About Hepp

Mother and daughter using laptop at home

The Higher Education Progression Partnership (Hepp), a partnership of Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, works across South Yorkshire to encourage more children, young people, and adults to consider higher education opportunities.

We work together with schools, colleges, families and communities to deliver a coherent programme of higher education Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) that supports our region’s learners at every stage throughout their educational journey. At Hepp we believe in equality of educational opportunity and we strive to increase and widen participation of our region’s learners to higher education. Currently the number and proportion of our region’s learners progressing to higher education is below the national average, this gap is even more evident when looking at disadvantaged learners and learners facing additional barriers to access and progressing onto higher education. That’s where we come in. Our strategic aim is to work with you, supporting schools to address this.

Working with you

The world of work is constantly changing, and young people will need different skills for future study and jobs. We can help by providing the following services:

A resource hub which provides free, high quality online resources for teachers and advisers to enable school-led delivery
Sustained and targeted programmes and activities delivered by the Hepp team to learners in schools (physically and virtually) or on campus
Signposting to our wider partnership provision beyond key stage 3, including activity provided by our university partners – Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield – accessed via the teacher/adviser section of HeppHUB
CPD provision for teachers, advisers and other key influencers, facilitated through Hepp and partner delivery and online resources

Embedding skills development

Our activity-based workshops also have skills development embedded within them – focusing on transferrable skills derived from the Skills Builder Universal Framework: Planning, Problem Solving, Speaking and Listening.

Meeting your needs

We know that each school setting is unique. Your Regional Activities Coordinator will work with you to make the most of the Hepp offer in your school.

arrange a meeting with them in school or virtually.
get in touch by phone or email

Safeguarding

All our staff receive annual safeguarding training and we have designated safeguarding leads. We are committed to working with you to ensure the safety of young people.

For further details, please see our safeguarding statement.

Working with us

In order to ensure the safety and effectiveness of our engagements, and fulfil our responsibilities to contribute to regional and national understanding of the impact of outreach activities, we ask the following of our partner schools:

Data collection

In order to evaluate the long-term impact of the work of Hepp, we need to collect participant level data for the learners we are working with. Analysis of this data provides a robust impact assessment of the difference we are making to the lives of young people in our area. It also ensures we are working with those in greatest need.

Your Regional Activities Coordinator will be in touch with you on how to do this safely and securely at the appropriate time.

Supervision of learners

Our delivery team is highly trained and all have enhanced DBS clearance. However, they are not qualified teachers and, as such, should NOT be left alone to supervise learners. It is essential that a member of school staff is in the room for all Hepp engagements and that they provide an active presence including behaviour management. This also includes any engagements delivered online and via remote means. If a school is unable to guarantee this supervision, we will not be able to continue with an engagement.

Cancellations

We understand that there may be extenuating circumstances which lead to cancellation of an activity. However, with our finite resource in an area of great need, we ask for no less than two weeks’ notice to cancel an event so that the date can be rearranged.

Underrepresented groups

There are groups of learners who need our engagements more than most as they are statistically underrepresented in higher education, and face additional barriers. We would therefore ask that you ensure, wherever possible, that the following learners are included in each of your engagements:

Learners eligible for free school meals
Disabled learners
Care experienced students
Estranged students
Students with caring responsibilities
Black students
Learners from area of low participation in higher education (your Regional Activities Coordinator can help you identify these areas)

About Hepp

Working with you

Embedding skills development

Meeting your needs

Safeguarding

Working with us

Data collection

Supervision of learners

Cancellations

Underrepresented groups

Accessibility tools

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A new Hepp Hub is on the way!