Pioneering Mentor Scheme Goes From Strength to Strength

A hit mentoring scheme by the Sixth Form College is set to give even more students a helping hand to university by expanding to a new level due to its success.

The programme, which involves undergraduates from both the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores volunteering as tutors for those taking A Levels, has been trialled for two years and is hailed as an all-round triumph. The University of Liverpool chose to work exclusively with the Sixth Form College in Wirral and it is the only scheme of its kind that the university is involved in.

The college originally took on two Higher Education Mentors in the Sociology department in 2013, but that number has now grown to 16 across six subjects for this academic year. Mentors from the universities will now be tutoring in Geography, History, Sport, Law and Dance along with the piloted Sociology.

As part of the specialist A Level teaching at the Sixth Form College, each student is allotted time with their mentor, whether one-to-one or in small groups. They get to discuss any problems within the given subject and are offered advice on exam technique and revision skills, all from someone who has just recently been in their shoes.

The HE Mentors are in the unique position to give an insight into the demands of university and the subject at hand, as they are all currently studying in that particular area for their degrees. In turn, the mentors themselves have their sights on a career in teaching and the entire experience can prove invaluable to their teacher training applications.

Sociology teacher Claire Morgan, who organises and leads the programme, said: “In Sociology, we’ve seen a real improvement, and we’re talking grades. In some instances, we’ve had students moving up two grades, so it’s making a significant impact with their confidence and their academic ability.”

Claire explained that the relationship built between mentor and student plays a key role in helping the student develop, and that the scheme benefits performers of all levels.

She said: “We like to focus on exam technique and revising. Some of the mentors like to do mind-maps with them and really try to get them to add depth and detail to increase their marks. With some students that aren’t as strong, they found that working on key terms is important and help them to revise in that one-to-one environment – quizzing and testing to help build their confidence.”

University of Liverpool Senior Lecturer in Geography and Planning, Dr Paul Williamson, has seven students who started their tenures as HE Mentors in January. He and Claire Morgan are working on building the scheme into the university degree programme as a module for the undergraduates.

Dr Williamson said of the mentoring scheme: “It provides invaluable hands-on teaching experience which is not easy to come by. Our students get an ideal chance to find out whether or not they want to pursue a career in teaching. The Sixth Form students get the opportunity to be mentored at peer-level by some enthusiastic and dynamic individuals.”

One such individual, Hannah O’Neill, is now in her second year as a mentor in Sociology, having previously studied at the Sixth Form College herself.

Hannah said: “Each session has been enjoyable and getting to know the students and watch them progress has been the most rewarding part. My time as a tutor has helped not only the students but me as well, enabling me to devote some of my time to helping others whilst developing my own personal skills”

Another former Sixth Form College student, Abbie Bateman, is returning as an HE Mentor in Sport, which she is now studying at Liverpool John Moores University.

Abbie said: “It’s a great opportunity for both me and the students, who will get to know what university’s about from people who are there now. It might be easier for them to listen and associate with us because we’ve been through what they are going through so recently.”