Participant Information
You are invited to take part in activities run by Next Steps South West (NSSW). We offer practical support, advice, and information about higher education. Our aim is to make further and higher education accessible to everyone, regardless of background.
About NSSW
We are the Uni Connect partnership for Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, based at the University of Plymouth.
Purpose of Activities – Our sessions help GCSE and further education students explore post-18 options, build skills, and make informed decisions about their future.
Your Involvement
You may be invited to join activities that support your learning, boost confidence, and raise aspirations.
Evaluation
To measure impact, we may ask you to complete surveys, join focus groups, or take part in assessed activities. Feedback and results may be used in research, but you will not be personally identified.
How Your Information Will Be Used
• NSSW will collect your name, date of birth, and postcode.
• We may collect your free school meal status for additional research purposes.
• This data is stored securely in the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) to record your participation and track your progress into higher education.
• Your data may be used in monitoring reports and shared with the Department for Education (DfE) and the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
• If you do not take part in NSSW activities by the end of Year 13 or FE Level 3 Year 2 (or equivalent), your personal data will be removed from HEAT.
• Surveys are anonymous, and responses are combined in final reports.
• Written assessments may be collected, marked anonymously by an external examiner.
• We may collect your predicted or actual GCSE results to measure the impact of our activities. This data will be stored securely at the University of Plymouth.
• Focus group audio recordings will be transcribed, then deleted. Transcripts will not identify you.
• You will not be identified in any surveys, transcripts, or evaluation reports.
• NSSW and its partners will not use your data in a way that affects you personally or share it with unauthorised third parties.
• All data will be handled securely and in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.
Controlling Your Personal Information
If you believe your personal information is inaccurate or would like it corrected or deleted, please contact the NSSW Evaluation Team at evaluation.nssw@plymouth.ac.uk
Please note: If you choose to withdraw from the NSSW project, any data already included in published research cannot be removed.
You can read our full Participant Privacy Policy at: https://nextstepssw.ac.uk/your-privacy-matters
Download this Participant InformationSheet (updated 2025)