The Pre 16 team at the University of Southampton deliver programmes, talks and workshops to primary schools in Southampton, and selected secondary schools within Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex. A wider offer is available through virtual activity and our summer residentials.
All of our activity is designed to support learners from background which are underrepresented in Higher Education in one or more of the following areas:
By taking part in these activities, learners will meet and interact with University of Southampton staff and student ambassadors. Each activity will contribute to Gatsby Benchmark 7 – Encounters with Further & Higher Education – and many will help you and your school meet a number of other benchmarks.
This section is being updated. For any enquiries, please email talk2us@soton.ac.uk indicating it is regarding our Primary Schools programme.
Our Learn with US Programme is an ongoing intervention where we work with small groups of learners from several partner schools each year from Year 7 to Year 11.
In school workshop where up to 25 learners will discover the range of academic, extra-curricular and social opportunities available in Higher Education.
A first experience of the University campus on the programme, up to 25 learners will have a subject taster, campus tour and take part in our Smart Spenders workshop, as well as the opportunity to ask our Student Ambassadors all about University.
Up to 10 learners from each school will come to Highfield campus to discover more about the skills they already have and need to develop further for success in Higher Education and other pathways in an interactive day of activities and creativity.
Based around the UN Sustainability Development Goals, this cross-curricular day develops the learners’ team working and research skills, as well as honing in on their critical thinking, a key skill not only in Higher Education but at Key Stages 4 & 5. This event is on campus for up to 10 learners.
Used to springboard up to 30 learners into Year 11 and the challenges they will face, sessions on campus on revision skills, applying to college and wellbeing and resilience will aim to set them up well for the year ahead.
Schools can take part based on Widening Participation eligibility and current availability. If you are interested in involving your schools on the programme, please email talk2us@soton.ac.uk indicating your interest in the Learn with US Secondary Schools Programme.
We host the Learn with US Residential in July for Year 10 learners. This free three-day, two-night event gives participants the opportunity to learn more about different subjects, student life and a university campus and halls of residence. Visit the Learn with US Residential page for more details.
In addition, our partners at Lifelab run their own Medicine Summer School for Year 9, 10 & 11 learners interested in Medicine and becoming a doctor. There is a cost associated with this programme, but bursary spaces are available for those meeting widening participation criteria. Head to the Lifelab Summer School page to find out more.
The following workshops are available throughout the academic year subject to availability. Workshops can last between 40 and 60 minutes and are best placed in classroom settings to a maximum of 32 learners at a time.
To request any of the workshops above, please email talk2us@soton.ac.uk, indicating you wish to request an off-campus workshop.
We can deliver adaptations of some of our workshops as talks or assemblies. We can also present to parents/carers, teachers and advisors, or attend higher education and careers fairs. To discuss any of these please email talk2us@soton.ac.uk.
Subject-specific talks and workshops are available and can be organised and booked for your students through our Ask the Expert scheme.
If you wish to learn more about any of our pre-16 activity and/or are interested in any of the activities, please contact the Pre 16 team through talk2us@soton.ac.uk.