The Elephant Group

Who we are

The Elephant Group

We are improving access to top universities and degree apprenticeships through the power of impact driven collaboration amongst schools and the higher education sector.

The Mission 

Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. Talented young people in the state education sector do not currently have the same level of access to higher educational and career opportunities as students from the most privileged settings. Currently just 19% of non-selective state school leavers attend 'top third' universities, despite 93% of the UK population attending these schools. 

The Elephant Group is a schools-led charity established in 2018, working to improve social justice by widening access to highly selective universities, courses and degree apprenticeships. We do this through impact driven programmes working with schools and the wider education sector to improve student destinations post -18. 

We are a small organisation that has grown rapidly in reach since our launch, and we have big plans for the future. In 2024 we were short listed for the “Student Mobility Impact Award” and our inspiring CEO Jayne Taylor, was a finalist in the “Rising Chief Executive” category at the Third Sector Awards.

As well as sharing expertise and resource across sectors, we co-deliver a two programmes:

Elephant Access: to build the aspirations, attainment and application skills of 1,000+ Year 12 and 13 students, in London, East Midlands, & Yorkshire.

Meta Method: supporting students using meta cognition techniques.

This is a rare opportunity to join a small, dynamic and hard working organisation.

Our culture and values

Our Values

We are challenging.

We challenge the norms and structures that limit opportunity, because improving outcomes for young people means questioning the status quo. We also challenge ourselves to think bigger, work smarter, and continuously improve the quality and impact of our programmes.

We are impact-driven.

Everything we do is fuelled by our desire to make a meaningful difference. We listen carefully to young people and partners, and we use evidence and data to guide our decisions, ensuring our work delivers real, measurable impact where it matters most.

We are collaborative.

We know that no single organisation can achieve educational equity alone. Lasting change comes from partnership. We bring together schools, universities, employers, and communities to build a collaborative network that shares responsibility and success in widening access.

Our culture

We’re a small, agile and exciting organisation. For the right person, this is a fantastic opportunity to have a real impact on the way young people learn.

We are ambitious for the charity; we brainstorm solutions and all ideas are welcomed. We value teamwork, professionalism, customer service, zeal for excellence, and initiative.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We value the different skills and insights that come from diverse groups and welcome applications from people with lived experience of the challenges faced by the students we serve. We strive to make our recruitment interview process acessible and where possible will provide insight and adequate information throughout the process. Our small workforce works closely together in a collaborative and safe environment with clarity of roles and a culture of openness that opposes discrimination at all levels of the organisation.