1. Widening adult participation post- 2012: possible futures for foundation years and access programmes University of Sheffield Learning and Teaching Conference 2012 Dr Willy Kitchen Institute for Lifelong Learning School of Education

2. In short … Why should we care? What does this University currently offer? How do mature students progressing to TUOS degrees currently fare? What can be done to preserve numbers and improve retention?

3. Review of Foundation provision, primarily targeting mature students. “We will undertake a review of all foundation programmes we offer, to ensure that they are fit for purpose and appropriately targeted. We will also explore options of further collaboration with local HE and FE providers, to identify possibilities for collaborative approaches to developing new entry routes into HE for students.” TUOS Access Agreement 2012-13 (Table 5b; and appendix 1, p.18)

4. TUOS Access Agreement 2012-13 p.10 “Our main focus for widening participation in the coming years will be on increasing our recruitment of students from the lowest socio- economic groups, which is the area where we have previously underperformed against benchmarks. We will also seek to continue to grow the number of students with disabilities entering the University, while maintaining our strong performance in recruitment of students from low participation neighbourhoods, mature students and students from black and other ethnic minority groups.”

5. Latest UCAS application figures (http://www.ucas.com/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2012/2012applicantfigures)http://www.ucas.com/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2012/2012applicantfigures YearApplicants 20 or younger Applicants 21+ December 2010 29138252682 December 2011 27627545633 % difference - 5.2%- 13.4% “Rather than breathing a sigh of relief that application figures appear to be recovering, Ministers need to launch a campaign to ensure that older students understand the loan system and the opportunities available. A failure to do so will overshadow the success the Government has had in persuading younger applicants that university remains one of the best career moves that they can make.” Professor Les Ebdon, Chair of million+ http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/press/applications- recovering-but-overshadowed-by-decrease-in-older- applicants

6. Student diversity – reasons to retain mature student involvement … Critical student engagement Civic engagement & sustainability Cultural agility & employability

7. Current Foundation Year provision at TUOS ProgrammeModeLocationProgressionEntry profile Medicine with Foundation Year FTSheffield College Guaranteed to successful completers AAA (plus 6 As at GCSE) Pure Science & Engineering Foundation Year FTFT Depts around campus Guaranteed to successful completers Typically AAB (plus Bs in GCSE Maths & Science) Foundation Programme in Combined Studies PT over 1 or 2 years TILL – evening delivery Guaranteed to TILL PT degrees; otherwise via UCAS application (n.b. contextual data tag) Functional literacy & numeracy assessed at informal interview

8. BA/BSc Combined Studies (Foundation) FDN1 Return to Study (20 credits, semester one) FDN2 SUBJECT MODULE (20 credits, academic year) FDN2 HE Study Skills (20 credits, academic year) FDN2 SUBJECT MODULE (20 credits, academic year) FDN1 Mathematics (20 credits, academic year) FDN1 Arts and Social Sciences or FDN1 General Sciences (20 credits, semester two)

9. Final degree award compared to 1 st Year Mean Weighted Average (Foundation Programme students progressing to FT degrees at TUOS) [Source: Lewis and Ritchie, 2011] 1 st Yr MWA/ Final Degree Award 1 st 2:12:23rdPass Total students (final degree outcomes) 1 st 314 2:13317 2:217211 3 rd 0 Pass11 Total students (1 st yr MWA) 07124023

10. Final FT degree award compared to 2 nd Year Mean Weighted Average on Foundation Programme [Source: Lewis and Ritchie, 2011] 2 nd Yr MWA/ Final Degree Award 1 st 2:12:23rdPass Total students (final degree outcomes) 1 st 123 2:1156 2:2162110 3 rd 0 Pass11 Total students (2 nd yr FDN MWA) 31331020

11. (Stand alone) Foundation Years … like learning to dive … (image © Swimming Australia)

12. Access to HE Diploma or Foundation Year? Scale and environment; General or specific progression routes; Compatible grading criteria; Familiarity and contempt?

13. Possibilities for collaboration Admission enquiry referrals; Progression/interview agreements; Departmental visits/teaching exchanges; Evening modules available to FT students within TILL; Enhanced mature student support from Sept 2012 @ 301 Glossop Road, Academic Skills Centre?