Access to Birmingham Annual Report 2011-12
Executive Summary
1. The Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme is now a key element in the
University’s Access Agreement and the University’s Widening Participation
Strategic Assessment. Considerable expansion in the number of participants
has again been achieved in this admissions cycle with 285 A2B applicants
accepted at the University in September 2012, an increase of 22% compared to
the previous year. Excluding Access to HE applicants, there were 117 A2B
entrants (40%) with grades of AAB or above (this figure includes students
with A*BB and A*AC and 35 points or more in the IB).
2. The high intake of A2B applicants this year, including 94 who did not meet
the terms of their offer, brings the proportion of A2B entrants to around 6.4%
of the undergraduate intake, achieving the target figure for entrants in 2017.
However, based on average trends over the last 7 years, a continued annual
5% rise in the number of applications would be needed to continue to keep
percentage entry numbers around this level.
3. The popularity of the scheme is currently growing with the total number of
applicants rising by 12.5% this year to 961, compared to last year’s total of
854. As undergraduate applications to the University were down 9.8% overall
in a year of major change to tuition fees, this could be considered a particular
success and could be attributed in part to the growing reputation of A2B and to
the outreach strategy of giving reassurance about student funding in all
schools where A2B talks were given. The number of A2B applicants being
made an offer however fell by 2% this year to 65%, with 757 offers made on a
total of 1166 applications for individual courses.
4. The conversion rate to acceptances was excellent again this year with 78% of
applicants who had an offer from the University (511 of 656 offer holders)
making the University of Birmingham their first choice.
5. Although nationally the number of students achieving at least one A* grade
fell, this figure rose for A2B entrants to 28% (81 of 289 entrants). 88 (30% of
A2B entrants) gained the standard entry grades for their first choice course and
were therefore awarded the A2B scholarship. This is the lowest proportion of
A2B scholarship recipients since 2007, but the high total number of A2B
applicants who were awarded places is a factor in the low percentage receiving
scholarships.
6. This year academic tutors were asked to use the same learning outcomes in
assessing A2B assignments as have been agreed by the Realising
Opportunities partnership. The tutor training session held this year focused on
assessing a sample of A2B assignments from previous years. Tutor feedback
suggests this was useful, but a much higher proportion assignments (20%)
1
were failed this year. Moderation took place for a sample of essays of
different standards across all Schools and of all failed assignments in Schools
where the failure rate was 50% or more (Accounting and Finance and
Psychology).
7. The A2B scheme now has 200 partner schools and colleges. 28 new partners
have been recruited this year which should help the proposed growth of the
scheme. Despite a focus on bringing new schools into the scheme from
outside the West Midlands, only 8 of the new partners recruited in this cycle
are from the newly targeted counties; Northamptonshire, Derbyshire
Oxfordshire, Leicestershire and Gloucestershire. Analysis of data shows that
the greatest scope in terms of the volume of students who meet the A2B
criteria is likely to come from Derby and Northampton. Further work can
continue to bring in new partners from these areas, but interest in the scheme
seems to be higher within the West Midlands where students can more easily
attend the shadow or visit day and meetings with academic tutors. Three years
experience of students in the Realising Opportunities (RO) Programme also
demonstrates the increased likelihood of widening participation students
choosing a local university and continuing to live at home. No students from
outside the current A2B geographical area were recruited to the University
through RO again this year.
8. All West Midlands partners were invited to a very successful teachers’ forum
in November to improve understanding of A2B and to facilitate dialogue
between teachers at feeder institutions and University academic staff currently
supervising the A2B academic assignment. 31 staff from partner institutions
attended the event and feedback indicates that staff from all institutions valued
this opportunity. It is therefore proposed that this should become an annual
event.
9. Further liaison has taken place this year to link our administration of the
scheme with Admissions, Planning and Academic and Student Administration.
As a result A2B students should be flagged through Banner in future so that
we can more easily obtain access to reports on offer decisions and students’
exam results in the summer. Quantitative monitoring of A2B students is now
also built into the student data warehouse, so different subject areas can check
the progress of A2B students in their area more easily.
10. 54 A2B talks were made during the last academic year to July 2012.
Presentations to school sixth forms include information, advice and guidance
across a number of issues and contact is therefore made with large sixth form
groups, many of whom are not eligible for A2B. This will have implications
for wider student recruitment. Last year Outreach staff visited 8 of the top 10
feeder institutions for applications to the University in 2011/12: Birmingham
Metropolitan College, Joseph Chamberlain College, King Edward VI College
Stourbridge, The Sixth Form College Solihull, Solihull College, Halesowen,
Bournville and Cadbury College.
2
1.0 Introduction
57% of all conditional firm A2B students were accepted into the University this year;
an increase of 7% on the previous year. This increase was largely due to an unusual
year in admissions which resulted in a large proportion of A2B applicants being
accepted without achieving the terms of their offer; 15 neither passed the A2B module
nor achieved their A2B offer grades, but were still accepted at the University. Of
those accepted 193 students passed the A2B module and achieved the grades required
by their A2B offer or above.
2.0 Applications to final enrolments 2011/12
2.1 Offers made
This year saw a continuation of the trend in increasing numbers of applications to the
University through the A2B scheme, as is shown in the table below.
Table 1: Increase in numbers of A2B applicants
Year
2008
Number of
583
applicants
Percentage increase 10%
from previous year
2009
666
2010
767
2011
854
2012
961
14%
15%
11%
12.5%
The table below shows the progress of students from applications through to entrants.
Applications were up this year particularly in EPS by 21% and by 18% in MDS. The
other Colleges had a small rise in applications apart from CAL where after a notable
increase last year, A2B application numbers remained stable.
Table 2: A2B applications to entrants by School and College 2011-12
School
College of Arts and Law
English, Drama and American
and Canadian Studies
History and Cultures
IAA
Languages, Cultures, Art History
and Music
Philosophy, Theology and
Religion
Law
Total
Percentage of total applications
A2B
applications
A2B offers
on
individual
courses
CF
applicants
Entrants
104
74
43
36
44
5
20
34
3
13
20
1
5
14
1
3
27
17
13
6
92
292
100%
61
202
69%
45
127
43%
31
91
31%
3
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Chemical Engineering
20
Chemistry
52
Civil Engineering
12
Computer Science
27
EECE
8
Mathematics
60
Mechanical Engineering
9
Met and Mat
11
Physics and Astronomy
24
Total
223
Percentage of total applications
100%
College of Life and Environmental Sciences
Biological Sciences
62
GEES
41
Psychology
80
Sport and Exercise Sciences
12
Total
195
Percentage of total applications
100%
College of Medical and Dental Sciences
Dental School
54
Medical Science
45
Medicine
39
Nursing
43
Physiotherapy
17
Total
198
Percentage of total applications 100%
College of Social Sciences
Business
49
Economics
32
Accounting and Finance
82
Education
29
Social Policy and Social Work
34
Government and Society
32
Total
258
Percentage of total applications
100%
University total
1166
Percentage of total applications
100%
11
40
6
19
5
42
6
10
12
151
68%
11
27
3
11
3
27
6
5
7
98
44%
3
11
2
8
1
12
6
5
4
53
24%
46
36
56
6
144
74%
28
20
49
6
103
53%
11
14
21
2
48
25%
22
35
12
14
3
86
43%
15
22
9
12
3
61
31%
5
10
6
9
3
33
17%
28
26
57
22
15
26
174
67%
757
67%
21
19
42
14
11
14
121
47%
510
44%
12
8
20
7
6
11
64
25%
289
25%
EDACS is now the School attracting the largest number of A2B applicants and taking
the largest number of entrants. There was a 20% increase in the number of A2B
applications to this School but the number of entrants almost doubled. Law remains
the most popular single subject choice for all A2B applicants, although there was a
slight fall this year to 92 applications. Accounting and Finance increased to 82
applications, closely followed by Psychology with 80 applications.
Despite a similar number of applications and interviews, the number of offers made
for Medicine fell from 18 to12. The move from a panel interview to multiple mini
interview tasks in Medicine next year may have an impact on the performance of A2B
4
candidates and the procedure will be reflected in the A2B interview workshop. The
success rate of A2B applicants interviewed for Nursing improved this year, following
the interview preparation session run by the School of Health and Population
Sciences, so this will be repeated in the next admissions cycle. A2B applicants will
also be able to apply for Pharmacy for the first time in the next admissions cycle so
the Outreach office intends to hold interview workshops for these applicants.
2.2 Ethnicity
The ethnicity of applicants to the A2B scheme followed a similar pattern to previous
years with the top two ethnic origins being white and Pakistani.
Table 3: Ethnicity of applicants made offers 2009/10 - 2011/12
Ethnicity
A2B
Applicants
10/11
61
37
% of all
A2B
applicants
09/10
8%
5%
White
130
55
215
269
Total
767
Bangladeshi
Black
African/Black
Caribbean
Indian
Other
Pakistani
Applicants
09/10
Applicants
11/12
% of all
applicants
11/12
39
42
% of all
A2B
applicants
10/11
4.6%
5%
89
61
9.3%
6.3%
17%
7%
28%
35%
146
110
239
278
17%
12.9%
28%
32.5%
147
88
256
307
15.3%
9.2%
27%
32%
100%
854
100%
961
100%
2.3 Disabled applicants and students leaving local authority care
46 applicants informed us of a disability through the A2B application form; 15 of
these reported being dyslexic. This information was shared with the Disability support
team to ensure that these students had also declared their disability through UCAS in
order to gain access to appropriate support. Improved communication here resulted in
one wheelchair user being met by a member of staff from disability support at the
same time as a supervision meeting for the A2B assignment. This enabled the student
to gain access to the Harding Law library. 6 A2B entrants disclosed that they had
spent in local authority care.
2.4 Academic Enrichment Programme (AEP)
AEP proved to be a very successful means of encouraging applications through A2B
with 67 AEP students applying for a degree programme at the University via the A2B
scheme. 55 of these students received an A2B offer so were once again AEP students
were much more successful than average in receiving an A2B offer, reflecting the
enhanced advice and guidance they receive from the programme. 41 of these students
made us their first choice and 26 gained a place at the University.
2.5 Retention on the scheme
Following a similar trend from previous years, since the introduction of the
scholarship, 78% of applicants with A2B offers made the University of Birmingham
their first choice. The final number of conditional firm (CF) students holding a
5
reduced A2B offer before the publication of exam results fell from the previous year
however, due to a higher number of fails in the academic assignment.
The retention on the A2B scheme for the last five years is shown in the table below as
figures and as a percentage of the total number of applicants:
Table 4: Retention on the A2B scheme 2007 - 20012
Year
Total
number
of
applicants
Number of
applicants
accepted on
A2B scheme
Number of
applicants
passing
HELM
Number of
A2B
applicants
accepted at
UoB
388
66.5%
A2B
applicants
choosing
UoB as
conditional
firm
293
50%
2007-08
583
100%
219
38%
178
30.5%
2008-09
666
100%
456
68%
356
53%
303
45%
158
24%
2009-10
767
100%
508
66%
395
51%
316
41%
193
25%
2010-11
854
100%
609
71%
474
55%
390
46%
236
28%
2011-12
961
100%
656
68%
511
53%
367
38%
289
30%
2.6 Enrolments from conditional firm applicants
The table below shows the proportion of A2B conditional firm applicants meeting or
exceeding their A2B offer.
Table 5: Academic performance of A2B students compared to offer: 2012 entrants
Above
standard
offer
Achieving
standard
A2B
offer
only
65 (13%)
45 (9%)
83 (16%)
Below
A2B offer
but
gaining a
place
94
(18.5%)
Accepted but
qualifications
not recorded
Conditional
firm not
achieving a
place
Total
conditional
firm A2B
applicants
2 (0.5%)
222
(43%)
511
The proportion of conditional firm applicants achieving or exceeding the standard
offer remained similar to last year at 22% (110 students). An additional 82 students
achieved the grades required by their A2B offer, although 2 of these failed their A2B
module. A higher proportion of students than ever before gained their place even
6
though they had not achieved the grades required by their A2B offer (18.5%). The
highest previous figure for this was 17% in 2008. 21 of the students in this position
did not complete or pass the A2B module. The increased success of A2B applicants
being awarded a place led to a reduced proportion of conditional firm students being
turned away, down from 50% to 43% this year.
2.7 Expansion strategy
Details of the number of applicants from our various partner institutions are shown in
table 15 (see appendix). 14% of all applicants to A2B came from Joseph Chamberlain
College (JCC). Our next most important feeder institutions are the local FE and sixth
form colleges; Birmingham Metropolitan College, King Edward V1 Stourbridge,
Cadbury College, The Sixth Form College Solihull and Halesowen College. Our
biggest schools in terms of applications are Sandwell Academy, Joseph Leckie, Holte
and King Edward VI Handsworth. The appendix shows all partner institutions,
including 28 who have joined this year but not yet had the opportunity to submit any
applications. This still leaves a large number of partners who are not actively taking
part in the scheme. These institutions will be contacted separately to remind them
about the benefits the scheme can offer. Any future growth in applications could
principally be found from these institutions.
Based on average trends over the past seven years, the following gradual expansion of
the scheme would keep the proportion of A2B entrants at around 6% of the UG
intake.
Table 6: Predicted numbers for expansion
Year
A2B
Applicants
2013
2014
2015
2016
1009
1059
1112
1168
Applicants
with one or
more offer
A2B
students
with UoB
as first
choice
666
699
734
771
499
524
550
578
A2B
entrants
A2B
scholarships
required
265
278
291
306
95
100
105
110
The scheme is now well known and established in state schools in Birmingham but
there are still eligible students in partner schools and colleges who do not apply for
the scheme when this could be appropriate. The Outreach Office will therefore
continue to promote the scheme each year with existing partners, responding to all
requests from high priority partners, renewing links where the number of applications
has fallen and developing relationships with teachers in key feeder institutions.
With the help of data provided by the Aimhigher partnership, analysis has been
undertaken of state schools within the West Midlands and of schools in the
surrounding counties of Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire
and Leicestershire to assess the potential of recruiting new partners to the scheme
from these areas. Further work will continue in approaching schools where there is a
high number of eligible students.
7
2.8 Realising Opportunities (RO) Programme
Alongside A2B, the Outreach Office has also worked with Joseph Chamberlain and
Cadbury College, Holte, Small Heath and Swanshurst Schools to recruit the third
cohort of Realising Opportunities students. 51 students joined the programme and
have so far participated in a launch event, a national conference hosted at Leicester
University and a RO visit day which gave students the opportunity of a first meeting
with the academic tutor for their assignment. 40 of the RO students hosted by the
University are currently working on an academic assignment and 9 are doing the
Extended Project Qualification in place of the assignment.
The table below shows outcomes for the University from the first 2 cohorts of RO
applicants. Experience from both cohorts does not show the hoped for geographical
mobility of students, as all RO final entrants live within the current boundaries of
A2B. From cohort 2, 14 students had a conditional firm offer with the University of
Birmingham and 6 an insurance offer. Of these 14, 7 were hosted on the RO
programme by us and 3 by Warwick, so the majority of offer holders were also within
the geographical boundaries of A2B.
Table7: Numbers enrolling at University of Birmingham from RO 2011-2012
Year
2010-11
2011-12
Applications
to UoB from
national
programme
58
41
Applicants CF students
hosted by from whole
UoB
programme
21
16
21
14
RO
entrants
10
6
RO entrants
hosted by
Birmingham or
Warwick
10
6
2.9 Scholarships and liaison with DARO
With increased numbers predicted to come through the A2B scheme, further work
will need to be done to help with fund raising, including attendance by scholarship
recipients at DARO events. 88 A2B scholarships are likely to be awarded this year
and 4 scholarships to students on the Realising Opportunities Programme.
The new HSBC scholarship, match funded by the University to cover the full cost of
tuition fees for five A2B students, is linked to performance in the A2B module. One
student per College has been selected for this award based on household income and
performance in both the online module and the academic assignment. This can be
used to help market the scheme and motivate students to produce their best work in
the A2B assignment.
13 A2B students are also receiving Gateway bursaries to enable them to take up a
summer project or work experience placement that they would not otherwise have
been able to afford. One student is working in Africa in an orphanage and HIV
treatment centre and another is undertaking an internship at the NHS Blood and
Transplant Centre at the QE Hospital, prior to starting the 3rd year of his MSci Human
Biology degree.
8
3.0 A2B Module work
3.1 Tutor guidance for the summer academic assignment
The proportion of students not completing the assignment remained as last year at 9%
but the proportion of successful candidates fell to 72%. Tutor training was held in
May this year and the focus of the discussion this year was to look at sample
assignments from previous years and discuss marks awarded. The high failure rate of
academic assignments this year may therefore in part be due to a greater awareness of
expected standards amongst tutors and the need to use the assessment criteria more
consistently across different subject areas. Essays were moderated this year,
considering assignments across the full range of marks and representing all Schools.
The moderators also reconsidered a sample of failed essays in each School and all
failed assignments in Schools where 50% or more of essays had failed. Moderation
resulted in some adjusted marks where tutors had not used whole numbers as
instructed in the guidance or had not marked the learning outcome which related to
the students’ communication and response to feedback. The moderators also reconsidered the marks awarded to students where Turnitin had raised issues relating to
plagiarism. In general the moderators were satisfied with the accuracy of the marks
and the feedback given.
Table 8: Proportion of essays submitted and passed 2008-2012
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Total number of
conditional firm
students set the
A2B assignment
293
356
395
462
495
Assignment
passes
Assignments
failed
219 (75%)
302 (85%)
313 (79%)
385 (83%)
358 (72%)
22 (7.5%)
21 (6%)
36 (9%)
34 (7%)
94 (19%)
Number of
students not
submitting
assignments
36 (12%)
33 (9%)
46 (12%)
43 (9%)
43 (9%)
The following table shows the overall assignment pass rate for the students who
submitted an A2B assignment this year.
Table 9: Pass rate for completed academic assignments 2012
Total number of
essays
submitted
461
Number of
essays passed
Pass rate for
essays submitted
Number of fails
367
80%
94
Failure rate
of essays
submitted
20%
36 students who failed their assignment still gained access to the University, 17 with
the standard entry grades or above and 19 who were given a place without the
required grades. 8 students who failed the module were given a place in Psychology
and 6 in Accounting and Finance.
9
3.2 Recommendations from the moderation report

The moderators who were familiar with the tutorial recording process and
online marking done for the Realising Opportunities Programme
recommended that such a system be adopted for A2B next year, bearing in
mind the administrative task of recording a large number of A2B assessments
now being emailed by individual tutors. This will require significant
investment in a new online database which will enable students to upload their
own assignments and can be accessed by all tutors.

As the failure rate was much higher this year than in previous years, analysis
will be carried out of the exam results for students whose essays failed. In the
past the progress of A2B students who failed the module but still gained a
place at the University has not been as strong as those who passed.

Tutors should be given more explicit instructions for the procedure to follow
and requirements for interactions with students.

Tutors should be encouraged to see the academic assignment as part of the
process of transition rather than as a gate keeping exercise both when
supporting students in carrying out the assignment and when assessing it.

Tutors should provide some key resources to assist with the assignment
through their own sections of the virtual learning environment. The use of
these resources can then be considered when making the assessment.

Students should be asked for feedback on their experience of the process
through an online questionnaire.

Tutors are asked to remember that for the students this is a first experience of
writing an independent assignment of this nature without teacher support and
that feedback comments to failed students should therefore be phrased in a
particularly sensitive manner. The news of failing the assignment at this stage
of the application process is already a difficult message to send to students as
they lose their A2B offer as a result.
3.3 Shadow Day and A2B Visit Days
Students have a different experience depending on whether they are invited to a
shadow day or an A2B visit day. As it is not possible to organise shadow days with
undergraduates after April during exam revision time, the A2B visit day has been
developed which includes workshops to help students prepare for the academic
assignment.
Table 10: Student visit day experience for conditional firm students
Individual shadow days
225
10
A2B visit days
Academic Enrichment Programme
Did not attend/ AVD only
Attended mock interview
Passed 2010
Total
183
40
25
29
9
511
4.0 Progression and performance data
4.1 Degree performance
The data warehouse classifies A2B students as ‘A2B Success’ and ‘A2B Failure.’
A2B Success indicates students who have passed the A2B module and have achieved
at least the grades required by their A2B offer. ‘A2B Failure’ indicates students who
have either failed the A2B module or have not achieved the grades needed for their
A2B offer, or both, but have still been accepted at the University.
The difference in cohort size between A2B students and all students makes it difficult
to make any direct comparisons using percentages. With this caveat, it is still possible
to see that A2B students who pass the module are performing well. There does appear
to be a difference in performance between students who pass and those who fail the
module, both in degree outcome and eventual employment prospects. Although A2B
graduates are a few percentage points behind the average in achieving a 2:1 or above,
there are very few A2B Success students who graduate with a third or pass degree.
97.8% of A2B Success students from the last four years have achieved a 2:2 or above
compared to 96% of all students. The combined outcomes for the past five years are
shown in the table below:
Table 11: Degree outcomes for A2B students 2008-2012
University
average
A2B
Success
A2B
Failure
First
3900.5
(16.1%)
40 (14.6%)
2:1
13912.5
(57.4%)
150 (54.7%)
2:2
5483.5
(22.6%)
78 (28.5%)
Third
733 (3%)
Pass
190 (0.78%)
5 (1.8%)
1 (0.36%)
9 (4.7%)
98 (51.3%)
70 (36.6%)
12 (6.3%)
2 (1.05%)
4.2 Discontinuation data for A2B students 2006 – 2009
Discontinuation figures among ‘A2B Success’ students remain low as shown in the
table below. Across all Colleges, the final figure shows that 22 ‘A2B Success’
students left their course early over a five year period, and suggests that these students
are less likely to drop out than those who have not entered the University through
A2B. This is particularly interesting as students from lower socio-economic
backgrounds who live at home tend to be at higher risk of not completing their course.
11
However, the discontinuation figure for ‘A2B Failure’ students are higher than
average, indicating that the successful completion of the A2B module is a good
indicator of being able to successfully complete the degree course.
Table 12: Discontinuation data for student entry cohorts 2004 – 2008
College & Student
Category
Arts and Law A2B
Success
Arts and Law A2B Fail
Arts and Law Not A2B
Engineering and Physical
Sciences A2B Success
Engineering and Physical
Sciences A2B Fail
Engineering and Physical
Sciences Not A2B
Life and Environmental
Sciences A2B Success
Life and Environmental
Sciences A2B Fail
Life and Environmental
Sciences Not A2B
Medical and Dental
Sciences A2B Success
Medical and Dental
Sciences A2B Fail
Medical and Dental
Sciences Not A2B
Social Sciences A2B
Success
Social Sciences A2B Fail
Social Sciences Not A2B
A2B Success Total
Overall
A2B Fail Total Overall
Not A2B Total Overall
Number of
students
discontinued
7
Dropped
out
Failed
Total %
discontinued
6
1
10.5%
9
811.7
3
5
559.7
1
4
252
2
13.%
11.%
9.7%
6
3
3
16.1%
743.7
338.9
404.9
14.9%
5
3
2
9.1%
7
6
1
16%
421.8
301.1
120.7
8.3%
7
5
2
11.5%
1
0
1
11.1%
349
224
125
8.8%
2
1
1
2.8%
7
1435.8
24
3
978.3
16
4
457.5
8
12.5%
15.2%
8.4%
30
3762
17
2402
13
1360
14%
12.3%
Table 13: Entry cohort completion data 2004 -2008
A2B
status
A2B
Success
A2B Fail
Got
degree
235
(82.2%)
169
(79%)
Lower
Dropped Failed
Discontinued
Award
out
9 (3.1%) 16 (5.6%) 8 (2.8%) 24 (8.4%)
7 (3.3%) 17 (7.9%) 13
(6.1%)
12
30 (14%)
Still
here
18
(6.3%)
8
(3.7%)
Total
286
214
Not A2B
24683
(80.4%)
713
(2.3%)
2402
(7.8%)
1360
(4.4%)
3762 (12.3%)
1548
(5%)
30706
5.0 Employability 2007-2011
Although those who pass the A2B module are more successful in finding employment
than those who fail, A2B students are still less likely to be in full time employment
than the average graduate. Data from the last five years shows 8.2% of non-A2B
leavers were unemployed compared to 9.4% of A2B Success leavers and 12.7% of
A2B Failure leavers. To address this issue Gateway bursaries have been awarded to
several A2B students this year, which will help develop employability skills for these
students. Links to Careers Network and encouragement to take part in the Personal
Skills Award also now start with the A2B induction programme.
The data below shows the employability outcomes over the last five years:
Table 14: Graduate level employment data 2007 -2011:
A2B
Failure
A2B
Success
Not A2B
Graduate
employment/ further
study
83 (70.3%)
Not in graduate level
employment or graduate
level further study
35 (29.7%)
Total number
122 (72.6%)
46 (27.4%)
168
10533.5 (73.8%)
3747 (26.2%)
14280.5
118
6.0 Graduate case studies
In total 17 A2B graduates received a first class degree in 2012. Students who have
done particularly well this year include Dan who graduated with first class honours in
Dentistry and was nominated by the Dental School for the British Dental Association
Student Clinician Award and Jodie who graduated in History and won a scholarship
worth over £20,000 from the Inner Temple to cover her conversion course and the Bar
Professional Training Course (BPTC) at the College of Law in London. This funded
training will allow Jodie to qualify as a barrister.
7.0 Issues for discussion
7.1 Communication of non-eligibility directly to students from
outreach office
It has been agreed with the Admissions Office that A2B application forms for
students who are not eligible for A2B will no longer be passed on to Admissions.
Outreach Officers will check the form against all the criteria and make a decision as
to the eligibility of the student. If the student is not eligible for the scheme, the
13
Outreach Office will contact the student to give them the reason why they are not
eligible. If the student is considered eligible, their application form will go to the
Admissions Office to see if the standard offer and an A2B offer can be made.
7.2
Students re-applying through A2B
Current practice is that students who are re-sitting exams and have a pass in the A2B
module should have this pass taken into account when their offer is made, but the
student does still need the repeated recommendation of their partner school to ensure
the student is still recommended in terms of commitment and potential to study here.
Legal advice has been taken regarding the inclusion of students with completed
qualifications applying through A2B, but a retrospective application is not considered
appropriate if an applicant did not take up the opportunity when first presented to
them and tries to use the A2B module to gain access without the standard entry
grades. Students must therefore be currently studying in order to re-apply through
A2B. Students who have failed the A2B module are not given a second opportunity
to re-take the A2B module.
7.3
Targeting of school visits
Demand for visits from partner schools continues to increase. In deciding whether or
not we can visit, schools are now ranked as high, medium or low based on widening
participation criteria. We aim to visit all high and medium priority schools on request
and will proactively contact high priority schools and colleges in October if a visit
date has not already been fixed.
7.4
Improved partner dialogue
A2B partner schools and colleges are to be invited to the A2B forum on an annual
basis to discuss developments in the scheme and to improve dialogue between
teachers and university academics. A new partner guide has also been written with
further details about the eligibility criteria and answers to frequently asked questions.
A filmed version of the A2B school presentation and new posters for schools have
also been produced to clarify procedures for potential applicants.
7.5
Administrative issues
It is now considered important to set up a new database using the same format as for
the Realising Opportunities partnership, which would enable tutors to post resources
for their students, enter comments as regards students’ progress and make their final
assessments online. This should encourage a consistent approach to supporting and
assessing the A2B academic assignment.
14
Appendix 1
Number of applicants from local partner institutions
School/college
06-07
07-08
08-09
09-10
10 -11
11-12
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
6
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
50
3
10
0
0
4
0
0
0
12
0
0
2
0
73
4
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
66
0
1
1
0
4
0
0
0
31
1
1
8
0
53
7
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
4
5
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
70
3
3
1
3
2
0
0
0
10
1
0
5
0
48
7
0
0
0
3
0
2
0
1
3
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
2
0
10
0
0
7
0
4
0
0
0
0
64
2
14
0
5
7
0
0
0
7
4
0
8
0
39
8
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
6
1
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
0
2
0
0
3
0
1
0
3
0
0
49
5
11
0
9
4
0
1
0
7
0
3
6
1
38
5
0
1
0
11
0
6
3
0
0
3
0
8
2
1
0
5
0
0
0
1
0
4
0
1
2
1
6
1
5
3
0
0
2
0
0
0
67
11
13
0
6
3
1
0
0
3
5
1
11
0
59
3
1
2
0
5
0
11
3
0
2
2
0
1
0
2
1
Abbot Beyne School
Aldecar Community Language College
Aldersley High School
Aldridge School
Alexandra High School
Alleyne’s High
Alumwell Business & Enterprise College
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Tech College
Arden School
Arrow Vale High School
Arthur Terry School
Ashlawn School
Aston Manor Academy
Banbury School
Barr Beacon Language College
Barr’s Hill School
Baverstock School
Baxter College
Belgrave High School
Bicester Community College
Biddulph High School
Birmingham Metropolitan College (SC Campus & MB)
)Campus)
Bishop Challoner Catholic School
Bishop Milner Catholic School
Bishop Ullathorne RC School
Bishop Vesey Grammar School
Bishop Walsh Catholic School
Blessed George Napier School
Blue Coat CE School & Music College
Bordesley Green Girls School
Bournville College
Bournville School
Bridgenorth Endowed School
Broadway School
Brownhills CTC
Cadbury 6th Form College
Caludon Castle School
Cambridge Tutorial College
Cannock Chase High School
Cardinal Griffin School
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
Chase Terrace Technology College
City College Birmingham
City College, Coventry
City of Stoke on Trent 6th Form College
City of Wolverhampton College
Cockshut Hill School
Codsall Community High School
Colton Hills Community School
Coppice Performing Arts School
Coundon Court School
Coventry Blue Coat CE School
15
Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School
Deansfield High School
Dudley College
Eckington School
Ellowes Hall School
Erasmus Darwin Academy (ex Chasetown Sport)
Etone College
Fairfax School
Finham Park School
Fircroft College of Adult Education
Foxford School
Frank F Harrison Engineering College
Friary School
George Dixon International School
George Salter Collegiate Academy
Grace Academy, Coventry
Grace Academy, Darlaston
Great Barr School
Great Wyrley Performing Arts High School
Greenhead College (not A2B)
Hagley Catholic High School
Halesowen College
Hamstead Hall School
Handsworth Grammar School
Handsworth Wood Girls School
Haybridge High School
Heanor Gate Science College
Heathfield Foundation
Heath Park High School
Henley College
Hereford Sixth Form College
Highfields School
Hillcrest School, 6th Form Centre
Holly Lodge School
Holte Visual & Performing Arts College
Holyhead School
Idsall School
John Henry Newman CC (ex Archbishop Grimshaw)
John Willmott School
Joseph Chamberlain College
Joseph Leckie CTC
Kineton High School
King Charles I High School
King Edward VI Aston
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
King Edward VI College, Stourbridge
King Edward VI College, Nuneaton
King Edward VI Five Ways School
King Edward VI Handsworth School
King Edward VI High School, Stafford
King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy
Kings Norton Boys School
Kings Norton Girls' School
Kingshurst CTC
Kingsley College
Landau Forte Academy, Tamworth
Landau Forte College, Derby
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
9
14
10
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
2
5
48
6
0
0
12
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
6
5
5
0
0
0
16
4
0
7
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
7
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
6
17
10
0
4
0
0
11
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
57
0
0
0
11
1
4
33
0
2
0
0
0
3
1
1
0
0
0
2
1
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
11
0
0
1
0
0
3
41
12
16
0
1
0
10
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
97
9
0
0
13
1
2
30
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
11
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
6
0
0
0
7
0
0
4
0
0
2
45
3
8
0
0
0
9
0
0
2
6
2
0
0
5
0
0
2
117
1
0
0
15
3
4
47
0
7
3
0
0
0
3
7
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
0
5
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
7
1
0
15
5
0
0
35
3
16
0
0
0
12
1
0
9
1
0
0
5
0
1
4
0
143
9
0
1
10
1
5
65
3
8
10
0
0
4
1
8
0
0
0
2
0
7
0
0
5
0
2
1
4
6
0
0
0
4
0
0
4
3
1
3
42
12
11
0
0
0
8
0
1
2
2
3
1
17
3
0
0
1
132
18
0
0
5
3
4
64
0
5
17
0
0
0
3
9
8
1
4
Lordswood Boys School
Lordswood Girls School
Lyng Hall School
Menzies High School
Moseley Park School
Moseley School
Myton School
Netherthorpe School
New College, Telford
Newbold 6th Form
Newcastle Under Lyme College
Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College
Ninestiles Community School
North Birmingham Academy
North Bromsgrove High School
North East Worcestershire College
North Warwickshire & Hinckley College
Northampton Academy
Northicote School
Oasis Academy Hadley
Oldbury Academy
Oldbury Wells School
Ormiston Forge Academy
Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy
Ounsdale High School
Our Lady & St Chad Catholic Sports College
Paget High School
Parkfield High School
Park Hall Academy
Pendeford Bus & Enterprise College
Perryfields High School
Phoenix Collegiate
Plantsbrook School
Pool Hayes Arts & Community School
President Kennedy School
Q3 Academy (Dartmouth High School)
Queen Mary’s High School
Rawlett Community Sports College
RSA Academy
Rugby High School
Sandwell Academy
Sandwell College
Shelfield Community Academy
Sheldon Heath
Shenley Academy
Shire Oak Academy
Shirelands Collegiate Academy
Shrewsbury 6th Form College
Sidney Stringer School
Small Heath School
Smestow School
Smith’s Wood Sports College
Solihull College
South Bham Hall Green
South Bromsgrove High School
South Wolverhampton & Bilston Academy
St Augustine's CHS
St Edmund Campion RC
1
3
0
3
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
2
0
7
0
5
8
0
0
17
1
0
0
5
1
17
0
4
0
2
4
6
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
1
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
2
0
4
4
0
0
0
4
22
0
0
6
1
1
0
6
4
0
9
0
1
1
13
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
17
1
0
0
4
0
4
0
9
18
0
0
8
0
0
0
5
1
1
13
0
4
2
3
0
0
3
0
0
4
0
0
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
16
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
6
19
0
0
2
2
2
0
10
6
4
19
0
0
4
4
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
4
3
0
0
0
3
3
1
2
4
1
2
0
0
1
21
0
0
0
5
1
2
0
6
15
4
2
9
0
0
2
9
0
2
14
1
0
1
4
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
1
1
0
6
0
1
1
2
0
0
0
3
2
0
3
0
0
5
1
0
5
6
2
2
2
1
26
0
0
0
2
4
3
2
6
5
4
0
6
5
4
1
9
2
St Francis of Assisi CTC
St Joseph’s College
St Paul's School for Girls
St Peters Catholic School, Solihull
St Peters School, Wolverhampton
St Thomas Aquinas CS
St Thomas More Catholic School (Walsall)
St Thomas More (Nuneaton)
Stafford Sports College
Stapenhill Post-16 Centre
Stoke on Trent 6th Form College
Stoke Park School
Stourbridge College
Stratford-upon-Avon College
Stratford-Upon-Avon Grammar School
Streetly School
Stuart Bathurst CHS
Sutton Coldfield Grammar
Swanshurst School
The Coleshill School
The Friary
The Kings CE School
The Sixth Form College, Solihull
The International School and Community College
The Streetly School
The Trinity Catholic Tech College
Tile Hill Wood School
Trinity High School
Walsall Academy
Walsall College
Waseley Hill High School
Warwickshire College
Washwood Heath Tech College
Wednesfield High School
Willenhall School Sports College
Wilnecote High School
Windsor High School
Wolverhampton College
Wolverhampton Girls High School
Wolverhampton Grammar School
Wolverley High School
Wood Green High
Worcester 6th Form College
Worcester College of Technology
6
0
7
6
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
6
6
3
12
0
0
0
40
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
18
3
0
7
2
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
4
2
5
9
0
0
0
43
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
4
0
11
2
0
5
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
3
4
7
0
1
1
44
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
4
1
0
6
0
0
12
17
0
0
0
0
0
6
1
0
4
5
6
10
0
2
3
42
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
1
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
14
2
0
5
9
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
11
2
8
9
2
0
1
25
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
0
2
8
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
7
4
0
1
11
3
0
8
11
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
7
5
2
9
7
0
1
48
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
8
1
0
1
7
2
0
1
1
1
1
2
3
0