Former students of Norfolk state secondary schools who went on to higher education are being urged to boost current students' chances of going to university.

Eastern Daily Press: Christine Gilbert. Pic: Dave Jones/PA.Christine Gilbert. Pic: Dave Jones/PA. (Image: Archant)

The project, in nine schools and one sixth form college, is run by the national education charity Future First, as part of the Take Your Place programme.

That is a programme, by the Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach (neaco), which aims to increase the number of young people from underrepresented backgrounds in higher education by 2020.

Future First will help participating schools build thriving alumni communities, bringing back former students with experience of higher education as positive role models so the current generation is more motivated, confident and equipped to go to university.

Schools and colleges taking part are: Thetford Academy; King Edward V11 Academy in Kings Lynn; Hewett Academy, Ormiston Victory Academy, Broadland High School and Sewell Park Academy in Norwich; Caister Academy and Lynn Grove Academy in Great Yarmouth; Cliff Park Ormiston Victory Academy and East Sixth Form College in Gorleston,

Tom Levinson, project manager for neaco, said, 'We are delighted to be working with Future First to help show young people the array of higher education options available to them.

'A network of past pupils, with higher education experience, is a valuable way to engage the region's young people and motivate them to take their education further.'

Christine Gilbert, executive chair of Future First, said: 'We are delighted to be supporting neaco's important work in encouraging more young people in the area to benefit from the many opportunities higher education can bring.

'Future First helps schools and colleges build and use a network of their former students in active support of the current generation.

'Alumni are unique because of their connection with current students. The young people in these schools will truly benefit from working with former students, who will show them what's possible from a future in higher education and open their eyes to a world beyond their own.'

The charity is urging former students of participating schools and colleges to sign up at https://networks.futurefirst.org.uk/register