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More than 1100 seventeen-year olds (34% female, 22% from ethnic minorities) spent up to a week at 31 Headstart courses throughout the UK this summer engaged in leading-edge technology, design, build and test projects, lectures and seminars, meeting undergraduates and teaching staff. The programme is monitored for quality by The Royal Academy of Engineering whose membership includes many of Great Britain's leading scientists, engineers and academics.
Selected courses are to be extended by a day from 2006, where younger pupils from ethnic minorities will attend a mini-Headstart, mentored by students who have just completed the programme - thus broadening their experience, developing key skills and encouraging the younger pupils to participate in more of the Best programme, later. Pilot locations include the universities of Cambridge, Birmingham, and Imperial College, London.
Aptly titled 'Spectrum', the project has its roots in research that found only one-third of Headstart's African, Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi alumni go on to read science and engineering at university compared with the majority - even though they achieve the same academic performance and attend the same schools.
Headstart plans to involve industry in the period after Spectrum - traditionally, the time when enthusiasm is lost due to lack of external support. Some universities will involve parents - particularly those with limited experience of higher education - in Saturday Clubs with the students. Local manufacturers will be encouraged to provide work experience or other opportunities for students to develop the interest gained at their Headstart course.
Adapting a well-established programme with an excellent track record - rather than starting yet another education project - has been welcomed by those who value the benefit of having a broad cultural mix among their teams in the work place. |
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