Additional Access Measures. 4.1 Broad overview of investment in outreach and student retention* *The table below indicates new spend that is specifically targeted at new entrants in 2013/14 (2012/13 for part- time). These measures are to run in addition to and complement those already accounted for in the previous Access Agreement. Investment in outreach Example Activities Proposed investment Evidence base Comparison with arrangements prior to 2013/14 CCCU Outreach and Partnerships Team (developing targeted activity with schools and colleges and working with the KMPF to improve research, monitoring and evaluation). This will also include more fine-tuned targeting of resource to support sustainable progression related partnerships including with faith based schools and academies. £90,000 New Spend See 3.2 above re assessment of success of existing measures Current (12/13) expenditure of approx. £200,000 (pay and non-pay) to be increased by £90,000 to facilitate activity with target schools and colleges (i.e. those in areas of low HE participation) and work in relation to Care Leavers. Specific work (also linked to WPSA objectives) to include: - Maintain Xxxxx Xxxxxx Trust Quality Mark (including £2k per annum subscription) - Summer schools (residential and non- residential) - Mentoring / ambassador schemes - School / visit days and master classes - School and college enrichment programmes - Academy sponsorship: raising attainment in national challenge schools) - Progression Agreements with schools and colleges and apprenticeship schemes - Development of scheme to take account of contextual data in admissions Supporting prospective students to access, understand and interpret the key information set. Linked to the university‟s strategic plan and change board # £20,000 (New spend) This is to facilitate access in the light of the new key information sets and fees / funding arrangements and in the light of target schools and colleges seeking clarification for their careers and guidance staff. New activity Curriculum development work in collaboration with partners to develop £40,000 (New Spend) New activity programmes at foundation degree or diploma level to provide access for full-time students from NS SEC 4-7 # Progression mapping to support the achievement of the university‟s stated target for 15% of numbers to come via collaborative provision with local FE partners.# £25,000 (New Spend) Lack of clarification and information to support progression decisions from FE to HE New funding req...
Additional Access Measures. Outreach Current activities UCLan’s Strategy for the period 2007-2017 reaffirms our commitment to “continue to lead the UK higher education sector in promoting equality of educational opportunity”. In our Widening Participation Strategic Assessment (WPSA), which covers the period 2009-12, we translate this commitment into two key strategic objectives: To maintain a diverse student profile, particularly in relation to socio economic origin, ethnicity, age and disability; To work towards retention, progression and achievement levels and post-degree destinations for students from diverse backgrounds which are on a par with those of the university population at large. Widening participation is already the major driver behind our extensive collaborative arrangements with FE Colleges and other partner organisations, and behind the development of the Burnley University Campus. The WPSA monitoring report provides evidence of the contribution made by these arrangements to the University’s widening participation performance. Partnership makes a significant contribution to the provision of part time routes and of access for mature students. In 2009-10 approximately 4000 part time students were recruited through our collaborative provision arrangements, representing 36% of the total UCLan part time provision. The proportion of mature students at Burnley was 69% and in other partner institutions 71%, compared with 55% at the main Preston campus (58% all students). We are committed to increasing our part time provision, including further development of partnership models with FECs and other organisations to offer more flexible provision for students and employers. In addition Xxxxxxxxx and to a lesser extent Lifelong Learning funding has enabled us to put concerted effort into working, in a targeted way, with students from under-represented groups in a series of co-ordinated interventions designed to raise aspirations and achievement. Most of this work has targeted younger pupils from lower socio economic groups, and vocational learners. UCLan has worked in partnership with other HEIs and with local 14-19 delivery groups to “share out” the work and ensure appropriate coverage of Lancashire: whilst helping to meet our institutional objectives a significant element of this work is altruistic, with the aim of widening participation in HE in general. “Junior University” was launched in Pennine Lancashire this year, made possible by philanthropic funds raised from three trus...
Additional Access Measures. Summary The University has a strong track record of delivering high quality outreach and student retention programmes. As part of our commitment to sustaining existing successful outreach programmes, we have committed to replace the cut to Aimhigher funding. We plan to embed the successful elements of current programmes and to expand and develop new interventions to create progression routes for students from a variety of backgrounds working in partnership with schools, colleges and community groups. We expect to expand the Access to Southampton programme and have set challenging targets. We will increase our investment in a range of activities to widen access, promote retention and enhance employability of students covered by this agreement Overview of current activity The University has a strong track record of delivering high quality outreach and student retention programmes, through the UK Student Recruitment and Outreach Team, Student Services Department and Faculties. A broad overview of our current investment in outreach and student retention is provided below and reflects the commitments made and reported upon in our previous Widening Participation Strategic Assessment1(See Appendix 1) Aimhigher We are actively involved in the Aimhigher partnership with other universities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. From 2011/12 we plan to maintain the successful aspects of this programme by delivering the following activities in collaboration with Portsmouth, Southampton Solent, Winchester. Information, Advice and Guidance that provides the most appropriate progression routes for students in partner schools and colleges, linked to key decision points Support for looked after children and care leavers on progression to higher education Support for BME communities in Southampton in areas such as progression, retention and attainment Shared training of student ambassadors for placement in schools, colleges and community settings Outreach We currently provide a range of initiatives including taster days, primary school visits, placement of Student Associates and Mentors in schools and colleges, FE/HE Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), aspiration raising and provision of student financial information and support. The full range of our current outreach activities are available at: xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xx.xx/schoolsandcolleges/secondary/index.shtml 1 xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xx.xx/schoolsandcolleges/secondary/index.shtml Access to Southampton Our Access to Southampton p...
Additional Access Measures. 4.1. The University already works closely with local partners on outreach programmes. Local outreach work will be enhanced through the introduction of a new sustained programme for groups of learners from schools in low participation areas who will receive detailed and focused information, advice and guidance, and academic support in order to enable them to maximise their chances of gaining entry to the most competitive institutions. We will build on the existing Pathways to Law programme, which combines work experience and networking opportunities with advice and guidance, by working to develop similar programmes focussing on other professional courses. The University will also build on the success of existing teaching fellow appointments in the physical sciences and mathematics, whose remit is to work within academic departments to develop subject specific outreach activities with schools, by making further appointments to support outreach in other academic areas. The International Gateway for Gifted and Talented Youth (IGGY) will offer free membership and access to its resources for eligible students from low participation neighbourhoods helping to raise their aspirations through on-line resources and networking events. We will continue to build on our successful 2+2 programmes, delivered in partnership with local colleges, seeking to extend the range of courses that we offer through this route.
Additional Access Measures. Given the predominantly post-graduate, professional nature of the IOEs provision, there is a limit to which the IOE can widen participation to its own programmes. With this is mind, the Institute's Access measures relate predominantly to supporting current students in completing their studies and progressing to further study where appropriate. Academic Provision and support for non-traditional entrants The IOEs student body is almost entirely mature, and most often already based in employment settings. This brings with it particular challenges to ensure that students are supported fully, provided with flexible modes of delivery to enable them to balance the demands of academic study alongside demands of working life. Although small aspects of the Institute's academic offering, the Foundation Degrees and their related BEd/BA top-up route are fundamental to the IOEs contribution to widening participation. To ensure that the programmes are accessible, particularly to mature learners who may have missed out on the opportunity to enter HE through traditional routes, the Institute sets entry criteria which are based on a requirement of NQF level 3, rather than traditional A- Levels, as well as based on relevant employment experience. The IOE Foundation Degrees contribute to widening participation and lifelong learning by encouraging participation of learners who may not previously have considered studying for a higher level qualification. Academic knowledge and understanding is integrated with the development and support of vocational skills and competencies. The Foundation Degrees have the defining characteristics of employer involvement, accessibility, articulation and progression, flexibility, partnership, and the development of knowledge skills and understanding. It is also recognised that the students studying for our Foundation Degrees may have particular academic support needs following extended periods of time away from formal study. We have therefore integrated within the academic structure of the Foundation Degrees the core module "Understanding professional and academic texts". This module is designed to re-introduce learners to the conventions of academic texts and prepare them with the skills required for higher level study. The Institute is currently engaged in a thorough review of its post-graduate taught curriculum. An emerging outcome of this review is to reshape the Institute's provision to enable students to study in a far more flexible fashio...
Additional Access Measures. The University’s Student Experience Strategy guides everything we do. All members of the University have a role to play and a responsibility for the strategy. The relationship between student retention and the student experience is such that a positive experience and high levels of student satisfaction should be evident in excellent student retention.
Additional Access Measures. Outreach and other access measures UCLan’s Strategy for the period 2007-2017 reaffirms our commitment to “continue to lead the UK higher education sector in promoting equality of educational opportunity”. The three objectives arising from this are:
Additional Access Measures. Responsible, Successful Graduates We begin from a very high baseline of investment and initiatives devoted to widening access and participation6. Our additional investment decisions are conceptualised through our ‘Extended Higher Education Progression Framework’ (Figure 1 and expanded more fully in Appendix C). This builds on recent work of the HEFCE in developing a national Higher Education Progression Framework7, but extends this by recognising that widening access and participation continues within and beyond higher education entry. PHASE 1 Outreach: pre-16 PHASE 2 Outreach: post-16 PHASE 3 Fair Admissions PHASE 4 Financial Support, Student Success & Higher Learning Figure 1: University of Manchester Extended Higher Education Progression Framework 4 A number of assumptions have been made to derive these projected costs. For example, we have modeled figures based on income distribution across the University in 2010/11. An outline of these assumptions has been submitted to OFFA separately. 5 Includes £2.583m of NSP match funding, which is OFFA countable. An equivalent amount is received by the University but is but is not countable by OFFA. This give a total figure of c£16.6m allocated to bursaries and waivers in ‘steady state’.
Additional Access Measures. As highlighted in section 5.1, Leeds Trinity has an excellent track record with regards to developing and delivering innovative outreach initiatives, in 2012/13 Leeds Trinity will further develop these initiatives by delivering the following outreach activity: Outreach Activity Description Target 2014/15 Interim measures Extend WP outreach to pupils under 14 years, including primary schools OFFA guidance has suggested exploring the opportunities around activities aimed at lower age groups – i.e. longer-term targets. Leeds Trinity is well placed to do this as every year it places 560 Primary Education students into schools, and will launch a resource pack for students to use on placement in schools and encourage staff volunteers to raise awareness and aspiration with younger pupils. Have in place a resource pack for Primary Education students to use when on placement in primary schools highlighting the benefits of higher education 50% of the placement students to pilot the resource pack Pre workshop evaluations and post workshop evaluations with pupils who have taken part in the activity. Online tracking of resource pack usage. Staff from across the University to volunteer at targeted primary schools. 100 interventions to take place over the academic year. Manually track interventions on schools & colleges database. Qualitative feedback from staff. Leeds Trinity Children’s University In response to OFFA guidance aiming at aspiration activity from lower age groups KS2 and KS3, Leeds Trinity will investigate developing the Leeds Trinity Children’s University, a national initiative which will work with primary schools across the Leeds City Region in particular targeting primary schools with high ratio of under-represented pupils. Children’s University activity will include attainment and aspiration raising programmes which support out- of-hours learning. Recruit 30 primary schools to take part in the Children’s University programme 30 targeted primary schools to be validated as “restricted learning destinations” 30 teachers to be trained as Children’s University validators 150 pupils to have achieved a Bronze award in the first year of the pilot 150 pupils to attend the first graduation ceremony Pre/Post evaluations to be carried out with each pupil Tracking of the pupils using FFT data and the National Children’s University Deliver an annual Children’s University lecture series for pupils and parents 300 parents and pupils to attend the annual Children’s Univ...
Additional Access Measures. Participation with success is the primary goal of the University College’s Widening Participation Strategy. The University College intends to continue with a level of targeted outreach activity, including some local collaborative activity building on the work undertaken through Aimhigher, and will spend c. one third of its contributed Access funding in this area. It will, however, place an enhanced emphasis on the retention and success of students which will account for two thirds of its access funding. We believe that access to higher education only has real value if those students who are recruited into the University College continue and succeed in their studies. However, some students do not complete their awards and the improvement of retention rates is an institutional priority; the University College has set a target to reduce non continuation rates to at or below the institution’s benchmark. The University College has a well developed culture of strong student support and aims to provide a high quality system of pastoral, personal and academic support for all students. Such support is viewed by the University College as of central importance in encouraging students from underrepresented groups to study at the University College in the knowledge that a wide range of support mechanisms exist. The University College’s widening participation work undertaken as part of the Access Agreement will be in line with its widening participation strategy and the six key themes across the student lifecycle viz: Outreach - Pathways to Learning Information, Advice and Communication Supporting Transition Transition and Progression - Student Experience and Support Employability Researching Impact
