1. Qualification reform and the new UCAS Tariff
Margaret Farragher
Head of Policy and Qualifications
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2. Introduction
Setting the scene – latest trends and qualification reform
The new UCAS Tariff – how the new points work, key dates and case studies
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3. 2014 End of Cycle – “A buyer’s/student’s market”
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Headlines
Record number of applicants enter HE
Increased focus on “quality” by Higher Education Providers (HEPs)– static acceptance rate
Absolute difference in entry rate between men and women is larger than ever before
Significant social change – growing reduction in rich/ poor gap
Growth in demand driven by BTEC learners
University “winners” get stronger/ HE market forces take effect
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4. Record numbers enter HE – Acceptances by domicile
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For the first time over half a million people placed in HE. 512,400 applicants were placed, an increase of 3.4%.
In 2014, differences between the advantaged and disadvantaged decreased in all four countries, with the entry rate ratios reaching new lows. However, entry rates to higher tariff providers for 18 year olds in advantaged areas are remain between six to nine times greater than in disadvantaged areas.
Women more likely to enter HE than men are to apply. This difference in 18 year old, UK domiciled entry rates equates to 32,000 fewer 18 year old men entering HE this year than would be the case if men had the same entry rate as women
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5. Growth in BTECs – Entry rate by qualification held
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The proportion of the 18 year old population in England who entered HE and held a BTEC qualification increased to 6.7% in This is the highest entry rate holding BTECs recorded; 18 year olds in England are around 120% more likely to enter HE holding a BTEC than they were in 2006.
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6. Qualifications pipeline
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Looking to the future, the pool of applicants holding BTEC qualifications will grow, whilst the number holding A levels decreases
DfE Level 3 participation data. Fewer 18 year olds, VQ type learners go to mid/lower tariff HEPs so higher tariff competing for smaller pot.
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7. Qualification reform
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8. The qualification landscape
Decoupled AS – England
New Core Maths – England
New Nationals – Scotland
New A levels – UK
New Highers – Scotland
Science practical grades – England
VQ reform – England
New Welsh Bacc – Wales
Coupled AS – Wales and NI
New GCSEs – England, Wales and NI
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9. 25/02/2019
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10. What does this mean for learners?
Significance of reference, personal statement and GCSEs
Mixed economy
Impact on selecting A levels
Information and advice
Reformed qualifications better for HE
“Buyer’s market”
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11. What questions are the reforms raising for teachers?
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What questions are the reforms raising for teachers?
Importance of predicted grades
Predicting A levels without the AS
EPQ and core maths
Importance of GCSEs
Interviews and admissions tests
The HE view of the AS
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12. What questions are the reforms raising for universities and colleges?
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What questions are the reforms raising for universities and colleges?
Impact of A level reform on grades
Changes to entry requirements
Changes to HE courses
Importance of the reference
Increasingly burdensome internal processes
Reliability of predicted grades
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13. What is UCAS doing to help?
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What is UCAS doing to help?
Qualifications reform web page
Contact: Ben Jordan
Qualification Information Profiles (QIPs)
Analysis and Research
Conferences and events
UCAS products and services to include new qualification features
What else can we do to help you?
Only national picture
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14. The new UCAS Tariff
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15. 1. Summary
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16. 25/02/2019
In brief…
UCAS is introducing a new Tariff for the 2017 admissions cycle
Addresses many of the shortcomings of the current model
Based on a significantly different method to the current Tariff
The primary purpose of the new Tariff is to provide a broad metric for higher education providers (HEPs) which will be used for management information and reporting purposes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the Student Record onwards
Any information and guidance material referring to UCAS Tariff points that is shared with students will need to be reviewed and revised as a result.
This slide highlights the key points to note in relation to the new Tariff.
Bullet 3 – you may also want to flag that one key qualification that has been repositioned under the new Tariff is the AS qualification - this is covered later in the pack.
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17. 2. Why is the Tariff changing?
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18. Rationale
2012 Qualifications Information Review raised concerns with the current Tariff:
it is not suited to all qualifications
it is not aligned with the UK qualification regulatory process
the process is expensive and led by awarding organisations
it is complex and unclear exactly how points are allocated to qualifications
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19. 4. How the Tariff works
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20. Higher Education Provider needs
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Design principles
Transparency
Higher Education Provider needs
Cost effective
Comprehensive
Sustainable
Flexible
Fair
Clear process for allocating Tariff points
Supports HEPs that use the Tariff for management information purposes and admissions purposes
Lower cost than the current process and/or no charge to awarding organisations
Has the scope to accommodate all UK regulated Level 3/ SCQF Level 6 qualifications
Robust enough to cope with qualifications reforms across the UK, and to last for a minimum of ten years
Sufficiently flexible to cope with the widest range of qualifications and accommodate future changes to them
Fair to the greatest number of applicants across the UK and in support of the widening participation agenda
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21. Tariff points = size band x grade band
New Tariff method
Tariff points = size band x grade band
Size bands - qualifications will be allocated a size band of 1 to 4, based on their guided learning hours/notional learning hours
Grade bands - qualifications will also be allocated a grade band. The new Tariff has 12 grade bands across a value range of These grade bands spread across the breadth of Level 3 / SCQF Level 6
The new total Tariff points will appear in the same type of Tariff Tables as the current Tariff. This means that students, teachers and advisers can focus on the new Total Tariff numbers as detailed in the new UCAS Tariff Tables.
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22. 25/02/2019
Size bands
Four size bands ensure that existing size relationships between qualifications are maintained whilst not over-emphasising the importance of size.
Size band
GLH/NLH
Qualifications included 1
< 120
Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications
IB Theory of Knowledge
IB Extended Essay 60
100 2
Extended Project Qualification AS
BTEC (QCF) L3 Certificate
IB Standard Certificate
120
180
200 3
Scottish Higher
240 4
320+
Scottish Advanced Higher
A level
IB Higher Certificate
BTEC (QCF) L3 Subsidiary Diploma
Pre U Principal Subject
320
360
380
The AS remains half the size of an A level and is size band 2
Scottish Highers are allocated to a size band in between AS and A level
Scottish Advanced Higher, A levels, IBHL, Pre-U Principal Subjects are in the same size band, size band 4
Welsh Baccalaureate is being revised for programmes starting in The new qualification is expected to be of equivalent size to an A level and would therefore be allocated to size band 4
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23. 25/02/2019
Grade bands
A finite grade scale has been established for Level 3/SCQF Level 6 qualifications providing 12 grade bands that all qualifications can be mapped to.
Grade Points
A level AS
(New Tariff)
Scottish Highers
Scottish Adv
Highers 14 A* A 13 12 B 11 10 C 9 8 D 7 6 5 4 E 3
The new Tariff uses a 3-14 point scale with 12 grade bands
Scale starts at 3 points as 1 point does not provide a sufficient multiplier effect
The scale ensures that key UK benchmark qualifications such as Scottish Highers can be precisely positioned in agreement with UK qualification regulators
The scale is finite – for example, qualification grades operating significantly above A* at A level are considered Level 4
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24. BTECs and the new Tariff
Relative position of BTECs and A levels remains the same on the new Tariff as at present
For example:
Grade
New Tariff
Current Tariff
BTEC Subsidiary Diploma D* 56
140
A level A*
At the heart of connecting people to higher education
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25. BTECs and the new Tariff
Multiple grade qualifications like the Extended BTECs get multiple size band points, in this case size band 4 + size band 4 +size band 4.
For example:
At the heart of connecting people to higher education
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26. Positioning of the AS on the new Tariff
The AS qualification has been adjusted to circa 40% of an A level to reflect the Ofqual statement – “the material studied in AS is less demanding than an A level”.
The Welsh Government and Department of Education in Northern Ireland have also positioned the AS which will remain coupled, at 40% of the A level.
Many HEPs fed back during the QIR that the AS point allocation is over generous under the current Tariff.
Ofqual consultation exercises referenced in the Technical Briefing document, showed that the majority of stakeholders that fed back on the AS commented that 40% of an A level was appropriate.

27. The Access to HE Diploma and the new Tariff
The proposal has been developed by QAA
Made possible by new specification – consistency of structure and volume of academic content
Evidence from published entry requirements that significant majority of HE courses accept Access to HE Diploma as an alternative to 3 A levels
New Tariff will also treat the Diploma as equivalent in size to 3 A levels for calculation purposes.

28. New Tariff and Access to HE Diploma
Aligned with A level grades ie
45 credits at Distinction = 3 x A grade at A level
45 credits at Pass = 3 x E grades at A level
Makes it possible to generate points for any AHE grade profile
Generates HEFCE determined profile of ABB+ equivalence as 30 credits at Distinction and 15 at Merit

29. Tariff points example – 122 points
Credits at Distinction
Credits at Merit
Credits at Pass 30 15 27 6 12 24 9 21 18 3
A level equivalent - AAE, ABD, ACC, BBC
BTEC ND equivalent - DMM

30. New Tariff tables for the Access to HE Diploma
The Tariff tables will include the points available for all possible (136) grade combinations
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31. 3. Timeline for the new Tariff
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32. Implementation and switchover date – key milestones
The new Tariff will be implemented for the 2017 admissions cycle
The new Tariff points were published in September 2014 and have been communicated to all UK secondary schools, colleges and HEPs
Schools and colleges should update their information and advice for students choosing their Level 3/SCQF Level 6 qualifications, who may go on to apply for HE courses starting from September 2017
Implementation from the 2017 admissions cycle involves a new Tariff switchover date of September 2016 for Apply
HEP communication materials such as prospectuses will need to be updated around January 2016 if references are made to the Tariff.
Course Collect for entry cycle 2017 will open in November Again if HEPs use the new Tariff, all Tariff references will need to be updated
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33. Implementation and switchover date – high level one page plan
June – Aug 2014
Sep 14 – Aug 15
Sep 15 – Aug 16
Sep 16 – Aug 17
Sep 17 – Aug 18
Jun 2014
Jul 2014
Aug 2014
Sep–Nov
2014
Dec–Feb
2014/15
Mar–May
2015
Jun–Aug
2015/16
2016
2016/17
2017
2017/18
2018
Admission Cycles
Key Decision Milestones
Operational Milestones
Engagement
IT Changes
2014 entry cycle
2015 entry cycle
2016 entry cycle
2017 entry cycle
UCAS Board
approved
new Tariff & plan
Jun 14
UCAS Board
preparedness review
April 2016
UCAS search tool opens (entry 2017)
UCAS begins to process 2017 applications
HEPs make decisions /offers using new Tariff from Sep 2016
End of Cycle Report
published with new Tariff Jan 2018
Course Collect (entry 2017) opens
Oct 2015
C&C reporting
(new Tariff)
Jul/Aug 2017
New Tariff Calculator rolled out
Dec 2014
HEPs publish prospectuses for 2017
Jan-Feb 2016
Feedback Survey published Jul 14
New Tariff published
Sep 2014
Apply Opens (entry 2017)
HESA publish Performance Indicators (new Tariff) Dec 2018-Mar 2019
Initial support and communications on the new Tariff from August 2014
Regional Training for schools and colleges commences Oct 2014
UCAS HE conventions
for applicants
Mar 2016
Schools and colleges advise level 3/SCQF level 6 students from Sep 2014
Tariff switchover
Regional training for HEPs commences Jan 2015
UCAS IT development
Jul 2015– Mar 2016
IT test environment opens
IT suppliers commence development and testing Nov 2015
Link products rolled out
Oct 2016
IT sign-off for implementation Mar 2016
Continual communications and engagement

34. 6. Resources
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35. Resources
Resources currently available to support the transition are available on the UCAS website:
Plus a quiz to help your teams familiarise Tariff points will soon is also available on this page.
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36. The new Tariff calculator
Designed to provide an indication of overall Tariff score.
Recognise that numbers are not as easy to add together.
Strong demand from schools and colleges for a calculator.
The Tariff is an indicative score only.
Not all universities or colleges use the Tariff, or accept all of the qualifications contained within it…
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43. The new Tariff video
UCAS has designed a video, which explains the new Tariff and is accessible via ucas.com
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44. 7. Implementation case studies
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45. Leeds Beckett University Readiness for the new Tariff
Amber Green
Top-level understanding (CMT, Marketing, Admissions colleagues) but not yet a full understanding of impact.
Positives at present time
Understanding of the potential impact of change
A willingness for collective working amongst various services/faculties
Opportunity presented for a review
Next steps
Developing Tariff calculator and other materials
Translation of existing requirements into new currency
Review of requirements in light of qualification reforms
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46. Arts University Bournemouth Readiness for the new Tariff
Amber
Currently
Senior management aware and they requested a presentation on changes
Admissions Team has some info
Implementation plan and timeline is in draft
Meetings are due to take place with WP, Outreach and Marketing shortly to keep up to date
I have been in conversations with SITS/Tribal (third party IT supplier) about any potential impacts; they have been very helpful but updates are down to admissions staff
Next steps
Cascade info to relevant staff and give them tools and UCAS materials to ensure understanding and ability to answer enquiries
Translate entry requirements and offers to new Tariff
Get approval from SMT/Academic Board
Update SITS tables, offer library and offer letters
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47. Middlesex University London Readiness for the new Tariff
Amber
Currently
Understanding and discussion with senior management
Effect of change partially understood… but more work to do
Initial response formed… but not yet approved
Next Steps
Educating academic & professional colleagues
Changing MDX language
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48. We want your implementation to be successful!
Next steps
We want your implementation to be successful!
UCAS Relationship Managers – to discuss progress or blockers
Technical Relationship Managers – discuss any technical issues
Regional Forums and Standing Groups – share progress and strategies
Buddying – join up with people today
The new total Tariff points will appear in the same type of Tariff Tables as the current Tariff. This means that students, teachers and advisers can focus on the new Total Tariff numbers as detailed in the new UCAS Tariff Tables.
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49. Feedback
Please feedback on this pack via Alternatively contact the UCAS Policy Team directly:
Margaret Farragher
Head of Policy and Qualifications   49