LEAPS

What we want to achieve

• Provide (a) young people and (b) their parents with advice, information and encouragement to consider higher education, accessed directly or through further education, as an attractive and attainable option.
• Provide impartial information and advice about courses and routes to higher education.
• Raise awareness of widening participation issues and the need to challenge traditional assumptions about admissions criteria within (a) higher education institutions and (b) schools.
• Enhance the prospects of young people fulfilling their academic potential by promoting positive attitudes to learning and acquisition of learning skills to ensure effective transition to and success in higher education.
• Monitor and evaluate student progression into, through and beyond higher education.

Programme Information

LEAPS has been in operation since 1995.  In 2008/09, The South East Forum along with Scottish Borders Council joined the partnership and provided funding for LEAPS to expand their activities into the Scottish Borders.

LEAPS works with all 46 state secondary schools in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and 9 in the Scottish Borders.

Group 1 & 2 schools

The level of support provided to each school is determined by the tradition of school students progressing onto HE, with schools given a Group 1 or Group 2 designation. Group 1 schools, with progression to HE rates of 21% or less over a 5 year period, pupils are eligible for all elements of the S2-S6 programme.

Eligible pupils in Group 2 schools are eligible for S5 and S6 elements.

High Flyers

The South East Forum also funds the High Flyers residential event at S4/5 to inspire and motivate pupils from selected schools with the very lowest progression to HE rates. Pupils in these schools also receive additional one-to-one support and mentoring from a designated Project Officer.

Reports

• Download the LEAPS Annual Report 07/08.
• Download the Parental Support Study. 
• Download the Tracking LEAPS students through their years in Higher Education report (2006).
• Download An Evaluation of the Progression of LEAPS Students Through Their First Year of Higher Education (2004).

Additional Information

• Find out more about the young people that LEAPS have supported and where they are now by visiting the LEAPS website.
• Download the LEAPS brief information download