Areas surrounding Nottingham have some of the lowest higher education participation rates in the country. In order to combat this, the University of Nottingham plays a leading role engaging with its local community in order to raise aspiration and reduce barriers to engagement – empowering people from all socioeconomic backgrounds to fulfil their potential.
From Summer Schools to homework clubs, programmes like Nottingham Ambition and Nottingham Potential which has Outreach Centres in Bulwell, St Ann’s and Broxtowe, the University has a major educational outreach programme.
The University runs a hugely successful public arts and museum programme through Nottingham Lakeside Arts that attracts audiences of around 200,000 annually to a year-round programme of theatre and music, exhibitions and festivals. In order to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have an equal opportunity to engage with this programme the University and the UPP Foundation are teaming up to provide tailored visits to the arts centre and museum for schools from deprived areas in and around Nottingham.
Dr Paul Greatrix, University of Nottingham Registrar, said:
“Thanks to the UPP Foundation we are able to expand our cultural outreach programme – A Grand Day Out – to hard to reach groups in the local community, providing an interactive and fun introduction to the arts and the Museum of Archaeology whilst simultaneously helping raise aspirations amongst children who may not normally come into contact with the University.”
