The Open University in Yorkshire
2 Trevelyan Square
Boar Lane
Leeds LS1 6ED
Reception: 0113 244 4431
Fax: 0113 234 1862
e-mail: Yorkshire@open.ac.uk
There are around 7000 students studying with the OU in Yorkshire who are supported by approximately 500 tutors across Yorkshire and over 50 staff based in our regional centre in Leeds.
If you are thinking about part time study you can come and talk with us at our regional centre in Leeds which is open from 9am to 4.30pm weekdays or ring our advice number: +44 (0)845 300 60 90. Whilst here you can take a look at OU course materials in our library.
We have Drop in Advice sessions in Leeds on the first Wednesday of every month between 12noon and 6.30pm and, we have two Open Events each year. Information about Open University study is available at a number of venues across the region, to find out more click here:
http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/events.aspx
If you have a specific enquiry, contact us before dropping in to ensure we have someone available to help.
The Young Applicants in School and College Scheme (YASS) allows academically gifted students in Years 12 and 13 to take a course from a range of first-year undergraduate modules alongside their AS and A levels.
The courses are very different from A-Levels and deal with topics that would not normally be covered in a traditional school course. For example, some of our more popular courses are: ‘Start Writing Fiction’, ‘Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis’, ‘Design and the Web’, ‘Digital Photography’, and ‘Archaeology, the science of investigation’. There is a choice of start dates throughout the year.
Studying an Open University module adds breadth to A-Level study, but it also introduces new ways of learning, develops study skills and confidence and provides an early introduction to Higher Education. It makes an excellent preparation for university, providing evidence of a student’s self-motivation and ability in independent learning.
We have over 30 schools and colleges engaged in the scheme across Yorkshire, and had over 240 students taking courses in 2008/9. For more information look at the website: www.open.ac.uk/yass or contact the regional coordinator.
Contact
YASS Coordinator in Yorkshire: Anne Milne (0113)208 6746
Our Aims:
• Getting into the heart of the community to give information, advice and study support to local people in local venues
• Working to overcome barriers to higher education in disadvantaged communities
What we do:
We offer opportunities for you to find out about studying with the Open University, and to help you to succeed on your course once you become a student.
We hold relaxed drop-in information sessions in venues such as schools, children’s centres and community centres, where you can come and chat to us, find out about which courses and look at course materials.
We organise fun taster sessions in different subjects (such as Understanding Children, Starting with Psychology and Starting with Maths) so that you can get a real feel for what a particular course involves. We are often able to provide childcare for these sessions.
We arrange enrolment sessions so that we can support you with the registration process.
We also come and talk to groups. These could be learners coming to the end of a course and looking at what to do next, or local community groups. It doesn’t have to be a formal group – we come to informal gatherings as well, such as parents’ coffee mornings held in local primary schools.
We are often to be found giving information at community events such as fun days, health days, adult learners’ fairs, schools’ events for parents, and lots more.
Once you enrol on a course through the outreach programme, we can provide extra support in the form of face-to-face study skills sessions held in local venues. This gives you the chance to get together with other people studying locally who are new to OU study just like you are, and to learn how to improve study skills such as how to manage your time, read effectively, make notes and write essays.
How do I find out where and when your local events are happening?
We are currently in the process of planning our next programme – ring Naomi Colhoun on (0113) 208 6746 for more information.
Many people start their OU study with one of our “Openings” courses – 20-week courses designed to give you a taste of OU study and brush up your study skills. There is financial support available (depending on your circumstances) so you may not have to pay any course fees. You don’t need a computer to do an Openings course.
As with other OU courses, Openings courses are ‘open entry’, so you don’t need to have previous entry qualifications. If you aren’t sure about whether you are ready to study at this level, we can talk to you about this and help you decide. We have a useful self-assessment booklet that you can work through in your own time at home, and can provide course taster materials as well so you can see the level of reading and writing involved. Please ring Naomi Colhoun on (0113) 208 6746.
We value our work with partners, and currently have good links with Extended Services Coordinators, Parental Involvement Officers, Children’s Centre staff and community centre staff across Yorkshire. We also have links with other local learning providers. We would be delighted to hear from you if your role involves working to promote learning opportunities to adults within disadvantaged communities and are interested in exploring how we can work together to offer flexible Higher Education opportunities to your community. Please contact Naomi Colhoun on (0113) 208 6746 for a chat.
We have been developing community outreach provision in the following places:
Bradford
West Bowling - Little Horton – Great Horton – Ravenscliffe – Greengates – Fagley - Thornbury – Shipley - Windhill
Leeds
Chapeltown – Middleton - Cottingley – Ardsley - Tingley
Sheffield
Firth Park
Hull
Preston Road
We are always happy to work in new places with new partners, so please do get in touch if you’d like us to come and do some outreach in your area.
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