While 15% of secondary school pupils in the UK receive free school meals, these students make up only 2% of the intake at England’s 25 most selective universities. The Access Project aims to improve the prospects of students from disadvantaged backgrounds getting into top third universities. This is done by matching school students from underserved areas with graduates for one-to-one tuition.
Over the last year, Frontier has got involved with The Access Project, and now has 15 volunteers delivering tutorials each week in the London office. These sessions help the students get better grades, strengthening their university applications. A recent impact study found that 54% of The Access Project students go on to a top university, compared with 39% among a control group with similar characteristics.
Adam Lapthorn, a consultant who is co-ordinating Frontier’s involvement in the project said: “I have found it incredibly rewarding to watch my tutee’s grades improve and her application go in for some top universities. I really recommend it, and am pleased to see my colleagues getting involved!”