University of Westminster widens access to higher education with series of Soho Poly Shakespeare workshops

With three sessions delivered so far, the project will take place across six days, with 240 pupils taking part in the programme, which was funded by the Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation and the Behrens Foundation. Each visit so far has included a screening of a film adaptation of Macbeth at the Regent Street Cinema (RSC), followed by lunch and an interactive Shakespeare drama workshop at the University’s Soho Poly arts venue.

The initiative supports the University’s Access and Participation Plan, which, for this project, will raise attainment for Key Stage Three and Four learners in English Literature, particularly for young people underrepresented in higher education. Schools in Westminster have a high proportion of pupils with a first language other than English (51% in 2024/25). The University’s partner schools are particularly diverse, with 61% of pupils coming from Black, Asian and Global Majority backgrounds and 32% receiving free school meals. Many of the partner schools in Westminster are located in neighbourhoods ranked among the top 20% most deprived in England, where access to low‑cost cultural and educational activities is limited.

The programme builds on a successful 2023 pilot with Eastbury Community School, where 75% of pupils reported feeling more motivated to study at university after taking part and more than half said the workshop increased their confidence in English Literature.

The programme is jointly delivered by the University, the RSC and the Soho Poly. With over 100 partner schools across London, with many facing rising costs that limit theatre trips and extra‑curricular learning, the University is helping to bridge a widening gap in cultural access.

One pupil who participated said: “Today has brought me a wider perspective, introducing a variety of factors that I could embed into my knowledge, further developing them into something I could use for the exam.”

Another pupil said: “Watching Macbeth in the cinema gave me a visual demonstration of the play which will be really helpful for my GCSEs. Furthermore, the Q&A session with the students was really useful with giving me an insight of how university is like.”

Sophie Millward-Sadler, UK Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer at the University, said: “It has been great to see this programme take off this year, underlining Westminster's ongoing commitment to raising attainment for all and widening access to higher education. The enthusiasm of the students taking part has been inspirational for all of us and we are looking forward to the continuation of this important project in future years.”

Jules Attanayake, Development Manager of Trusts and Foundations at the University, added: “I am so pleased that we have been able to initiate this project after two years in the making and reaching out to multiple funders. Like many of our other projects, which benefit children from partner schools such as our Annual Schools Science Conference and sustainability workshops, pupils are able to experience a university environment for the first time. Our project was designed to encourage creativity, exploration, broaden horizons and fire the imaginations of the school pupils. This project improves English Literacy for children at GCSE level and enhances learning on the school curriculum. We look forward to building on this project year on year.”

The series of workshops directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

To learn more about the project or make a donation, contact the Development Team.