The 2025-26 academic year is coming to an end, and with it the end of the first year of the Office for Students-funded Our Future, Our Way project. It has been a fantastic first year, with much to learn and take forward, and we’re delighted to share a summary of project impact.

4,4000+ pupils in Greater Manchester have taken part in The Scholars Programme, where students from state schools work with a PhD researcher. There's still time to get in touch to discuss The Scholars Programme for 2026/27 this side of the summer break: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

Over the past year, 70 students from 5 schools across the South West have taken part in this innovative outreach project, exploring cutting-edge topics in AI while developing critical thinking, research and academic confidence that will support them on their journey to university.

Today we’re proud to be celebrating the culmination of an exciting partnership with @uniofbath.bsky.social that has brought an AI-focused iteration of The Scholars Programme to life, combining academic rigour with tailored insight into AI pathways and careers.

Over 3,600 students in Essex have taken part in The Scholars Programme, which gives students from non-selective state schools the opportunity to work with a PhD researcher. To discuss how The Scholars Programme can help your students, enquire here: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

Summer term Scholars Programme graduation events are well underway, with thousands of students marking their success at partner universities. 📷 St Mary's and St John's CE School celebrating at @soasuni.bsky.social Schools can enquire about programme on our website: https://bit.ly/4phq7CN

💻 Webinar: Tutor Information Event 🗓️ Wednesday 15th July, 4pm PhD and early career researchers can sign up for our next information event about what becoming a tutor with us involves, including a Q&A from a current tutor. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UwVOZzqZQIq1rna378QXUA#/

950+ Leeds students have taken part in The Scholars Programme, where students from non-selective state schools/colleges across the UK work with a PhD researcher. If you’d like to discuss how The Scholars Programme can help your students, enquire here: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

Findings of the White Working Class Educational Outcomes Inquiry, published this week, reveal that higher education is often seen as inaccessible or irrelevant to white working class young people.

“I enjoyed learning things I probably wouldn't have learnt about otherwise. Students would be lucky to take part in The Scholars Programme." 24,000+ pupils in London state schools have worked with a PhD researcher through our programme. School enquiries: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

PhD researcher Fatai Adetunji Ilesanmi reflects on being a tutor on The Scholars Programme, using stalagmites to help students consider how can we reconstruct past climate and environments and develop their scientific reasoning skills: https://bit.ly/4oWUD4X

Q3 Academy Tipton students have been learning about Future Vaccines with a PhD tutor on The Scholars Programme. We spoke to programme lead Daniel Edmonds about the impact university-style teaching from a PhD researcher has provided for students: https://bit.ly/4b1lC9p

💻 Webinar: Helping Students Access and Succeed in Higher Education Are you a teacher looking to help students from less advantaged backgrounds access and succeed in higher education? Join our upcoming webinar on Wednesday 1st July: https://bit.ly/3Quknc3

Today we launched our new strategy, Backing Brilliance, where we outline our vision of a society where every child has a fair chance to unlock their brilliance, regardless of where or how they grow up. Read more and get in touch: https://bit.ly/4epYROP

Today we are launching our new three-year strategy, Backing Brilliance. In it, we set out how we'll support young people to access and thrive at leading universities by working with schools, parents and the broader education sector. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4epYROP

Over 1,200 Doncaster students have taken part in The Scholars Programme, where students from non-selective state schools and colleges work with a PhD researcher. If you’d like to discuss how The Scholars Programme can help your students, enquire today: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

"I had a great time learning about things I normally wouldn't in school. It opens so many doors for me in the future." 🚪🔑 Over 1,600 Coventry & Warwickshire pupils have taken part in The Scholars Programme: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

To mark #SocialMobilityDay 2026, we joined partners from the Social Mobility Alliance at the House of Commons to call for urgent action to drive progress on social mobility.

💻 Webinar: Tutor Information Event 🗓️ Wednesday 15th June, 3pm PhD and postdoctoral researchers can sign up for our next information event about what becoming a tutor with us involves. Register for the webinar here: https://bit.ly/4xljvHc

💻 Webinar: School Fundraising 📆 Wednesday 17th June, 4pm Register here: https://bit.ly/4nWj3ef Join Hannah Bekkers from our School Partnerships team and guest speaker Gerry Griffiths, Fundraising Officer at The Brilliant Club, to learn more about fundraising for your school.

We'll be joining NACE at a mini-conference on Removing barriers to opportunity and achievement! 📆 Tuesday 23rd June, 9am - 4pm 📌 NACE, Horticulture House, Chilton, Oxfordshire Register for the event here: https://bit.ly/4uGE3rj #NACEMiniConference #RemovingBarriers

We've worked with 2,300+ pupils in 45 schools across Liverpool City Region! DfE data shows overall progression to HE in the region is 42%, but 68% of students completing The Scholars Programme between 2016-2022 progressed to HE (HESA). Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D

PhD internships with The Brilliant Club: applications now open! In our job pack, PhD students can find all the relevant information: https://bit.ly/421GsRd ⏰️Apply by Friday 19th June, 5pm here: https://bit.ly/4tAVSYk 👂Hear from a former intern: https://bit.ly/4so6lWI

1 week left to register! In this @seced.bsky.social webinar on June 11th at 4pm, we will consider practical ideas for academic enrichment activities in secondary schools that develop key skills and prepare students for higher education. Register here: https://bit.ly/4nFvuek

With Social Mobility Day just around the corner, the conversation couldn't be more timely. A huge thanks to @andrewranger-mp.bsky.social and PwC for sponsoring the event and to our young ambassadors Mia Taylor-Seal and Joshua Killilea for representing The Brilliant Club and sharing their stories.

Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. Today, we joined our partners in the Social Mobility Alliance at the House of Commons - bringing together MPs, employers, and young people to push for real change on social mobility.

We’re celebrating 3,966 students from 311 schools who attended graduation events across 34 higher education institutions in April/May, to learn more about university and celebrate their achievements on The Scholars Programme! https://bit.ly/3tPlj9D 📷 Gateacre School, Wisbech Academy, Havant Academy

New @ONS data reveals nearly 1 in 8 young people are NEET – the highest rate since 2013. Extending disadvantage funding to post-16 education is an essential part of the solution to this growing crisis. Read about proposals to introduce a Student Premium: https://bit.ly/4nWO1mx

PhD researchers like Olamide are teaching courses in schools across the UK through The Scholars Programme. Applications are now open in key areas, find out more here: https://bit.ly/4kvqvuN

"I can see clearly how pivotal The Scholars Programme was in shaping my path. It opened up a whole different world for me. It made me see that university was an option — something that just wasn’t on the cards at secondary school." Read Emma's story: https://bit.ly/3P8RX6P