Welcome to FOCUS West, an educational support and guidance programme designed to widen access to higher education.
We are based in the west of Scotland and work with 37 secondary schools that are deemed to have the greatest need; the criterion for inclusion in the programme being that the school has an average progression rate to higher education that is considerably below the national average (less than 25% average progression to higher education). Higher Education is defined as university study for a degree or an HNC/HND course at a college.
Our work is funded by the Scottish Funding Council as part of a national programme known as the Schools for Higher Education Programme. FOCUS West works with educational partners to help all pupils with the potential to succeed to have more choices and opportunities in their higher studies and careers.
Our programme includes:
All pupils in our programme also have access to our award nominated FOCUS Point website and resource, that gives pupils support with careers and progression from P6 to S6 and beyond.
“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.”
“Overall I think Entry to the Creative Industries is brilliant and very, very helpful.”
Working in 37 secondary schools in the west of Scotland to widen access to higher education, driving higher and greater aspiration for the young people we work with and supporting an embedded knowledge culture of successful application to university.
Based in Glasgow, FOCUS West (formerly part of the West of Scotland Wider Access Programme) works in 37 schools in the west of Scotland.
Based in Glasgow, FOCUS West (formerly part of the West of Scotland Wider Access Programme) works in 37 schools in the west of Scotland and is funded by the Scottish Funding Council. FOCUS West is part of the national Schools for Higher Education Programme.
All activities are free for pupils to take part in, and take place at school and on college and university campuses.
FOCUS West works with a broad range of partners in many different sectors in the UK and abroad.
We work closely with FOCUS West schools across the west of Scotland who have a lower rate of pupils accessing higher education.
Level 8, Graham Hills Building
University of Strathclyde,
40 George Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1QE