New HEPI Policy Note: ‘Scaling Opportunities’

HEPI’s latest Policy Note makes a clear and evidence-driven case for rethinking how widening participation is delivered.

Scaling Opportunities (HEPI Policy Note 70) by Charlotte Gleed and Charlotte Armstrong argues that if universities are serious about tackling persistent access gaps, they must move beyond late-stage interventions and instead invest in sustained, intensive outreach that begins much earlier in a young person’s educational journey.

Drawing on data from HEAT, Uni Connect and wider sector evidence, the report shows that long-term engagement can have a transformative impact. Students involved in intensive outreach are significantly more likely to progress to higher education – and to high-tariff institutions in particular – with especially strong effects for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, including pupils eligible for Free School Meals. The findings challenge the sector to think more carefully about what works, for whom and at what stage, highlighting the limitations of short-term or fragmented approaches.

With clear recommendations on earlier intervention, stronger collaboration and more rigorous evaluation, the report sets out a roadmap for shifting from reactive to preventative strategies in access and participation. At a time when funding pressures risk undermining proven programmes, this analysis is both timely and urgent. Click here to read the press release and download the full Policy Note.