1. Widening Access to Higher Education and 2012: How do we measure it?
Dr. Graeme Atherton
Aimhigher Central London Partnership Manager, University of Westminster

2. Summary Access to HE – background and policy Drivers of Access to HE
Evidence of impact of previous Olympics here
Potential impact of Olympics
Conclusions and questions

3. Access to HE: Background and Policy
Gap by social class significant but narrowing slightly – Young ft entrants from IV – III 27.9% 02/03 to 29.8% 06/07 (1)
Several measures & definitions
Numbers/population/geography/youth cohort survey (2)
Significant investment by present govt
£450m National Audit Office report (3)
Different investment streams
Aimhigher/Lifelong Learning Networks/Postcode Premium/OFFA & Access Agreements (4)

4. Drivers of Access to HE
Attainment – large gap at GCSE by social class – 35% gap at 5 A-C highest & lowest quartiles (10)
Aspirations – 60% yr olds in non-work households want to go to HE vs 74% in where 2 parents work (11)
Information, Advice and Guidance - 70% of HE students wanted more & better advice pre HE (12)
Progression routes - 89% 2 A-levels+ go to HE vs 40% Level 3 vocational qualifications (13)
Above factors interact together

5. Evidence of Impact of Previous Olympics
Not significant evidence
Sydney – increase in overall participation post 2000 but could be due to re-classification (14)
Individual projects based around Beijing – featured today e.g. London Beijing Vocational Education Project
Focus been on potential growth in international students (15)

6. Potential Impact of Olympics
Attainment
Learning materials with Olympic theme (16)
Integration of Olympic themes to core curriculum
Achievements in sports supporting wider subject attainment
Evaluation of School Sports Partnership (SSP) Programme suggests physical education can have positive impact on attainment (!&)

7. Potential Impact of Olympics
Aspirations
Olympic themed outreach projects focused on:
subjects e.g. Engineering, Languages (18)
groups e.g. boys/those with disabilities
HE involvement in volunteering allowing HE to reach new young people/adults (19)

8. Potential Impact of Olympics
Information, Advice and Guidance
Probable relationship less here
Need for effective IAG though in particular subjects to support:
Raising of aspirations (above)
Creation of new progression routes (below

9. Potential Impact of Olympics
Progression Routes
New provision of Level 1/2/3 courses in Olympics related areas – 60,000 person yrs of employment (20)
New/Adjusted/Expanded existing Level 4 provision to allow progression (21)
New courses co-funded with/delivered for employers – part time/flexible/modular

10. Discussion
As with other Olympic: societal impact scenarios strategic integration with current initiatives needed – Games/Education/Access
Could theories e.g. Olympic Tourism & ‘leveraging’ be applied to access context?
Widening Access benefits will not just ‘happen’

11. Discussion
To capture impact – concurrent mapping of any access:Olympics projects needed
Tracking of participants
Identification of where impact expected & measure of access
Further research could benefit both:
Event Legacy Theory
Widening Access Theory

12. Full paper available as draft
Contact
Thank You
Full paper available as draft
If you want to discuss any of the issues in the paper please contact me:
Dr. Graeme Atherton

13. References
1) Higher Education Statistical Agency (2008) Performance Indicators Cheltenham: HESA
(2) Atherton, G. (2008) ‘Who is widening participation for? The lost case of Aimhigher Central London Partnership’ Paper to the Exploring learning trajectories” Conference to launch the Widening Participation Research Centre Edge Hill University 20/21st May 2008
(3) National Audit Office (2008) ‘Widening participation in higher education’ London: NAO
(4) National Audit Office (2008) as above
(5) Atherton, G. & Hall, J. (2007) ‘Application to Higher Education amongst Different Ethnic Groups in Greater London: Is there no place like home?’
(6) Atherton, G. & Hall, J. (2007) as above
(7) HEFCE (2005) Young participation in Higher Education Bristol:HEFCE
(8) HEFCE (2005) as above
(9) HESA (2006) Student Tables 2005/06 Chetenham: HESA
(10) Department of Education and Skills (2006) Social Mobility: Narrowing Social Class Educational Gaps – supporting materials to a speech by the Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP Secretary of State for Education and Skills to the Institute for Public Policy Research London:Dfes
(11) The Sutton Trust (2008) Ipsos MORI Young People Omnibus Survey –
(12) Purcell, K., Elias, P., Ellison, R., Atfield, G. , Adam, D., & Livanos, I. (2008) Applying for Higher Education – the diversity of career choices, plans and expectations – Findings from the First Futuretrack Survey of the ‘Class of 2006’ applicants for Higher Education Warwick: Warwick Institute of Employment Research

14. References
(13) Department of Education and Skills (2003) Widening Participation to Higher Education London: Dfes
(14) Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008) Impact of the Olympic Games on HE in the host city London: London Higher
(15) Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008)
(16) For example of materials being developed with Olympic theme go to:
(17) Loughborough partnership (2008) The Impact of School Sport Partnerships on pupil attainment Loughborough University: Institute of Youth Sport
(18) For information on the HEFCE funded Routes into Languages project go to:
(19) HEFCE (2007) The HE sector and the Olympic Games Bristol: HEFCE
(20) Experian (2006) Employment and Skills for the 2012 Games: research and evidence London: Learning and Skills Council & London Development Agency
(21) HEFCE (2007) (as above)
(22) Higher Education Policy Institute Demand for Higher Education in 2020 and beyond
(23) HEFCE (2008) ‘HEFCE to provide £105m to expand employer engagement courses’ 21st February
(24) Thorne, D. & Atherton, G. (2008) Behind the Lines: Exploring models of HE engagement with Diplomas London: Learning and Skills Council