1. Access to HE Conference
12 July 2012
Chichester College

2. Funding - 1 Funding for provision 2012-13
Removal of ‘L3 Jumpers of all ages’ from SFA funding guidance re eligibility for ‘full fee remission’
In national QAA data showed 53% of all Access students over age of 24
Potential impact on recruitment?
But
Learners aged studying on first L3 qual are eligible
n.b. As prescribed in the Education Act 2011 the upper age limit, 23 or 24 years of age, is the learner’s actual age on the day the Learner starts the relative learning aim and not the learner’s age at the start of the funding year
Please do respond to our consultation on this issue – download the form at:

3. Funding - 2 2013-14 FE Loans, 24yrs+ Likely to be c.£3,000?
Similar to HE loans re pay back terms etc.
Still much detail to be published
Potential Impact on recruitment to Access

4. Subject Clusters - 1 Rolling out for 2012-13 7 Subject Areas with:
Lead Subject Moderator
Subject tutors from colleges
Monitored by LASER Access Quality Manager
Online workspace area
Functions:
Moderating samples of subject work & assignment briefs
Reviewing units for unit bank
Discussion area for subject specialists
Professional studies
Social sciences
Humanities/ Combined Studies
Science and Engineering
Visual and Expressive Arts
Business Studies
Core Studies

5. Subject Clusters - 2

6. Coming Soon LASER Online Resource Centre
Opening September 2012
Tutors invited to share learning materials on reciprocal basis (e.g. assignment briefs, project briefs etc.)
Organised by Access Subject Cluster area
Moderated by LASER staff
Invites will be sent out during August

7. Access Unit Bank We can send units now from large offline bank
Some subjects available now on web site
More to be ready for
Online searchable unit bank currently in development

8. LASER Learning Aimed at practitioners Accessible and lively
We need YOUR contributions
Articles on education
Reviews of books, web resources etc.
Case studies of successful students
Contact Sue with copy

9. New monthly Access News
New for for all Access providers and staff
Monthly e-update featuring update and news focussed just on Access
Links to useful resources
Brief articles with links to fuller versions
Contributions from practitioners welcome

10. Communications Social Media: Search for ‘Laser Learning Awards’ on
We have a Facebook page for ‘LASER Learning Awards’ and another just for Access to HE Students – ‘Laser Learning Awards Access to HE’. Search for both from inside Facebook
Follow us on
Search for ‘Laser Learning Awards’ on

11. Or contact your LASER Business Development Manager
Contact Us if you have any suggestions about things we could be doing to support Access in
Name
Phone
David Gittins
Director of Access or
Sylvia Waghorn
Access Quality Manager
Sue Martin
Communications
Emma Sharp
Moderation
Marie Jones
Registrations & Certification
Or contact your LASER Business Development Manager

12. New name, image & status
Up to 1 Aug 2011
Aug - Dec 2011
Jan 2012 onwards
Since 1st August 2011 OCNSER has been trading as Laser Learning Awards
We are an Awarding Organisation approved by Ofqual and we remain an Access Validating Agency licensed by the QAA
From 1st August 2012 we will be completely independent of NOCN

13. Why the change? Develop qualifications and courses which:
Despite being a founding member of NOCN we felt it time to get back to our OCN origins whereby we can:
Develop qualifications and courses which:
directly meet customer and learner needs
respond to changing priorities (political, economic & social)
are produced quickly
are easy to use
are supported by new learning and assessment materials
Despite having over 300 qualification titles via NOCN, only a small number of those qualifications were ever used by providers!

14. Why the change? We can: Provide a better value service
Saving on costly fees to NOCN
Being able to set our own prices for customers
Competitive pricing with flexibility at individual customer level including a reduction in our annual admin fee for colleges from the previous OCN fee of up to £2,000 to a flat rate of £375, plus lower qualification prices.

15. Why the change? We aren’t alone in making this change
Three OCN regions, representing 2/3rds of the English OCNs, have decided that they can offer a more responsive and better value service as independent awarding organisations.
(previously OCN North West Region)
(previously OCN East Midlands Region)
We are working closely with Aim & Open Awards on a number of joint ventures