Young people facing disadvantage from Middlesbrough and the surrounding areas will have a significantly enhanced opportunity to attend higher education, thanks to a new children’s education centre in the heart of the town.
The new education facility, which officially opened on 25 March 2025, is jointly funded by education charity IntoUniversity, and King’s College Cambridge, celebrated an opening event at its centre in the Wrkspace on Linthorpe Road. King’s has been committed to student outreach in the North East of England for more than 20 years and works with a number of secondary schools in the region to encourage talented students to pursue further study.
The centre employs four full-time members of staff and will be used to offer after-school academic support, mentoring with local university students and professionals, in-school aspiration-raising workshops and enrichment and work experience opportunities.
Middlesbrough is an IMD (index of multiple deprivation) decile 1 area, meaning it’s among the 10% most deprived places nationally. The local progression rate into higher education is just 20%, compared to 44% of students nationally, making the area a prime location for an IntoUniversity centre.
Attending the event were around 20 students aged 7-18 who are set to benefit from the centre for the next academic year and beyond, with some of them delivering speeches.
Primary school students took part in a variety of activities during the event replicating the type of activities they will be engaging with in the year ahead. Secondary school students posed questions about future study and careers to attending guests.
IntoUniversity has a proven track record of improving attainment into higher education for students facing disadvantage, and currently supports over 56,000 young people each year at their 44 centres nationwide.
58% of students who attend IntoUniversity centres go on to progress to university, compared with 29% of students from similar backgrounds nationally. The Middlesbrough centre builds on work the organisation already does in the North East through its centres in Newcastle and Hull, among others.
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with IntoUniversity to support the foundation of their new Middlesbrough centre,” said King’s College Provost, Dr Gillian Tett. “King’s has long-standing connections to the North East through our schools’ outreach work in the region and see this as a valuable opportunity to further support talented young people and their aspirations.”
Dr Rachel Carr, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of IntoUniversity, said:
“Middlesbrough is a place very close to my heart, as my parents were from the town and I still have many family and friends here. It therefore gives me great pleasure to be able to open a centre here, and to be partnering with King’s College Cambridge to deliver a programme which will have a lasting impact for young people in Middlesbrough.
“We look forward to working closely with local schools, parents and carers and of course the amazing young people who are the heart and soul of these centres. Young people in Middlesbrough have so much talent, but circumstances can mean their opportunities to reach their full potential are limited.
“We believe that with the right support these young people can thrive in their educational journeys and ultimately reach positive post-school destinations. Thanks to our partner, King’s College Cambridge, and to everyone else who has made this centre possible.”
