University of Liverpool
About the Organisation
The Aimhigher Professor Fluffy primary project hosted by The University of Liverpool is an FE/HE awareness-raising project targeted at primary schools in wards of low HE participation. For many within these communities higher education is an alien concept, not visible as a progression route for individuals and not in the vocabulary of these young people and their families. It is extremely important to give young people and their parents the knowledge that higher education could be an option for them. The project delivers a series of activities that are designed to raise awareness of further and higher education and empower young people with the knowledge and vocabulary of Higher Education (e.g. “campus”, “degree”, “lecture”, “graduation”, etc.) The programme introduces the notion that further/higher education is a natural progression after primary and secondary school, and can improve career prospects and life chances.
The Aimhigher National Primary project funded by HEFCE provides 64 FE/HE institutions with a Primary Resource Pack, training and support which enables the participating institutions to work with their local primary schools to deliver primary widening participation activities. The Resource Pack consists of a CD of all primary resources, password access to interactive primary website, a range of targeted curriculum targeted activities, a cartoon booklet and a Professor Fluffy in carrier. The pack can either be used for new activities or to enhance existing primary work.
LEP involvement
The University of Liverpool Primary project is a partner within The London Engineering project as it is important to ensure that young people, from an early age, have the appropriate skills, attitudes and aspirations and that they are informed about future life choices. The partnership with The London Engineering Project has provided the opportunity for The University of Liverpool Primary project to develop and pilot a package of STEM activities and teaching materials that are designed to raise the awareness and interest of primary aged young people in Engineering. The Professor Fluffy Explores Engineering programme of activities has been designed in such a way that the basic format is sufficiently flexible and is transferable between schools, Higher Education Institutions, industry and regions. The Aimhigher National Primary project will provide a national platform for the dissemination of the engineering themed activities to partner HEI’s and FEC’s, thereby assisting partners to introduce the fun and excitement of engineering and career choices available.
