25 years of widening participation and opening access to education

Launched in 2001, the strategy formalised work already central to UCL’s mission – to ensure that students from underrepresented backgrounds can access, aspire to and succeed in higher education. Since then, this approach has shaped a generation of work with schools, young people, communities and partners across the UK. 

Two and a half decades of expanding reach and impact

Although the formal strategy began in 2001, it built on more than a decade of earlier outreach activity. In the 1990s, UCL’s flagship Student Tutoring Scheme, delivered with Imperial College and LSE, saw university students working in primary and secondary schools every week, to support classroom learning alongside teachers. As the programme grew, it expanded to mentoring. By 2000, UCL was running its first summer schools for Year 11 and 12 students, in partnership with the British Museum.

The 2001 strategy brought these initiatives together under a single framework, with a clear focus on raising awareness of higher education and increasing participation among underrepresented groups. While these core ambitions remain, their emphasis has shifted. Research shows that for institutions such as UCL, attainment – rather than aspiration – is often the greatest barrier to entry.

Reflecting on this evolution, Katy Redfern, Director of Access and Student Funding, said: 

“The 2001 strategy laid strong foundations for future work. It highlighted the importance of early intervention, particularly at primary level; the value of tracking students over time; and the need for a data-informed approach. These principles continue to underpin UCL’s work today. Building on these principles, we support learners at every stage of their educational journey, from early engagement in schools, through pre-entry academic support and financial assistance, to transition and success within university life.”

Over the past 25 years, UCL’s Access and Widening Participation Office has grown from a small outreach unit into one of the largest teams of its kind in the sector. That growth is reflected in the scale and reach of its work:

What the data shows 

Each programme is designed to address specific barriers, from limited access to information, to persistent educational inequalities. Our aim is always simple: help young people feel informed, supported, and empowered to make confident decisions about their futures.

Our access and widening participation programmes are rigorously evaluated, and the data shows consistent, positive outcomes: 

• Our participants enter higher education at significantly higher rates than the national average 
• Over half progress to high‑tariff universities 
• UCL remains in the top three university choices for past participants 

These results show that sustained, evidence-led work makes a lasting difference.

Strengthening attainment and aspiration 

Attainment gaps remain the greatest barrier to access. In response, we’ve strengthened our focus on supporting academic achievement through sustained partnerships with schools, targeted academic programmes, long-term tutoring and subject focused interventions designed to address these gaps. This reflects a growing understanding across the sector: structural barriers begin early, and universities have a role in helping schools address them.

One example is UCL Accelerate, launched in 2025. This in‑school tutoring programme pairs trained UCL student tutors with small groups of Year 10 pupils, providing targeted maths support to build confidence, and develop effective learning strategies. Using bespoke resources designed by educational charity, Maths Education Innovation, the programme offers targeted support that complements classroom teaching.

Early feedback has highlighted the difference this can make for students. A teacher from one participating school said:

“I have had students from the programme come to me since receiving their end‑of‑year exam results, and they have attributed their good results to Accelerate!” 

Whilst a student also reflected on the shift in confidence and self-belief that the programme encouraged:

“My experience in UCL Accelerate was one of the best… I learnt that I am more capable than I expected — I just have to put the work in.” 

The programme also offers meaningful development opportunities for UCL students working as tutors. One Accelerate Tutor commented:

“The experience of tutoring overall was a great opportunity for me to test my teaching and tutoring skills in a more class-based environment. It was great to connect with the students and help them develop their problem-solving skills. Overall, the experience was not just a great chance to help students improve their grades, it was also a fun experience for us as tutors alongside developing our own skills.” 

Long-standing partnerships that change outcomes 

The success of Widening Participation at UCL is a story of collaboration and partnerships, with schools, UCL departments and third sector organisations.

One of our most established partnerships is with the UK’s leading social mobility charity, the Sutton Trust. Since the early 2000s, this partnership has supported more than 2,500 students from 950 schools, including through a residential summer school programme delivered jointly since 2012.

For many participants, these experiences offer a tangible sense of belonging at university. 

A 2025 summer school participant reflected on its impact:

“I had the opportunity to experience both academic and student life. Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t have been able to picture what studying at UCL – or simply at a university – would genuinely be like. It confirmed that studying at a top university is an avenue I would love to pursue.”

Becoming a valued neighbour in East London 

The opening of the UCL East campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park marked a new chapter in place-based widening participation.  Our vision was for UCL to become a valued neighbour in East London, working collaboratively to make a positive impact on educational outcomes for young east Londoners. 

Today, a dedicated UCL East Schools Engagement team, who engage with around 5000 young people every year across the four Olympic boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, alongside long-term partnerships with five local schools.

One of the partner schools, The Urswick School, saw a 15% increase in top grades following the first year of its partnership with UCL. 

The school’s Executive Head credited the improvement to the partnership with UCL, noting:

“UCL has provided access to study facilities and master classes which alongside our own teaching has contributed to massive improvement in our results. This was only the first year of a long-term partnership.” 

This place‑based approach also includes programmes such as the UCL East Saturday Club, which brings pupils from across East London onto campus for weekly, sustained engagement.

As one tutor noted:

“We emboldened the students to ask questions and dream big for the future, creating an environment of collaborative learning and curiosity.” 

Increasing national engagement 

While London and the South East remain key regions, UCL has significantly broadened its national reach. Today, we work with schools in every region of the UK. This expansion reflects one of our core values here at UCL: that geography should not be a barrier to access, information or opportunity.

In priority areas such as the East of England, school engagement has increased by more than 11% since the early years of the strategy. Initiatives such as the UCL Regional Roadshow bring tailored advice and guidance directly into schools to support students as they navigate higher education choices and transitions.

During October and December 2025, the Schools and Regional Engagement team visited 32 schools across 9 regions of the UK. The team delivered interactive workshops for pupils in Years 11 to 13, with sessions focusing on key decision-making points, from choosing the right university course and navigating the UCAS process, to understanding student finance and managing the costs associated with higher education.

Reflecting on the impact of the programme, one participating teacher commented: 

“The workshops were both useful and informative, providing valuable insights that our students greatly appreciated. Your efforts will help broaden our students’ understanding of higher education pathways and inspire them to think ambitiously about their futures.” 

Investing in student success 

Financial support remains a cornerstone of our support. Through scholarships, bursaries and targeted funding, UCL helps ensure that financial circumstances do not determine who can enter or succeed at university. This investment is complemented by our ongoing research into the barriers students face, so that our support remains responsive, evidence-led and focused on impact. 

Lucie March, Head of Access and Widening Participation, said:

“UCL invests over £13 million per year in widening participation and bursaries, and we’re proud to have one of the largest Access and Widening Participation teams in the country. A key strength of our approach is that it is evidence-led. Alongside analysing applications, offers and intake, we closely examine the barriers students face in accessing UCL and focus on tackling those barriers directly.

Looking back at UCL’s first strategy, I’m proud of how far we’ve come – not only in the make‑up of our student body, but in how widening participation is now embedded across UCL’s thinking and culture.”

Looking ahead: strengthening the next 25 years 

As UCL celebrates its bicentenary, widening participation remains a core part of its mission. Future priorities include strengthening our contextual admissions policy to improve its impact, expanding our national reach and exploring opportunities for postgraduate widening participation.

For schools, partners, alumni, students and staff, this milestone reflects something shared: a belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not.

Closing that gap will continue to shape the next 25 years of work at UCL.

Further links

• 25 Years of Access and Widening Participation hub