Our Story
Our history starts in 2005 when the SFC Learning for All report was produced triggering the drive to widen access to Further and Higher Education opportunities for everyone. From this report grew access initiatives across Scotland to help raise awareness of, and access to, FE and HE opportunities.
This led to the development in 2010 of the Scottish Funding Council’s Schools for Higher Education Programme, SHEP which is made up of four regional school access programmes: ASPIRENorth, FOCUSWest, LEAPS and LIFT OFF.
SHEP MISSION STATEMENT
The four regional programmes delivering SHEP (ASPIRENorth, FOCUS WEST, LEAPS and LIFT OFF) are fully committed to working together to provide a coherent, impartial voice for partnership widening access approaches in Scotland. We will use the SHEP name as a professional platform for disseminating ideas and sharing practice. Together, we aim to raise the profile and increase understanding of widening access issues amongst key stakeholders, while increasing our professional networks to engage with colleagues from other parts of the UK and beyond. We are ambitious for our profession and will pursue collaborations to support enhanced CPD and networking opportunities for widening access practitioners.
This led to the development in 2010 of the Scottish Funding Council’s Schools for Higher Education Programme, SHEP which is made up of four regional school access programmes: ASPIRENorth, FOCUSWest, LEAPS and LIFT OFF.
SHEP MISSION STATEMENT
The four regional programmes delivering SHEP (ASPIRENorth, FOCUS WEST, LEAPS and LIFT OFF) are fully committed to working together to provide a coherent, impartial voice for partnership widening access approaches in Scotland. We will use the SHEP name as a professional platform for disseminating ideas and sharing practice. Together, we aim to raise the profile and increase understanding of widening access issues amongst key stakeholders, while increasing our professional networks to engage with colleagues from other parts of the UK and beyond. We are ambitious for our profession and will pursue collaborations to support enhanced CPD and networking opportunities for widening access practitioners.
Schools for Higher Education Programme (SHEP)
The four regional agencies share our aim of raising awareness and offering impartial advice and guidance to our pupils throughout Scotland. Click on the logos below for more information:
The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2014-15 set out the ambition that a child born at that time in one of Scotland’s most deprived communities should, by the time of leaving school, have the same chance of going to university as one born in one of the country’s least deprived areas.
In March 2016, A Blueprint for Fairness was published following the work of the Commission on Widening Access. The Blueprint for Fairness gave 34 recommendations including the development of a Framework for Fair Access.
The SHEP teams sit within the Framework for Fair Access as key members of the Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP) and as impartial brokers for disadvantaged young people throughout Scotland.
We invite you to view our website to discover more about the work that we do, and how we can work with you..
In March 2016, A Blueprint for Fairness was published following the work of the Commission on Widening Access. The Blueprint for Fairness gave 34 recommendations including the development of a Framework for Fair Access.
The SHEP teams sit within the Framework for Fair Access as key members of the Scottish Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP) and as impartial brokers for disadvantaged young people throughout Scotland.
We invite you to view our website to discover more about the work that we do, and how we can work with you..