FOCUS West (Focus on College and University Study in the West of Scotland)

FOCUS West (Focus on College and University Study in the West of Scotland) is the West of Scotland Wider Access Forum's (West Forum) schools provision for secondary school pupils in S3-S6. It is a collaborative project, with elements facilitated by staff within all the West of Scotland HEIs: the University of Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde, the University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University, the Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. FOCUS West is running from 2008-2012.

Targeted at schools with low rates of participation in HE, the project aims to stimulate pupils towards achievement at school, progression to higher education, completion of their chosen degree course and a rewarding career. For further information on the West Forum, please see the West Forum website.

Our main contribution is the Top-Up Programme, which targets S5 and S6 pupils who have applied to, or are planning to apply to Higher Education.

Prior to FOCUS West, we were an active partner in the GOALS (Greater Opportunity of Access and Learning with Schools) Project from 2000-2008. The Top-Up Programme was the senior element of the GOALS Project, which provided a continuum of opportunity for school pupils from ages 10 to 18 to learn about, and become familiar with, Higher Education (HE). Further information can be found on the archived GOALS Project website.