WHAT WE DO
FOCUS West works in schools in the west of Scotland. We work with targeted pupils who have the potential to access university/higher education and enable this with major annual grant funding from the Scottish Funding Council.
FOCUS West is a programme that works with schools to widen access to university.
Based in the west of Scotland and working with targeted pupils in secondary schools, our work is funded by the Scottish Funding Council as part of the National Schools Programme. The role of the National Schools Programme is to support Senior Phase pupils in Scotland from backgrounds of socioeconomic disadvantage and underrepresented groups to access higher education in university. We work with teachers to guide pupils in learning about degree courses, the benefits of further study and about the wealth of graduate career opportunities that are available.
Accessing university/higher education
What are the criteria for inclusion in the programme?
What does the FOCUS West Programme involve?
I can’t thank FOCUS West enough for its support on what has been a truly challenging journey. After a previous rejection to study Dentistry, I chose to pursue Dental Nursing during a gap year before re-applying. It was during that year that I had the incredible opportunity to meet FOCUS West.
The FOCUS West Programme was instrumental in helping me navigate the complex process of re-applying to university, especially for a competitive course like Dentistry. The guidance and one-on-one support I received made all the difference. FOCUS West gave me the encouragement and confidence I needed to re-apply, supporting me every step of the way, from the application to the interview.
FOCUS West was personally invested in me as a person and completely focused on helping me reach my goal. I’m so excited to have been accepted into Dentistry and to now be on the path to my dream career. I owe a huge thank you to FOCUS West.
Ellyn McPhee, Calderhead High School, Shotts, North Lanarkshire – studying Dentistry at the University of Glasgow.
FOCUS West has been pivotal for me in terms of looking at higher education; had I not been involved in the program I doubt I would have considered universities outside of Scotland, never mind the best universities in the world.
Drawing on expertise from a multi-institution partnership to deliver targeted activity in secondary schools in the west of Scotland; widening access to university/higher education through access to experience and information; raising aspiration through confidence building and supporting an embedded knowledge culture of successful application to university.
FOCUS West works in schools in the west of Scotland. We work with targeted pupils who have the potential to access university/higher education and enable this with major annual grant funding from the Scottish Funding Council.
FOCUS West works with a broad range of partners in many different sectors in the UK and abroad.
Level 8, Graham Hills Building
University of Strathclyde,
40 George Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1QE
