The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation Impact Assessment: Year 1
04 February 2015
Interim Report Research Summary
NFER has been commissioned to undertake an evaluation of The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation (SpringBoard) between 2013 and 2018. This interim and summary report presents the findings of the first year of the evaluation.
SpringBoard was established in 2012 to transform the lives of disadvantaged young people through the provision of full bursaries at state and independent boarding schools. The first cohort of 25 pupils started at ten boarding schools in September 2013. An additional 36 pupils started in September 2014, with 60 estimated to start in September 2015. Pupils join the programme in Year 7 (aged 11), Year 9 (aged 13) and Year 12 (aged 16).
Key Findings
SpringBoard is starting to positively transform the lives of pupils. In particular:
- Pupils are benefiting from three-way support from SpringBoard staff, partner organisations who recruit and provide ongoing support, and boarding schools
- Pupils placed in boarding schools report that they: are better meeting their academic potential and benefiting from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities; have broadened horizons and enhanced prospects, including higher study and career aspirations; have increased self confidence, independence and resilience and improved social skills.
- Wider emerging impacts include: having SpringBoard pupils in schools is raising awareness of social diversity; other young people in SpringBoard pupils’ home communities are aspiring to follow in their footsteps or have raised aspirations.
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