Widening adult participation post2012: 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
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?
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)
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 socioeconomic 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.”
Latest UCAS application figures
(http://www.ucas.com/about_us/media_enquiries/media_releases/2012/2012applicantfigures)
Year
Applicants Applicants
20 or
21+
younger
December
2010
291382
52682
December
2011
276275
45633
%
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/applicationsrecovering-but-overshadowed-by-decrease-in-olderapplicants
Student diversity – reasons to retain mature student
involvement …
Critical student
engagement
Cultural
agility &
employability
Civic
engagement
&
sustainability
Current Foundation Year provision at
TUOS
Programme
Mode
Location
Progression
Entry profile
Medicine with
Foundation
Year
FT
Sheffield
College
Guaranteed to
successful
completers
AAA (plus 6 As at
GCSE)
Pure Science &
Engineering
Foundation
Year
FT
FT 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 Guaranteed to TILL
delivery
PT degrees;
otherwise via UCAS
application (n.b.
contextual data tag)
Functional literacy
& numeracy
assessed at
informal interview
BA/BSc Combined Studies (Foundation)
FDN1 Return to Study
(20 credits, semester one)
FDN1 Mathematics
(20 credits, academic
year)
FDN2 SUBJECT
MODULE
(20 credits, academic
year)
FDN1 Arts and Social
Sciences
or FDN1 General
Sciences
(20 credits, semester two)
FDN2 HE Study Skills
(20 credits, academic
year)
FDN2 SUBJECT
MODULE
(20 credits, academic
year)
Final degree award compared to 1st Year Mean
Weighted Average (Foundation Programme students
progressing to FT degrees at TUOS)
[Source: Lewis and Ritchie, 2011]
1st Yr MWA/
Final Degree
Award
1st
1st
2:1
2:2
3rd
Pass
3
1
2:1
3
3
1
7
2:2
1
7
2
11
4
3rd
0
Pass
Total students
(1st yr MWA)
Total students (final
degree outcomes)
1
0
7
12
4
1
0
23
Final FT degree award compared to 2nd Year Mean
Weighted Average on Foundation Programme
[Source: Lewis and Ritchie, 2011]
2nd Yr MWA/
Final Degree
Award
1st
1st
2:1
1
2
3
2:1
1
5
6
2:2
1
6
2:2
2
3rd
Pass
1
10
3rd
0
Pass
Total students
(2nd yr FDN MWA)
Total students (final
degree outcomes)
1
3
13
3
1
1
0
20
(Stand alone) Foundation Years … like
learning to dive … (image © Swimming Australia)
Access to HE Diploma or Foundation
Year?
• Scale and environment;
• General or specific progression routes;
• Compatible grading criteria;
• Familiarity and contempt?
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?