University of Strathclyde delivered this talk entitled 'Mentoring into higher education' at the NPFS annual conference 2012 at Bishopbriggs Academy.

1. Mentoring into higher
education
Liz Ervine Springburn Academy
Strathclyde University research team: Alastair Wilson, Katie Hunter, Konstanze
Spohrer, Anna Beesley

2. Presentation:
• Background to the project
• Why mentoring?
• What does it do?
• Does it work?
• Future plans

3. Background
• Present work is result of a 7 year partnership between a large
secondary school and researchers within the School of Education,
University of Strathclyde.
• Researchers have worked on a range of projects and when
possible helped with school development. Have developed a
strong researcher/school collaboration.
• Basis of the work is to better understand the ‘attainment gap’
between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged pupils.
• Major problem for Scottish education and particularly acute in
major cities.

4. Some data:
Springburn Glasgow
Academy City Scotland
Higher
education 21% 28% 36%
East
St Ninian's Renfrews
High School hire Scotland
Higher
education 74% 61% 36%

5. Some data:
CHART 7: SECONDARY PUPILS REGISTERED FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS BY GLASGOW NEIGHBOURHOOD
Pupils registered
as entitled to
free school
Neighbourhood meals % Grand Total Glasgow Total
Easterhouse 234 44.7% 524 31.0%
Parkhead & Dalmarnock 159 45.2% 352 31.0%
Springburn 350 46.7% 750 31.0%
Priesthill & Househillwood 268 48.1% 557 31.0%
Drumchapel 335 48.8% 686 31.0%
Sighthill, Roystonhill & Germiston 254 48.9% 519 31.0%
Ruchill & Possilpark 286 51.8% 552 31.0%
Source: Glasgow City Council School Census Data, 2010
CHART 3: SECONDARY PUPILS REGISTERED FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS, SCOTTISH CITIES
Percentage of pupils registered for free school meals, 2006 to 2010
Local Authority 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Glasgow City 31.8 30.9 29.6 26.7 29.8
Aberdeen City 8.8 8.5 7.8 7.6 8.2
Dundee City 10.9 20.0 19.3 19.2 22.1
Edinburgh, City of 13.2 12.5 12.4 11.9 12.4
Scotland 13.5 13.2 12.7 12.3 14.4

6. Why mentoring?
• Research on successful young people friends, family - social networks
• Of 150 pupils in a 5th year group, 31 were identified by the school as ‘having
the potential' to enter higher education’.
• Each pupil was given a modern smart phone (Google Nexus One – pupils
enjoyed!) with added software capable of recording their text message
traffic, (numbers sent to and received from, not content), phone calls
(numbers called and received) and proximity to other (within group)
phones.
• Data were collected by each phone and automatically pushed to a server
for analysis at regular intervals.

7. Why mentoring?
• Compounded by ‘Newness’ of possibilities - entry to HE not
thought of/talked about till later in school life when high attainment
raises opportunity
• Difficulties in terms of access to and, crucially established
relationships with adults who understand and can advise on HE
• Not simply a matter of accessing information – discussion,
interpretation and understanding is needed.
• Pupil (crucial) decision making in influenced by small supportive
networks.
• Mentoring seen as a key to supporting young people in addressing
these issues

8. Why mentoring?
• US based research indicates that high attaining young people in
areas of significant social disadvantage make most significant
use of mentoring.
• Wikeley et al (2007) argue that positive out of school
educational experiences are crucial to children and young
people in terms of equipping them with the interpersonal skills
and understanding necessary for effective working relationships
with their teachers.
• Private tutoring and a range of extra-curricular activities which
are accessible to middle class families can equip children and
young people with a range of skills shown to have a significant
impact on attainment (Ball, S 2003).

9. Project aims:
• To provide personal mentoring support to high attaining young
people in Springburn Academy.
• To explore the ways in which this support can impact on the young
people’s attainment and their decision making.
• To use our research to develop and strengthen the project

10. What has the project been doing?
• The project progressed has provided one to one
mentoring/tutoring for S5/S6 pupils.
• Included all those borderline and above in terms of being likely
to achieve five highers and therefore entry to university.
• Pupils were identified and recruited by the school. Mentors
recruited from variety of sources, primarily within University.
• The research nature of this project has involved an ongoing
process of reflection and evaluation of the project which has
shaped its development.
• Commenced December 2011 and is ongoing…

11. Does it work?
• Mrs Ervine?
• Mentor input was crucial in providing support (emotional, practical,
academic)
• Personal extensive support on entering higher education
• Students were very positive about the experience - cited numerous specific
examples of learning from their mentors.
• Intergenerationality held advantages – flexibility and time for mentors
different perspective and experience for students.
• Mentoring opened up the chance to get to know each other on a personal
basis – different from a formal tutoring relationship;

12. Future plans?
• More money – expand to more schools.
• More mentors needed.
• Bringing a range of activities in this area together to increase
access to higher education.
• Closer engagement with parents/carers/families?