We believe that success is what your pupils say it is.
Whether it’s passing exams, going to university, or being welcomed onto an apprenticeship, we’re here to help them unleash their full potential.
Future Forward is a FREE and innovative mentoring scheme aimed at young people from Year 9 (summer term) – Year 13. It provides tailored, one-to-one support over a period of two or four years. Our main aim is guide young people with academic potential from widening participation backgrounds to achieve their goals, unlock their full potential and to open-up opportunities for their later lives.
(Previously the scheme was known as the ‘Norfolk Scholar’s Programme’, we have since relaunched this programme with an upgraded offering).
To achieve this, we work on a framework of 9 meta-skills related to their:
Personal development: communication, organisation/planning skills, problem solving
Academic development: independent learning, research skills, reflective and critical thinking
Developing their aspirations for the future: motivation, exploring their options for the future and accessing higher education networks.
and more!
The programme achieves Gatsby Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education
Hear what our students said
Future forward has provided a myriad of ways to help me improve skills that have enabled me to apply for university.
Year 12 student, Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form
Future Forward has provided me with activities to do such as the Youth STEMM Award and research project that have meaning and are useful for me later on. It's helped me set goals and link what I'm doing to the skills I'm developing.
Year 10 student, Great Yarmouth Charter Academy
I feel like it's really helped me stand out as a student. And it's a comforting thing that I can rely on because if I want to work on something, such as a personal skill, then Future Forward would and could help me with that development.
Year 11 student at the Thetford Academy
Before I started the Future Forward scheme, I was really nervous and struggled with public speaking, so I knew I wanted to work on that and turn a weakness into a strength. And now after spending time working on it, I feel a lot more confident and actually really enjoy public speaking!
Year 11 student at the Thetford Academy
It's just a really great opportunity for anyone who's looking to actively develop themselves and expand their personal and communicative skills.
Year 11 student at the Thetford Academy
In addition to developing a wide range of skills, young people will also benefit from:
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Personalised ongoing one-to-one support over two or four years
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The chance to meet like-minded young people from across Norfolk
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A contextual admissions offer: a one or two grade reduction, or equivalent, in entry requirements for UEA degrees* if they complete two or more years of the scheme i.e. Years 10-13 or 12-13 (2023 entry onwards) and attend a significant amount of mentoring/Future Forward activities. For example, a typical course A-level offer of AAA would be reduced to AAB or ABB.
*With the exception of Medicine, Medicine with a Gateway Year, all Foundation Years, Social Work, Modern Language (T902) and Translation, Media and Modern Language (QP93) . All specific subject, GCSE and language requirements will still apply.
If you are living in England and applying for an undergraduate course you may be eligible for contextual admissions through one of our schemes. You don’t need to do anything to be considered – our admissions team will process your contextual offer automatically, based on the data we and our partners already hold.
Please find out more about our Contextual Admissions Policy here.
Mentoring and Coaching
Our experienced Student Learning Mentors meet on a one-to-one or group mentoring/coaching basis every three weeks during term time. Mentoring will be offered in-person and online. For pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11, we will work with schools to identify lessons which can be missed for mentoring and work caught up later.
For sixth form pupils, mentoring will take place during free or study periods.
During their session, young people work with their Learning Mentor on a particular goal(s) to achieve success. The Learning Mentor will take a coaching or mentoring approach (depending upon whether the young person has a clear goal already in mind) to support young people to work towards their goal(s) and the meta-skills which underpin our work. All sessions are bespoke and tailored to the needs of the young people.
Events
Students will have the chance to attend a number of events depending upon their year group including a residential in Norwich for students in Year 10 and a residential further afield for students in Year 12.
Events provide young people with the opportunity to meet new, like-minded students from their school and others, and experience exciting new opportunities e.g. visit other universities (when possible) and to showcase their work on the programme.
Future Forward Awards
Young people could complete a Youth STEMM Awards or Arts Award and receive certification for their achievements which can contribute to their future applications in education or employment.
11 local Norfolk-based schools are currently signed up to the programme, with the aim of having 50 young people from each of the year groups participating in the programme.
Students who would benefit from the programme include those who would like to work on the skills required to help them prepare for the future. Students must be committed and motivated to be part of the programme too.