Issue 547 Reporter 1 February 2010 Reach for Excellence Inside Excellence rewarded: hailed a success Commitment to improving safety in the workplace recognised at VC’s The first evaluation of the Reach for “We’ve been able to do what we do best and Awards for Health and Safety. Excellence (RfE) scheme – which aims to that is focus on giving them the skills and help able young people from disadvantaged confidence to apply to and enter universities A1Pages LANDSCAPE 6-7 POSTER backgrounds to gain a place at a leading like ours. The research shows that Reach research university – has reported excellent for Excellence delivers value for money results. to the sector and it has also had a direct impact on our recruitment – with nearly The research findings* are extremely positive, half of those participants going to research- showing that students on the RfE scheme intensive universities entering Leeds. It were twice as likely to enter a research- widens participation and increases access.” intensive university, achieved higher A-level [continued on page 2] grades and were significantly happier with the guidance they received when making their decision about whether to attend university Wise way to save energy: than similar students not on the scheme. How using OWLs can help monitor Almost half (45%) of the first group of energy use and cut consumption. students to benefit from the project were Page 9 admitted to research-led universities, compared to just one-fifth (21%) of similar students. The programme was also found to boost the likelihood of students entering higher education in any form (87% compared to 65% of the comparison group) and to cement their aspirations towards further study. The results of the evaluation were made public by Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael New bird sighted: A species Arthur at a special reception held at London’s new to science is found in Malaysia. Royal Society in January. Page 14 Speaking at the event, Professor Arthur said: “Through Reach for Excellence we have been able to focus on the brightest and best students – those with academic promise who are likely to thrive in a research- intensive university, but also from genuinely disadvantaged backgrounds. A participant in Reach for Excellence student gets hands-on experience in a lab. “RfE gave me the confidence “ I feel that I am now prepared and self-belief I required to revise and on the right path to reach my effectively and gain the results I full potential.” ■ Next issue: 8 March 2010 needed for a top university.” Ezra has applied to study Politics and Deadline: 16 February 2010 Kelly, now studying Law International Relations. Reporter / Issue 547 Reach for Excellence hailed a success [continued from front page] Sir Peter Lampl, Chairman of the Sutton Trust, commented: “This is encouraging news for all those who are interested in fair access to university. This thorough evaluation “Students also enjoy subject taster sessions, THE REPORTER of the Reach for Excellence project shows which give them the opportunity to sample is the University of Leeds’ staff magazine that well designed and targeted programmes teaching at undergraduate level and and produced eight times a year. Over really can transform the expectations and experience a new learning environment 8,500 copies are distributed to staff outcomes of bright, non-privileged young where teaching styles are different to across campus. people. Despite the current economic school,” explains Ceri Nursaw, Head of The Reporter is written and produced by constraints, if we are genuinely interested in Access and Community Engagement. the communications team. boosting this country’s shamefully low levels of social mobility, we need to invest more, “Students are encouraged to try a broad http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk not less, in schemes like this. Accessing a range of subjects to ensure they experience different courses before making their STORIES AND LETTERS research-led university remains the surest university applications. For example, there Story ideas and letters are welcomed as way to sought-after and influential careers.” are sessions in English, Law, Medicine, hard copy or in email. The deadline for the RfE is funded by the HBOS Foundation Politics, Business and Enterprise, next issue is Tuesday 16 February. and the Sutton Trust and each two-year Engineering, Geography, Biological Sciences, programme has a cohort of 120 students, Performance, Psychology and Sociology.” EVENTS mostly from families with no history of Please submit events online at higher education attendance. Through *The research was commissioned by the Sutton Trust and www.leeds.ac.uk/events carried out by the National Foundation for Educational W RfE they receive support throughout year Research. The evaluation tracked the first cohort of RfE 12 and 13 studies, including study skills students as they progressed from year 12 to university. DISTRIBUTION AND INSERT ENQUIRIES workshops, pre-entry guidance, financial This included a baseline survey, to gauge attitudes at the Phone Cesca Kulikowski, 0113 343 8373 literacy sessions, mentoring and a five-day beginning of the programme, and a follow-up survey. or email [email protected] Some 114 students in the RfE programme were involved residential summer school. and a control group of their peers were also tracked. EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES The Reporter Communications team Room 12.72 Bright Beginnings E C Stoner Building Leeds LS2 9JT Tel: 0113 343 6699 Fax: 0113 343 6987 gets ready to shine Email: [email protected] “Bright Beginnings has always been very popular with staff and students, and the new, If you would like information in two-storey building will mean that we can alternative formats (eg. large print accommodate a greater number of children, or audio) please contact us. meeting the needs of working and studying parents here at the University,” said Angela The new Bright Beginnings Childcare Centre Foley, general manager of Bright Beginnings. is set to open in April this year, providing “Childcare staff and children have been part improved and enlarged childcare facilities for of the ongoing consultation in the design University staff and students. and development of their new setting. Space The £3.6 million development is situated includes covered play areas that are open in the heart of the campus on Cromer to the outdoors on lower and first floors, a Terrace and has places for 144 preschool natural garden, a heuristic sensory room, a children aged between three months to meeting room for parents and staff training five years. It will also house the school areas. holiday playscheme, which has places for “The Centre offers outstanding provision to 48 children. It will have convenient parking give all able children access to indoor and and drop-off and pick-up areas for people outdoor play experiences that ensure they collecting and bringing their children by car. have the opportunity to explore, discover and Bright Beginnings The expansion of the nursery and childcare investigate the world around them. Open Day facilities will help the University to promote “Each child is allocated a key person who’s gender equality and lift barriers which responsible for recording their development have, in the past, inhibited the progression The Centre is holding an open day on and for planning according to the child’s Friday 9 April, between 10am and 4pm. of female staff and the participation at changing needs, and all staff follow and Everyone is welcome to come and have University of some groups of students. implement the Early Years Foundation Stage a look at the facilities, meet the staff and “This is a physical statement of our framework.” find out more about what the Centre can commitment to family-friendly policies and offer parents. For further information email Angela Foley widening access for students and staff in ([email protected]) or call 0113 343 support of our strategy,” said Professor Steve 1818 or visit www.brightbeginningschildcare. Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Students and co.uk W Staff and Chair of the Centre’s Board of Directors. 2 1 February 2010 European recognition for Leeds terahertz expertise Research into terahertz technology at the University of Leeds has received a major boost with a €2.5 million European grant. An example of a rock instrument. The award – an Advanced Investigator Grant from the European Research Council – is in recognition of outstanding work in the field by Professor of Terahertz Electronics, Edmund Linfield. It is one of Music rings only 105 projects selected across Europe out of 736 applicants in physical sciences and engineering. Professor Linfield will use the funding to study both the fundamental out from rocks science and the potential applications of terahertz quantum cascade lasers. Quantum cascade lasers are small, and potentially Rock music with a difference portable, sources of radiation in the terahertz frequency range of the will soon ring out across the electromagnetic spectrum. Lake District, thanks to a project “The potential uses for terahertz technology are wide-ranging, – Ruskin Rocks - the sound of but are currently limited to niche applications in fields such as nature: the nature of sound – pharmaceutical analysis and astronomy, as most systems on the being led by the School of Earth market are both expensive and physically large,” explained Professor Coniston Water - home of and Environment which will Linfield. “The availability of cheap, compact systems would open up Brantwood, where the finished encourage children to create a new instrument will be played. a wide range of opportunities in fields including industrial process percussion instrument from rocks. monitoring, security screening, atmospheric science, and medicine.” Most rocks simply give a dull thud when struck, but some types of The prestigious Advanced Investigator Grant award scheme is aimed rock ‘ring’ – including a number of those found in Cumbria.