This thesis examines the relationships between schools and universities regarding
progression to higher education. It asks: what are the characteristics of school-university
relationships in this sphere and how do they vary? It examines schools with different rates
of progression to higher education, as defined by the Department for Education’s
destinations data (Department for Education, 2019c) to frame a qualitative study. This thesis examines the relationships between schools and universities regarding
progression to higher education. It asks: what are the characteristics of school-university
relationships in this sphere and how do they vary? It examines schools with different rates
of progression to higher education, as defined by the Department for Education’s
destinations data (Department for Education, 2019c) to frame a qualitative study. This thesis makes several contributions to the academic literature. Empirically, the
involvement of schools in progression to higher education is under-researched, with
university-focused studies dominating the literature. Theoretically, the thesis draws upon
partnership theory in order to understand the relationship between schools and universities,
using policy sociology as an analytical lens. In doing so, it examines theory in a new space.
Finally, this thesis focuses on an under-researched geographical area, the North East of
England, in order to consider how university progression occurs in a particular physical area
outside of London. This thesis may be of value to practitioners and policymakers, as well as contribute to the
debate surrounding the access and participation agenda, and inequality discourses such as
‘levelling up’ and ‘closing the attainment gap’.