Created in response to the national problem of young men from disadvantaged backgrounds being the most under-represented group in higher education, Community Exe offers the unique opportunity for marginalized boys (aged 14+) to access a tailored and progressive intervention at a critical early stage.

Many children are growing up without vital support and encouragement to pursue a university education, believing that university is simply not an option for them:
• Only 29% of the most disadvantaged school children attend university, compared to the national average of 46%
• Just 12% of CEOs have working-class origins
• 78% of children receiving free school meals fail English and Maths GCSE.

When looking at boys’ attainment and the Southwest region, the problem comes into sharper focus and white males from the lowest socioeconomic backgrounds are the least likely group to access higher education. The South West has the lowest educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils of any English region.

The University of Exeter is home to the UK’s only University Centre for Social Mobility dedicated to improving social mobility through evidence-informed practice and policy. Having identified the problem the team are piloting the ‘Community Exe’ programme to try and inspire this client group and find out what works for them so that this knowledge can inform future programmes.

Community Exe will enable 100 participants to gain experience of a range of subjects and industries that have been carefully selected to align with hobbies and extra-curricular areas of interest, such as – Sport, Youth Leadership, Music and Communication, AI and Technology. The programme will see participants develop transferable skills and behaviours which will have a positive impact on their achievement at school and in their personal lives. The team hope that 50 participants will go on to the University’s already established Exeter Scholar’s programme which acts as a feeder for University.