School-to-university transition workshops
Rora Education offers school-to-university transition support for sixth form students through in-school workshops and structured 1:1 packages. Workshops can be delivered to a whole cohort or as neurodivergent-focused provision, and are designed to complement rather than duplicate existing UCAS, pastoral and SEND support.
Rora Education is led by Rosie, a former teacher, Head of Psychology and Higher Education Coordinator, with twelve years of experience supporting students through A Levels, university applications and the transition to higher education.
Rosie holds an enhanced DBS with children's barred list, on the Update Service.
- Schools already do substantial work helping students choose courses, apply to university and prepare academically
- University also changes how students manage time, independent study, deadlines, routines and day-to-day organisation
- Support may still be available, but it can operate differently and may require students to recognise a need, initiate contact or navigate new systems
- Making these changes visible before transition gives students a clearer basis for practical preparation
Schools understandably devote significant attention to helping students choose and secure the right course and institution. A different preparation task is helping students anticipate how everyday learning and support may work once they arrive.
The move from school to university can involve substantial changes in timetables, teacher oversight, deadlines, home support and the way students access help. Some scaffolding may reduce; some may remain but work differently; and some may require more student initiation.
- Executive-function skills at university entry are associated with first-year academic outcomes, including credits completed (Baars et al., 2015)
- Students report gaps between application-focused preparation and the practical demands of independent university study (Worsley et al., 2021)
- Students with ADHD can experience greater difficulty with university persistence on average, although individual outcomes vary (DuPaul et al., 2021)
- Study skills are associated with better academic outcomes for students with ADHD and may reduce the extent to which ADHD predicts academic difficulty (Gormley et al., 2016)
- Research identifies executive function and study skills as useful areas for support before and during the transition to university (DuPaul et al., 2021; Gormley et al., 2018)
Two complementary 60-minute workshops — book either session or both
Sessions can be delivered in person or online and are adapted to the needs of the students in consultation with the school.
Session 1: School to higher education, understanding the transition
An evidence-informed session helping students understand how university demands may differ, recognise the scaffolding they rely on now, and identify practical preparation they can begin before transition.
Session 2: School to higher education, planning for success
A practical, evidence-informed planning workshop. It can follow Session 1 or be booked on its own, with the exact activity mix adapted to the school's context and the students attending.