The Impact of COVID-19 on Fair Access To Higher Education

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the public health measures taken to combat it, have the potential to deliver a serious check to the impressive progress that Scotland has made towards fair access to higher education.

This interim report from the Commissioner for Fair Access on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fair access to higher education considers both the direct impact of the public health measures that have had to be taken and indirect impact of actions taken by colleges and universities to mitigate the worst effects of these measures.

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      string(923) "Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.■ Spend on activities to support access, student success and progression to further studyand employment (as opposed to financial support) increased in 2015-16 to 38 per cent oftotal access agreement expenditure, up from 32 per cent in 2014-15. This is predicted toincrease further to 51 per cent by 2020-21.■ The total investment in widening participation activity across the sector by all institutions(with and without an access agreement) was £883.5 million. This is a substantial increasefrom the £842.1 million in 2014-15 and £802.6 million in 2013-14.WEB LINKOutcomes Of Access Agreement Monitoring For 2015-16https://www.offa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/OFFA-Monitoring-Outcomes-Report-2015-16-Final.pdf"
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Leadership

Outcomes Of Access Agreement Monitoring For 2015-16

29 Jun 2017

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      string(394) "... requires schools to focus rigorously on what’s happening in classrooms, with greater expectations around collaboration and school to school support.  The responsibility to deliver fair access should be reinforced, with greater accountability to key stakeholders, especially parents, backed by strong, expert and independent governance.
Leadership Briefing issue 7.06 ..."
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      string(345) "excellence. It could do this by:· judging school leadership outstanding only if a contribution to system-wide improvement can be evidenced· reducing inspection if inspectors’ quality assurance of a school’s self-evaluation demonstrates it is sound and underpinned by rigorous, external peer review.· The DfE should invite the National ..."
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      string(709) "This new report by the Academies Commission recommends that the Government should do more to encourage them to use their new found freedoms to drive up standards in the classroom. Whilst noting many stunning successes, the Commission’s report concludes that driving excellence in teaching and learning particularly requires schools to focus rigorously on what’s happening in classrooms, with greater expectations around collaboration and school to school support.  The responsibility to deliver fair access should be reinforced, with greater accountability to key stakeholders, especially parents, backed by strong, expert and independent governance.
Leadership Briefing issue 7.06 (78)
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      string(5077) "excellence. It could do this by:· judging school leadership outstanding only if a contribution to system-wide improvement can be evidenced· reducing inspection if inspectors’ quality assurance of a school’s self-evaluation demonstrates it is sound and underpinned by rigorous, external peer review.· The DfE should invite the National College to trial a number of licensed, school-led excellence networks, in particular regions of the country, designed to develop capacity and ensure support for all schools that need it.· Both local and central government should encourage the federation of primary schools without an immediate emphasis on academy status.Key recommendations: academy freedoms:· The government should articulate the case for innovation and a vision for learning in the twenty-first century that draws on a full understanding of the knowledge, skills and dispositions that young people will need for life and work.· The DfE should pump-prime the establishment of a Royal College of Teachers that would be independent from, but work with the government, to promote teachers’ professional development, provide evidence to inform education policy, align practice and research and promote peer-to-peer collaboration.· Teachers should be expected to engage with research as an integral part of their daily work, and providers of initial teacher education should encourage trainees to see the links between the latest research and the improvement of classroom practice. Providers should also ensure reflection and evaluation are developed as part of the repertoire of good teaching skills.Key recommendations: admissions· The Secretary of State should identify an organisation that is well-placed to provide an independent appeals service, to be instigated and run in a quasi-judicial manner.· The Chief Schools Adjudicator should hear and determine all appeals against directions, and complaints against variations and derogations from the School Admissions Code.· The Local Government Ombudsman’s powers should be extended to hear complaints concerning the maladministration of admissions and admissions appeals of all admissions authorities.· The DfE should require all schools and academies to publish data on applications and acceptances for school places in relation to free schools meals (or other socio-economic data). These data should be scrutinised and reported on by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator with a particular focus on identifying any growing risk of socio-economic segregation.Key recommendations: the impact of academisation on local provision· Local authorities should embrace a new role in education, not as providers of schools or school improvement services, but as champions for children. This would mean articulating a local and aspirational vision for education. As champions for children, the local authority would capture local knowledge and intelligence by undertaking some scrutiny of education provision to ensure it is meeting the needs and interests of children and young people in the area.· As champions for the needs of local children in an academised system, local authorities should report annually to the Secretary of State on the quality of local provision so he receives early warning of any emerging issues and addresses these through his relationships with academy trusts.· The government should set out a coherent framework for the planning and commissioning of school places. This should acknowledge and clarify the primacy of the local authority as the lead body responsible for planning and commissioning sufficient school places to meet local need.· Individual academies and groups of academies should embrace a new relationship with local authorities to ensure they all contribute to local planning, review and development that support both sufficiency and quality, and the needs of all children.Key recommendations: school governance· The DfE should act to increase understanding of the pivotal role of governors in an academised system. This should include a focus on their responsibilities not only as company directors of charitable companies but also for wider system improvement.· Using the National College, the DfE should take steps to support the capacity of governing bodies, and in particular the quality of the Chair.· Schools should advertise the appointment of new Chairs as part of an open recruitment approach and involve at least one independent person in the appointment process.· Using the National College, the government should find more ways to increase school-to-school collaboration across governing bodies, to encourage capacity-building through development and training, and to secure better value for money through shared procurement.· To encourage engagement and to support local accountability, academy trusts should publish an annual report and provide a forum for its open discussion with stakeholders.ActionNotesAuthorR ChimaDate CreatedJanuary 2013Enquiries to:raspal.chima@yahoo.co.uk(Authoring Unit)Month / YearPage 1 of 1©Birmingham City Council"
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Leadership

Unleashing Greatness: Getting The Best From An Academised System

17 Jan 2013

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      string(5597) "ResourceADMISSIONS: THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR’S PLANS FOR CHANGEOriginal DocumentAdmissions: The Higher Education Sector’s Plans For Change. With the increase in student numbers and political concern to ensure fair access to higher education, universities have been reviewing their admissions processes in order to improve their transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. This report highlights the areas where there is scope for improvement and outlines how the sector is addressing the practical implications of any changes.KeywordsAdmissions processes, policies, fair accessSummaryWith the increase in student numbers and political concern to ensure fair access to higher education, universities have been reviewing their admissions processes in order to improve their transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. This report highlights the areas where there is scope for improvement and outlines how the sector is addressing the practical implications of any changes.Successive government reviews have found that current higher education admissions processes are ‘generally fair’. Areas where there is scope for improvement, for the most part, pose challenging issues of both principle and practicality. The higher education sector is willing to look for solutions and, working with the Delivery Partnership and the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme, is looking for a system that demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and the principles of transparency, fairness and equity.Key points from the report include:· Universities, as autonomous bodies, have confidence in their admissions policies and continue to work to demonstrate they are fair and transparent.· Increased use of Entry Profiles provides prospective applicants with the information they need before applying and are making entry processes more transparent.· The UCAS tariff continues to be an important influence in raising the awareness within HE of new and existing qualifications put forward in applications. It is now accommodating new and emerging routes such as diplomas and baccalaureates.· A small percentage of universities are using admissions tests in certain subject areas as part of their selection procedures. Currently around 14 per cent of UK higher education institutions use one or more tests.· Information, advice and guidance about higher education – particularly early on in secondary school – must be improved to make prospective applicants aware of the opportunities and benefits of a university education.· There remains support behind the principle of Post-qualification applications (PQA) but several practical hurdles remain before a full PQA system can be introduced.Summary of admissions policy focused on in this report:· Entry profiles: To make informed university choices, would-be applicants need comprehensive, clear, and comparable information. After research into what applicants would like, templates are being designed; September 2009 is the Delivery Partnership’s target date for 100 per cent of undergraduate courses to provide entry profiles.· Admissions tests: Can be used by higher education institutions as one element in decision-making on an application.  Currently a relatively small proportion of institutions in the UK use admission tests.  For applicants who apply to the institutions that do, however, issues of relevance, reliability and validity are particularly important. The Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme reported on the tests in June 2007. It is continues to analyse their use and urges institutions to be very clear about why they are deploying such tests by using a checklist of good practice.· Adjustment period: In a small number of cases an applicant may achieve better results than required for the firm offer they have accepted and may therefore wish to reconsider their choice.  So, from August 2009, applicants who have achieved better results than required for the offer they have accepted will for a short time be able to look for an alternative course that has places available whilst still holding their original choice.· Feedback to unsuccessful applicants: The Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme has drawn up a statement of good practice on feedback.  This was issued jointly with the Delivery Partnership in February 2008 and proposed that higher education institutions provide feedback, on request, to unsuccessful applicants.  The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is also considering the possibility of providing electronic delivery of feedback.· Information, advice and guidance: Appropriate, high quality and timely advice about full-time higher education is essential for all applicants seeking to enter higher education.  The sector’s aim is to ensure that applicants make the best personal choices, reflecting their chosen subject and aspirations.· Art and design courses: Part of the reform programme of the current admissions process involves simplifying the admissions process for art and design courses.· International, mature and part-time applicants: The Delivery Partnership is looking at the impact of the admissions reforms on international, mature and part-time applicants and also of the provision of information to applicants following routes to higher education other than A level.  ActionNotesAuthorRaspal Chima, Imaginative MindsDate CreatedJuly 2008Enquiries to:raspal.chima@yahoo.co.uk (Authoring Unit)Month / YearPage 1 of 1©Birmingham City Council"
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Leadership

Admissions: The Higher Education Sector’s Plans For Change.

24 Jul 2008

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      string(3139) "accountable for ensuring that economic investment builds social capital for communities.Local Designs and delivers services to individuals and employers, including all-ages careers provision  Delivers integrated work, health and social provision  Integrates skills with other services that can provide wraparound servicesRegional Skills and employment embedded within regional economic strategies  Devolved responsibilities and funding for skills-related budgets over a five-year timeframe  Retains additional funds to support the skills needs of regional labour markets where large-scale publicly-funded infrastructure projects are delivered  Provides holistic skills support for individuals and businesses – commissions and delivers all-ages careers support, providing support for adults to re-train and a recognised leadership role working with employers Strategic role working with learning providers, with formal delivery agreements and a recognised relationship with FE Commissioner  Has strategic relationships with providers and strong relationships with employers through Growth HubsNational Sets key principles, policy frameworks, guidance, high-level priorities, and nationally-recognised qualifications, allowing flexibility in how these are achieved at a regional level Establishes frameworks, quality standards and monitoring agencies to ensure consistency, best practice and improvement across all regions – includes scrutiny and the ability to intervene with providers where necessary.Recommendations:Ensure the funding system offers fair access regardless of age, level of attainment, background and learning route alongside reversing the long-term decline in adult training. Empower areas to design services around the individual to address complex and interrelated health, employment and skills issues. Everyone should have right to quality information about jobs and careers, no matter what their stage in life. Employers should take greater ownership of their talent management and skills development, aided by a joined-up approach to business support that means they can find the help they need, regardless of the route they take to find it. In order that people can gain the right skills needed for good quality work in their area, all adult skills and careers funding needs to be devolved. Recognise that areas are best placed to understand their own skills requirements and implement statutory five-year strategic skills plans to make it happen. Ensure that training meets the current and future skills needs of regional labour markets, delivery agreements with skills providers should be put in place, supported by investment funding. Large-scale public infrastructure projects designed to level up areas should include an additional skills premium of up to 5% of the total budget to maximise their economic potential. The Apprenticeship system needs national review to make it work more effectively, and this should include recognising and resourcing areas as the key route to employers and individuals.Link:  Future-Ready  Skills Commission – a Blueprint for a Future-Ready Skills System"
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Leadership

Future-Ready Skills Commission - a Blueprint for a Future-Ready Skills System

16 Dec 2020

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