Parent FAQs

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We currently work with state secondary schools throughout South East Scotland, supporting pupils who match LEAPS eligibility criteria.

Please take a look at our eligibility criteria here to see if your young person is eligible to receive support from LEAPS.

(Please note, although LEAPS staff come into schools to see students from S3 for Group 1+ schools, from S4 for Group 1 schools, and from S5 (for Group 2 schools), there is no formal registration process for LEAPS until pupils are in S6. Students will be invited to attend events as directed by their school or sign up for them individually.)

What happens if my young person is LEAPS eligible?

If your young person attends a Group 1+ School:

Schools in this category typically have rates of progression to higher education that are some way below the national average. For this reason, these schools are entitled to participate in the LEAPS programme from S3 to S6, as well as some bespoke activities.

If your young person attends a Group 1 School:

Schools in this category typically have rates of progression to higher education that are below the national average. For this reason, these schools are entitled to participate in the LEAPS programme from S4 to S6.

If your young person attends a Group 2 School:

These schools typically have a more established tradition of students progressing directly to higher education. Students in these schools who match any of the LEAPS eligibility criteria are entitled to individualised support during S5 and S6.

To see which LEAPS activities are available to a particular school, please see our activities selector here.

How does my young person register for LEAPS?

Although LEAPS staff come into schools to see students from S3 (for Group 1+ schools), from S4 (for Group 1 schools), and from S5 (for Group 2 schools), there is no formal registration process for LEAPS until pupils are in S6. Students will be invited to attend events as directed by their school or sign up for them individually.

When pupils are in S6, a LEAPS member of staff will come into school to conduct an interview with students who might be LEAPS eligible. At this interview, LEAPS eligibility is confirmed and your young person will then be formally registered. Thereafter guidance teachers make universities aware of this via each pupil’s individual UCAS application form. It is vital that LEAPS eligibility is confirmed at this point so that it can be highlighted to universities at the point of application. The deadline for LEAPS interviews, and confirming LEAPS eligibility, falls around the end of November each year. The date is communicated to schools in advance.

The LEAPS interview is arranged via school guidance teachers following a LEAPS talk given in school to S6 pupils, which outlines LEAPS eligibility criteria and the support offered by LEAPS. If your young person is unsure if they will be receiving an interview, they should speak to their guidance teacher in the first instance. If they are unsure who their guidance teacher is, they are welcome to contact the LEAPS office directly.

What is UCAS?

UCAS stands for the University and Colleges Admissions Service. It is the online system by which applications for degree level study are submitted for those applying to higher education institutions in the UK. Students apply through UCAS, which in turn forwards applications to the appropriate universities using the UCAS online system.

Despite having the word ‘colleges’ in its title, UCAS does not cover applications to colleges. Students apply directly to each college through the relevant college website. Students can apply to college at the same time as they apply to universities via UCAS and this does not use up any of their UCAS choices.

Does being LEAPS eligible mean my young person will get a lower offer from universities?

Each university has their own admissions policies – the grades and requirements that students need to meet to gain entry to their courses – and they will look at LEAPS eligibility differently based on their widening access agreements.

Some universities may make offers to LEAPS-eligible students based on their minimum entry requirements rather than the typical entry requirements (the typical can often be higher than the minimum). All applicants do need to meet the minimum requirements, however, and this can include National 5s as well as Highers.

UCAS have more information on their website about contextualised admissions, including a factsheet. The resource is primarily aimed at teachers/advisers, but might useful reading for anyone trying to better understand contextualised admissions.

If you have any more queries about this, please contact us.

Who do I talk to about entry requirements and course choices?

There are lots of places you can turn to for advice about higher education entry requirements and course choices, including:

University and college admissions departments – they are well used to taking queries, that’s why they are there!
The LEAPS Team
School Guidance Staff
Skills Development Scotland Staff – careers guidance in school and My World of Work