We will be offering a new Aimhigher Surrey Summer Schools programme for 2010. The Summer Schools are 2-4 day residential courses that enable students to get a taste of university life first –hand, and to discover the vast range of opportunities that university can provide. Students will be offered practical advice on the benefits of higher education and whether it is right for them.

Participants are given a brief taste of what university life is all about. They will meet current students and staff and enjoy many of the academic and social facilities that are available to students. Through this experience, we hope that participants will understand more about the implications of attending university to help them decide whether it is for them.

Firstly, students must have the potential to go on to Higher Education (HE) and be from Year 10, 11 or 12/1st Year Sixth Form/FE College. The programme targets young people such as those:

• Whose parents/carers have no experience of higher education
• From schools or areas where the number of young people progressing to HE is below the national average
• From groups currently under-represented within Higher Education – such as students with disabilities or care leavers.

ll Aimhigher Surrey Summer Schools are free to attend and they are funded by the Government’s Aimhigher programme. Transport to and from the Summer School is also paid for by the programme and travel arrangements will be made by the host university.

The Higher Education Funding Council has changed the way it funds summer schools for 2010. It has allocated funds to each Aimhigher area to commission its own summer school activity. The two summer schools fully funded by Aimhigher Surrey are the Year 10 Royal Holloway, University of London ‘Exploring Creativity’ with 50 places and the Year 12 University for the Creative Arts ‘Arts and Media’ programme with 30 places.