The Reach Higher Programme
Our Reach Higher programme is unique and enables students to win places at competitive universities and thrive there. We work with a limited number of comprehensive schools and sixth form colleges from across the north of England which are recognised as being in social mobility “cold spots”.
Our aim is to form sustainable and long-lasting partnership with schools. Our insight and experience helps raise aspirations within partner schools and encourages success with university applications through a fully integrated summer school and tutoring programme. We create a supportive, personalised environment to stretch students intellectually, build their social confidence and inspire them to succeed and fulfil their academic potential.
The programme is unique in that it is not a generic summer school event. We design and deliver a highly personalised programme that meets the interests of our students each year.
The programme has grown from just 14 students in 2014 to a record 109 students in 2023. In response to COVID we transformed our residential summer schools into a vibrant and engaging online programme with 19 subject groups and 67 expert teachers and tutors.
In 2024, we are anticipating even greater demand for places from schools and students and will be offering places to another record number of over 100 young people.
the 2024 programme
This year, we are planning an exciting new programme which will be a hybrid of both online events and residential teaching including:-
- Wednesday 29th May -Reach Higher Welcome Event, University of Leeds
- Wednesday 12th June –Academic taster-day, University of Oxford (Magdalen and Mansfield Colleges)
- Wednesday 19th June – Day Visit to Durham University
- Monday 8th – Friday 12th July – Big Ideas Hybrid Summer School
- Monday 29th July – Friday 2nd August -WEIL Law Internship, Weil London offices
- Sunday 11th – Friday 16th August -Stepping Stones Residential Summer School, St John’s College, University of Cambridge – Cohort 1
- Friday 16th – Wednesday 21st August -Stepping Stones Residential Summer School, St John’s College, University of Cambridge – Cohort 2
- Late August -Early-entry students matched with their Phone-a-Friend tutors
- September, October and November – ‘Refine to Shine’ Online Programme
- October and November –Non-early entry students matched with their Phone-a-Friend tutors
Our aim is to form sustainable and long-lasting partnership with schools. Our insight and experience helps raise aspirations within partner schools and encourages success with university applications through a fully integrated summer school and tutoring programme. We create a supportive, personalised environment to stretch students intellectually, build their social confidence and inspire them to succeed and fulfil their academic potential.
The programme is unique in that it is not a generic summer school event. We design and deliver a highly personalised programme that meets the interests of our students each year.
Feedback from previous Reach Higher students
The Big Ideas residential was truly fantastic. I cannot express in so few words the immense gratitude I have for giving me the opportunity, the encouragement and the self-belief I needed.
Spending the week with other candidates was something that made the residential so special. It was both enlightening and heartwarming to be surrounded by incredibly academic people who were humble, kindhearted and who I shared many interests with; they were just like me.
The Big Ideas residential was truly fantastic. I cannot express in so few words the immense gratitude I have for giving me the opportunity, the encouragement and the self-belief I needed.
Spending the week with other candidates was something that made the residential so special. It was both enlightening and heart-warming to be surrounded by incredibly academic people who were humble, kind-hearted and who I shared many interests with; they were just like me.
The teaching was demanding and thorough and incredibly taxing academically, but it was also incredibly enjoyable and thought provoking. No matter who the person we met to speak with and no matter their background, we were always encouraged by them to be the best we can be and to never stop thinking, and as such this message was instilled as a motto for the whole Institute.
I found the residential to again be another fantastic week. The teaching sessions were extremely challenging and tough but were done in a way that made me feel as though I was able to keep up with the pace. The interview practice has not only given me a greater confidence for the Cambridge admissions assessments but has also given me targeted feedback on how to improve for the actual interviews. The residential has made it seem to me as though studying at Cambridge is within my grasp rather than simply an idea that is more or less unachievable.
I can honestly say that Linacre has been the best experience of my life and it continues to support me long after the summer. The ongoing tutor system has been the most supportive part. In my AS results I scraped a C in Physics. Then I was introduced to my tutor – she is my Physics guardian angel! With her guidance and help my confidence has grown exponentially. I’m proud to say I’m now consistently getting As.
Linacre Partner Schools
Linacre offers Partner Schools the opportunity to work with a team of first-class in-house experts to drive ambition and excellence for capable sixth-formers.
The experience and expertise that we have developed since we first started in 2014, provides a unique approach to help students, from disadvantaged backgrounds, to reach the most competitive and selective universities in the country.
Our work is often recognised as being ‘beyond outstanding’ and we have a track record of success as demonstrated by several Partner Schools that have posted record results, both in terms of student performance and university destinations.
Find out the benefits of becoming a Partner School.
Wales High School saw the percentage of their sixth-formers reaching highly selective (Sutton Trust 30) universities almost double in their first year of working with us.
Hall Cross in Doncaster have called our support “transformational both in terms of the attitude and attainment of our most able students, including grade outcomes as well as destinations”
Student Stories
Without Linacre, I don’t think I would’ve even considered applying to Cambridge, never mind getting in for Natural Sciences and continuing to love it in my second year.
