partnership – independent measurement of attainment, aspirations and progression expectations among pupils and families, feeding continuous improvement.
Ready to join the movement?
Whether you are a business, grant maker, university, school or trust, we’d love to talk about how you can help South West young people write their future stories – and how we can support your mission in return.
Get in touch: [email protected] – we’ll connect you with our partnerships team and local schools to design something ambitious, practical and measurable together.
Get in touch: [email protected] – we’ll connect you with our partnerships team and local schools to design something ambitious, practical and measurable together.
