Common use of Collaborative working between institutions Clause in Contracts

Collaborative working between institutions. Birmingham City University will continue the collaborative Aimhigher West Midlands partnership established in 2011-12 with its four partner HEIs. The partnership met its yearly milestones in 2014-15 and is on course to do so again in 2015-16. We therefore confirm our intention to engage 1,000 disadvantaged young people in Aimhigher’s intensive activity in each year from 2017-18 to 2020-21. We will also take steps to increase the proportion of white disadvantaged males within this cohort, whilst maintaining our strong engagement with learners from BME heritage backgrounds. Birmingham City University will jointly fund Aimhigher with a contribution of £35,000 in 2017-18 and will be intimately involved in its governance and management. The outreach activities delivered through the partnership will complement the University’s own extensive programme of widening access and fair access measures outlined elsewhere in this agreement. The partnership is exploring ways to sustain the wider collaborative work it undertakes with a further seven regional institutions as part of the NNCO initiative, current HEFCE funding for which ceases at the end of December 2016. Aimhigher West Midlands undertakes comprehensive evaluation of the impact of its interventions via a PhD linked research project including both control and experimental groups. Tracking suggests that engagement in Aimhigher intervention during Key Stage 3 and 4 generates increased aspiration towards higher education (+12.5% above non-participants) and improved KS4 attainment. The proportion of Aimhigher- engaged Pupil Premium learners attaining 5 x GCSEs at A* - C including English and maths exceeded that of regional Pupil Premium learners over the three years 2011-12 to 2013-14. Research1 suggests that ongoing GCSE reform over the period of this agreement (the introduction of a nine point grade system and Progress / Attainment 8 measures) will reduce national attainment, and that this may have a disproportionate impact on outcomes for disadvantaged learners. We have re-framed our GCSE impact targets to reflect past performance and the likely impact of ongoing curriculum reform. Our tracking of beneficiaries into higher education has been delayed by the refusal of UCAS to release learner level data. This has necessitated the use of HESA data, allowing us to track our first cohort, who entered higher education in 2013 and were retained for 6 months. We have revised our targets accordingly and have also removed the NS–SEC measure for this target.

Collaborative working between institutions. Birmingham City University will continue the collaborative Aimhigher West Midlands partnership established in 2011-12 with its four partner HEIsthe University of Birmingham, Aston University and University College Birmingham. The partnership met exceeded its yearly baseline year milestones in 2014-15 2011/12 and is on course target to do so again in 2015-162012/13. We therefore We, therefore, confirm our intention to engage 1,000 disadvantaged increase the number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds engaged in Aimhigher’s Aimhigher‟s intensive mentoring and residential activity to 750 in 2013/14 and to 1,000 each year from 2017-18 2014/15. In response to 2020-21. We demand we will also take steps continue to increase deliver less intensive activities to a larger number of young people and parents and to support events for higher education advice and guidance practitioners working to support the proportion progression of white disadvantaged males within this cohort, whilst maintaining our strong engagement with learners from BME heritage backgroundsyoung people. Birmingham City University will jointly fund Aimhigher with a contribution of £35,000 in 2017-18 2014/15 and will continue to be intimately involved in its governance and management. The outreach Opportunities to engage other HEIs in elements of the Aimhigher programme will be pursued, as will opportunities to align with the National Strategy for Student Access and Success and other relevant policy developments and initiatives. These partnership activities delivered through the partnership will complement the University’s Birmingham City University‟s own extensive programme of widening access and fair access measures outlined elsewhere in this agreement. The partnership is exploring ways to sustain the wider Aimhigher partnership‟s collaborative work it undertakes with a further seven regional institutions as part of the NNCO initiative, current HEFCE funding for which ceases at the end of December 2016. Aimhigher West Midlands undertakes comprehensive evaluation of the impact of its interventions work has progressed to schedule. Longitudinal evaluation and tracking, commenced during the nationally funded phase of Aimhigher, continues via a PhD linked research project including both with the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Access. The study‟s control and experimental groupsgroups span the 14-19 phase and include young people who meet all, some or no WP targeting criterion. Tracking Analysis to date suggests that Aimhigher engagement in Aimhigher intervention during Key Stage 3 and 4 generates increased aspiration towards higher education (+12.5% above non-participants) and is associated with improved KS4 attainment. The proportion attainment (62.1% of Aimhigher- learners engaged Pupil Premium learners attaining 6 times achieved 5 x GCSEs at A* - C A*-C, including English and maths exceeded Maths, compared to a cohort average of 56%). Initial findings suggest the full-time HE application rate for the cohort of Aimhigher beneficiaries attaining the age of 18 or 19 during 2011/12 is higher (43.7%) than that for the local population of regional Pupil Premium learners over the three years 201118 and 19 year olds (30.6%). More detailed analyses by different socio-12 to 2013-14. Research1 suggests that ongoing GCSE reform over the period of this agreement (the introduction of a nine point grade system and Progress / Attainment 8 measures) will reduce national attainment, and that this may have a disproportionate impact on outcomes for disadvantaged learners. We have re-framed our GCSE impact targets to reflect past performance and the likely impact of ongoing curriculum reform. Our tracking of beneficiaries into higher education has been delayed by the refusal of UCAS to release learner level data. This has necessitated the use of HESA data, allowing us to track our first cohort, who entered higher education in 2013 and were retained for 6 months. We have revised our targets accordingly and have also removed the NS–SEC measure for this targeteconomic indicators are ongoing.

Collaborative working between institutions. Birmingham City University will continue the collaborative Aimhigher West Midlands partnership partnership, which was established in 2011-12 2011/12 with its four partner HEIsthe University of Birmingham, Aston University and University College Birmingham, and in 2016/17 will extend to include The University of Worcester. The partnership met its yearly milestones in 2014-15 2013/14 and is on course to do so again in 2015-162014/ 15. We therefore confirm our intention to engage 1,000 disadvantaged young people in Aimhigher’s intensive activity in each year from 2017-18 2015/16 to 2020-21. We will also take steps 2019/20, and to increase the proportion number and geographical range of white disadvantaged males within this cohort, whilst maintaining our strong engagement with learners from BME heritage backgroundsthe schools we work with. Birmingham City University will jointly fund Aimhigher with a contribution of £35,000 in 2017-18 2016/17 and will be intimately involved in its governance and management. The outreach activities delivered through the partnership will complement the University’s own extensive programme of widening access and fair access measures outlined elsewhere in this agreement. The partnership is exploring ways to sustain the wider Our non-OFFA linked collaborative work it undertakes with to broker, coordinate and deliver outreach activities and events for higher education advice and guidance practitioners working to support the progression of disadvantaged young people will be greatly extended as a further seven regional institutions as result of Aimhigher West Midlands’ success in becoming part of the HEFCE- funded NNCO initiative, current HEFCE funding for which ceases at the end of December 2016. Aimhigher West Midlands undertakes has a comprehensive evaluation strategy to monitor targeting, engagement, the progression of beneficiaries and the impact of its interventions Aimhigher on aspiration, attainment and progression to HE. This work has progressed to schedule via a PhD linked research project including both with the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Access. Large control and experimental groupsgroups span the 11-19 phase and include young people who meet all, some or no WP targeting criteria. Tracking Analysis to date suggests that engagement in Aimhigher intervention during Key Stage 3 and 4 generates increased aspiration towards higher education (+12.5% above non-participants) and is associated with improved KS4 attainment. The proportion attainment (62.1% of Aimhigher- learners engaged Pupil Premium learners attaining 6 times achieved 5 x GCSEs at A* - C A*-C (including English and maths exceeded maths) compared to a cohort average of 56%). Initial findings suggest the full-time HE application rate for the cohort of Aimhigher beneficiaries attaining the age of 18 or 19 during 2011/12 is higher (43.7%) than that for the local population of regional Pupil Premium learners over the three years 2011-12 18 and 19 year olds (30.6%). The partnership’s ability to 2013-14. Research1 suggests that ongoing GCSE reform over the period of this agreement (the introduction of a nine point grade system evaluate causality and Progress / Attainment 8 measures) will reduce national attainment, and that this may have a disproportionate impact in such detail is dependent on outcomes for disadvantaged learners. We have re-framed our GCSE impact targets access to reflect past performance and the likely impact of ongoing curriculum reform. Our tracking of beneficiaries into higher education has been delayed by the refusal of UCAS to release learner level datadata from schools, local authorities, DfE and UCAS. This has necessitated However, at the use time of HESA data, allowing us writing UCAS future policy on access to track our first cohort, who entered higher education in 2013 learner-level data is unclear and were retained for 6 months. We have revised our targets accordingly and have also removed we are working with the NS–SEC measure for this targetHEAT initiative to overcome these risks.

Collaborative working between institutions. Birmingham City University will continue the collaborative Aimhigher West Midlands partnership established in 2011-12 with its four partner HEIsthe University of Birmingham, Aston University and University College Birmingham. The partnership met exceeded its yearly milestones in 20142012-15 13 and is on course target to do so again in 20152013-1614. We therefore We, therefore, confirm our intention to engage 1,000 disadvantaged increase the number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds engaged in Aimhigher’s intensive mentoring and residential activity in to 1,000 each year from 20172014-18 15 to 20202018-2119, retaining a focus on pre-16 students. We In response to demand we will also take steps continue to increase deliver less intensive activities for young people and parents and events for higher education advice and guidance practitioners working to support the proportion progression of white disadvantaged males within this cohort, whilst maintaining our strong engagement with learners from BME heritage backgroundsyoung people. Birmingham City University will jointly fund Aimhigher with a contribution of £35,000 in 20172014-18 15 and will continue to be intimately involved in its governance and management. Opportunities to extend the partnership’s delivery via engagement with other HEIs , alignment with the National Strategy for Student Access and Success and other relevant policy developments / funding streams will be explored. The outreach activities delivered through the partnership will complement the Birmingham City University’s own extensive programme of widening access and fair access measures outlined elsewhere in this agreement. The partnership is exploring ways to sustain the wider collaborative work it undertakes with has a further seven regional institutions as part of the NNCO initiative, current HEFCE funding for which ceases at the end of December 2016. Aimhigher West Midlands undertakes comprehensive evaluation strategy to monitor targeting, engagement, the progression of beneficiaries and the impact of its interventions Aimhigher on aspiration, attainment and progression to HE. This work has progressed to schedule via a PhD linked research project including both with the Centre for Higher Education Equity and Access. Large control and experimental groupsgroups span the 11-19 phase and include young people who meet all, some or no WP targeting criterion. Tracking Analysis to date suggests that engagement in Aimhigher intervention during Key Stage 3 and 4 generates increased aspiration towards higher education (+12.5% above non-non- participants) and is associated with improved KS4 attainment. The proportion attainment (62.1% of Aimhigher- learners engaged Pupil Premium learners attaining 6 times achieved 5 x GCSEs at A* - C A*-C, including English and maths exceeded Maths, compared to a cohort average of 56%). Initial findings suggest the full-time HE application rate for the cohort of Aimhigher beneficiaries attaining the age of 18 or 19 during 2011/12 is higher (43.7%) than that for the local population of regional Pupil Premium learners over the three years 2011-12 18 and 19 year olds (30.6%). The partnership’s ability to 2013-14. Research1 suggests that ongoing GCSE reform over the period of this agreement (the introduction of a nine point grade system evaluate causality and Progress / Attainment 8 measures) will reduce national attainment, and that this may have a disproportionate impact in such detail is dependent on outcomes for disadvantaged learners. We have re-framed our GCSE impact targets access to reflect past performance and the likely impact of ongoing curriculum reform. Our tracking of beneficiaries into higher education has been delayed by the refusal of UCAS to release learner level datadata from schools, local authorities and UCAS. This has necessitated At the use time of HESA data, allowing us writing UCAS future policy on access to track our first cohort, who entered higher education in 2013 and were retained for 6 months. We have revised our targets accordingly and have also removed the NS–SEC measure for this targetlearner-level data is unclear.