Access to HE revived interest in a new era Kath Dentith Head of Access Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

: a golden era? ‘Education, education, education’ ‘widening participation’ = HE for ‘all those who have the potential to benefit’ 50% target for young people to go on to HE by 2010 Schwartz: ‘fair access’ = equal opportunities for all the ‘graduate premium’ Foundation degrees; Aimhigher; Lifelong learning networks; Office for Fair Access 2001/02 – 2007/08: £392 million to HEIs for widening participation in HE

: themes in a period of recession Public Accounts Committee (2009): DIUS and HEFCE ‘knows too little about how universities have used the £392 million allocated to them over the last five years’. ‘graduate unemployment’ in 2012: - 25% graduates unemployed (20% 18 yr old school leavers) - graduates in low skilled jobs = 36% (26.7% in 2001) widening participation and fair access = entry to ‘our most selective institutions’ or ‘a form of social engineering’.

Why the interest in Access to HE? White Paper (2011): Students at the Heart of the System ‘new framework for widening participation and fair access’ noted that, in 2010: 52% increase in applicants holding Access to HE qualification (28,000 - over 5% all UCAS applicants) 46% increase in total Access to HE acceptances ‘We will examine why interest in Access to Higher Education courses has recently increased.’

Access to HE Diploma achievement 2011: continued increase?

What happened next – applications to HE? UCAS mature applications ( ): Jan stats release

Why do adult numbers matter? Demographic changes in yr age group 2007–10: numbers rising 2010: numbers peaked : number will decline significantly 2020: predicted to be lowest number in this age group since onwards: numbers increase again

HE responses to decline of yr olds Option 1: recruit fewer in total (shrink u/g population) Option 2: compete for numbers in shrinking pool, eg increase share of 18 yr old A level entrants increase numbers of 18 yr olds with other qualifications (identify qualifications with HE best fit) increase supply of younger students applying to HE by increasing proportion who progress to level 3 Option 3: increase recruitment of adults (identify major HE entry route for adults?)....

Other observations about Access to HE from the 2011 White Paper 1)‘acceptance rate [69%] compares well with the 73 per cent rate achieved by all other applicants’ 2)‘attainment by access students [in HE] stands fair comparison with others 3)‘after graduation, most former access students get graduate jobs.’ ‘Our continuing support for Access courses should help those who left school early or have been out of education for a number of years.’

Access to HE in round numbers (2011) 40,000 registered on Access to HE courses 30,000 applicants to HE (through UCAS) 30,000 completed the Access to HE course 27,500 awarded the Access to HE Diploma 21,500 HE acceptances (through UCAS)

Where has the recent interest in Access to HE numbers come from? Increases in all groups, but particularly among those who were: white and male (though male students still only 30% of all registrations) aged holding ‘other’ qualifications as well as Access to HE from areas where relatively few adults hold HE quals studying full-time studying Access courses in health and social care applying to HE courses in subjects allied to medicine.

Why has interest in Access to HE courses ‘recently increased’? What the AVAs said… 1.Increased unemployment: individuals retraining for graduate professions 2.Introduction of Access to HE Diploma led to new courses, re-engagement by colleges and improved qualification branding 3.Improved promotion and marketing by providers 4.Availability of more on-line information and course search from Access to HE website (2007) and Access Courses Database (2008) 5.Improved confidence among FECs, following clear statements about funding eligibility

What’s the point of examining ‘why interest has recently increased’? ‘With continued Skills Funding Agency support for level 3 provision, including the planned introduction of further education loans for learners aged 24 and over from 2013/14, there may be opportunities to develop even more flexible routes for progression from further to higher education, including work-based options.…’

More flexibility for Access to HE? What do potential Access to HE students tell us they want? more part-time/evening/distance/on-line learning more subject-specific progression routes more professionally/vocationally oriented routes more comparative information greater clarity about Diploma course requirements and content greater clarity about progression opportunities.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Registered charity numbers and SC037786