Access to HE - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Access to HEat Morley College

Carole PreenAccess to Higher Education Manager

www.morleycollege.ac.ukSlide2

Our LocationSlide3

Celebrating 125 yearsSlide4

One of London’s SDIs

We are one of four adult education providers in London that is categorised as a

Specialist Designated

Institution under the terms of the Education Act 1992.As an Adult only college, we can provide a very different learning environment, which is calm and welcoming, studying alongside other adults.

Due to our range of departments there are lots of free activities in the week, such as lunchtime music concerts, dance performances and exhibitions in our foyer and gallery –

all free of charge

. Slide5

Subjects Offered

Business Studies

FashionEducation StudiesHealth & Human SciencesScience & Medical Science

NursingMidwiferyMusic & Music TechnologyHumanitiesSocial Science, Social Work & LawSlide6

Current Partner UniversitiesSlide7

Types of Students

The majority of

our Access learners reside in Lambeth and Southwark and many of them claim benefits and have children so rely on funding and childcare support.

The profile of our learners is significantly different to the national profile of Access students as published by the QAA in their Key Statistics 2013. These are our 13/14 figures:

Black

,

20% (50%)

White

, 67% (22%) Mixed and Any Other, 3% (25%) Aged between 19 and 54 years of ageThe majority of learners are female 66% and 34% male and this is mainly due to the larger nursing and midwifery cohorts. The QAA 13/14 national figures are 73% female and 27% male.Slide8

Entry Requirements

New issue

– GCSE grade A-C requirement for maths & English and many Access applicants do not have theseSome universities not accepting Functional Skills level 2The need to have undertaken work or voluntary work experience in certain areas

Maths and English assessmentsInterview (detailed A&G)Slide9

GCSE v. Functional Skills

The Education and Funding Foundation Report (March 2015) gives interesting statistics:

In the year 2013/14,

37% of learners aged 16–18 did not achieve grades A

*-C in

both maths and English GCSE.

According to the QAA Access to HE website, “

The Access to Higher Education Diploma is a qualification which prepares people without traditional qualifications for

study at university”.The Access Diploma therefore tends to attract people who did not do well at school but want to get back on track and now that we are telling them they need their GCSEs to get onto an Access programme; however, “Some

learners, having found GCSE difficult in the past, are daunted by the prospect of

taking it again”

, which defeats the ethos of reaching out to all.

So what about Functional Skills?Slide10

Facts on Functional Skills

“

Functional

Skills are gaining widespread recognition across small and large employers

. Employers who know about them like the approach they

embody i.e

. applied skills,

flexible

assessment and problem solving

” (Education & Training Foundation, 2015).

However, many universities offering vocational degrees are not accepting Functional Skills at level 2 in maths and English as they are not valued as academic equivalences.

Since the QAA removed the GCSE equivalences from the Access Diploma, there should be a way of offering an accepted alternative that is fit for purpose so as to remove the barriers for students who are fearful of repeating their failings in GCSEs at school.

Not tackling the problem will lead to

a decrease

in applications to Access to HE and as a result, a drop in applications to universities from mature learners.Slide11

Induction

Induction Pack – includes QAA/OCN rules for Access programmesBook lists – how to use library/computers/wifi

College rules – student handbookWhat support is available for 24+ Loan studentsAdvice from some of last year’s studentsDyslexia screeningSlide12

Support Structure

Each cohort has a Personal Tutor

2 hour group tutorial each week; focus on UCAS in term 1; preparation for interviews term 2; student finance term 3

ALS support; include 1:1 sessions for declared or discovered learning disabilities; counselling serviceStudent service support; guidance on finance, applying for jobs; UCAS; links to local organisationsSlide13

Success & Progression

Students at Morley enjoy a good level of success at around 77% (static for the past 3 years) compared to the QAA figures (2013/14)of the national average at 69%.

All students who remain on programme achieve their diplomas but inevitably some adult learners leave the programme in year due to personal/financial issues.Progression data to university shows 91% in 12/13 and 88% in 13/14. QAA figures (2013/14) show the national average as 68%.Slide14

Barriers to Progression

High University Entry Requirements –

for

example,

45 credits at merit and

distinction.

No allowance for passes whilst getting back into study in term 1.

Only accept GCSEs and not Functional Skills:

City University

for Nursing

“

We will not accept any UK equivalency qualifications, only

GCSEs”.Slide15

Barriers to Progression

Not many Universities have adapted to the changes in Access

(only 45 graded credits now - the ABB equivalency was set at a time when you could achieve 60 graded

credits)E.g. for

Physiotherapy at Hertfordshire University

“

Pass Access Diploma to include at least 45 Level 3 credits at distinction”

.

Some universities are also requiring a GCSE in Biology as well as the Access Diploma (e.g. KCL).Slide16

Barriers to Progression

Some universities do not fully understand the Access programme and types of learners;

give up a great deal to come back to study (family/work commitments/finances to juggle)Adult learners are more committed to their study choices and change in career progression but may not have studied for years – therefore

likely to get passes in term 1.Slide17

QAA Requirements

Grading averages- Each year AVAs provide their centres with grading data

It compares college grade profile data with AVA’s data from across their region. For 2013/14 OCN London overall percentages were:This has to fall in-line with A levels results by percentage, which for 2013/14 were:

Pass: 40.1%

Merit: 33.9%

Distinction: 26%

E = 6.5%

D =

14.8%

C = 24.3%

B = 26.4%

A/A* = 26.3%

(National percentages figures for A level

grades

2014 available at http

://

www.bstubbs.co.uk/a-lev.htm) Slide18

Problems for Colleges

Unconditional offers

from universities do cause us a problem and affect our success rates adversely.

Students drop off their Access course as they “don’t need it” (even if they have the 24+ loan)College has invested time and effort in the student – help with UCAS application and reference/study skills support/ALS support

Solution

–

no unconditional offers should be given to students currently on an Access course Slide19

Case Studies

Case Studies:

Three of our Access to Midwifery students from 2013 “in uniform” studying at Kings College London.Slide20

Case

Case Studies:Dennis Aboagye now in his third year studying Physiotherapy at St Georges University London

(pictured with Marisa Castellini at the OCN Conference 2013)Slide21

Case Studies:

Safiya Wilson completed an Access to Health & Human Sciences Diploma at Morley in June 2013. She is now in her second year at UEL studying podiatry

“

I

think the

Access course

really prepared me for university. Everything we

learnt I

have needed for assignments. In the first year we did a lot of general science and

I

don't think

I

would of passed if it wasn't for the biochemistry we

did at Morley,

as we work at such a fast

pace at university”. Slide22

What our students tell us once they have started university:

“I just wanted to say thank you. I got my first essay feedback and my tutor asked me if I’d been to university before!”Muna Elmi (Access to Health & Human Sciences 2014) - now studying Occupational Therapy at Brunel University.Slide23

What our students tell us once they have started university:

“I

am absolutely loving university and I find that Morley helped me a great

deal. So far I feel confident in my lectures and

assignments. In a lecture my tutor

used

my example

because I defined why I was using a certain method. I felt very

pleased with myself. I would I like to thank you and all my teachers at Morley because I would not be here without your help and

guidance”.

Jamie

Ocampo

–

Access to

HHS

– now

studying Health Promotion at UEL

Jamie pictured in the centre with her peers outside the

Hunterian

Museum; Royal College of Surgeons, London.Slide24

What our students tell us once they

have

started university:“I will never have enough words to express my gratitude. I can assure you I will do my best to positively represent Morley College at Queen Mary University”

Mirhani Said – Access to Science – now studying Biomedical Sciences at Queen Mary UniversitySlide25

What our students tell us once they

have

started university:“I just wanted to say a big thank you for getting us all through the Access course last year. It has definitely given me and Tom a bit of a head start in Anatomy & Physiology at Kings’!”

Helen Barraclough (Access to Health & Human Sciences 2014) – now study physiotherapy at Kings College London.

Helen (right) pictured with Ela

Piatrowska

(former Morley Principal) at the Access Graduation Ceremony 2014Slide26

What our students tell us once they

have

started university:

Now we are looking forward

to "

Hoovering

in" everything we can because every corner is a new experience

with

something new to learn and

even on

the first

day, Morley’s

background is already

helping us

a lot

.

Students studying at Middlesex University from last year’s Music Access DiplomaSlide27

Questions?