First phase of NCOP shows ‘positive results’, says regulator

Research finds outreach programme has been successful so far but recommends improvements

There are “encouraging signs” that the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) is successfully targeting participation cold spots, but the Office for Students has warned progress must be measured over the long-term.

An independent evaluation of NCOP, commissioned by the OfS and carried out by CFE Research, found that the first phase of the programme had improved outreach work with schools and colleges, particularly through sustained outreach across activities such as summer schools and campus visits and one-to-one mentoring with pupils.