Targeting outreach. The University’s approach to identifying under-represented groups of learners and targeting outreach activity follows the guidance set out in HEFCE’s recommendations on targeting under- represented groups in Higher education outreach: targeting disadvantaged learners May 2007/12.4 The under-represented groups of learners who will be the focus of our pre-entry outreach work are described in Section 2 of the WPSA 2009/10 to 2011/12 and include the following expressed through HESA performance indicators: young people from NS SEC 4, 5, 6 & 7 backgrounds young people from low participation neighbourhoods as identified by POLAR2 data mature students and mature students with no previous experience of higher education and from low participation neighbourhoods people in receipt of a Disabled Students’ Allowance. In addition to targeting outreach programmes at those in the above groups, the University has incorporated HEFCE’s recommendations on targeting under-represented groups into its practice to focus pre-entry institutional outreach work on young people: from NS SEC 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 backgrounds who live in areas of relative deprivation where participation in higher education is low, especially those with no parental experience of higher education with a disability or specific learning difficulty from a care background. Also included are an additional two key groups that are considered under-represented at Bath Spa University: learners from BME backgrounds. These are now included in national targeting recommendations for undergraduate entrants, but the University also has Training and Development Agency for schools (TDA) advisory targets for BME entrants to Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) initial teacher training those studying applied, vocational or work-based level 3 qualifications. We will continue to work with a range of target schools, colleges and community groups in 2012/13 to deliver low intensity outreach activities, some of which will undoubtedly support targeted cohorts of disadvantaged young people who remain engaged with the Aimhigher West Area Partnership Learner Progression Framework.5 In the schools and colleges that we work with more intensively, outreach officers from the University will work collaboratively with coordinators to ensure the continued effectiveness of targeting at the learner level. This will include working with school and college coordinators to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of targeting procedures.
Targeting outreach. Also included are an additional three key groups that are considered under-represented at Bath Spa University: learners from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. These are now included in national targeting recommendations for undergraduate entrants, but the University also has TA advisory targets for BME entrants to PGCE ITT (all phases) male entrants to Primary and Early Years PGCE ITT those studying applied, vocational or work-based level 3 qualifications.
