The revised Access to HE Diploma

specification – the why and how July 2013

Kath Dentith

Head of Access, QAA

Developing a revised Diploma specification:

moving towards change

• understanding changes to context • review, analysis, evaluation

Awareness

• responding to change

• addressing risks and vulnerabilities Agility

• readiness for future change • recognising threats & opportunities

Alertness

• considering new possibilities • assessing alternatives • finding best solutions

Imagination

• being clear about aims and purposes But also…

Awareness: the student context

younger: 49% Access to HE

students under 25

more mobile: 33% progress to HE

courses more than 25 miles from

their home

more likely to have GCSEs: 60%

school pupils achieved English and

Maths GCSEs at A* to C in 2011-12

more likely to be self-funded: 24+

more likely to want vocationally

related subjects: 51.4% applied for

subjects allied to medicine

Awareness: the provider context

financial constraints

• student support funding

• funding priorities for

adults

• introduction of 24+ loans

performance measures

• completion and success

qualifications reform

• GCSEs and A levels

• Wolf report and

‘equivalent’ qualifications

Awareness: the HE policy context

• social mobility

• fair access

• student number controls –

high achieving Access HE

students outside SNC

• demographic change and

decline in mature student

numbers

• ‘alternative’ providers

Awareness: the HE admissions context UK Quality Code for Higher Education

• Academic standards

Part A

Part A

• Academic quality

Part B

Part B

• Information about HE provision

Part C

Part C

QAA’s expectations re HE admissions

Chapter B2: Admissions

• Indicator 1: Institutions have policies and procedures for

the recruitment and admission of students … that are

fair, clear and explicit ….

• Indicator 3: Institutions' promotional materials …provide

information that will enable applicants to make

informed decisions about their options.

• Indicator 4: Institutions' selection policies… are clear and

are followed fairly…Transparent entry requirements …

are used to underpin judgements made during the

selection process for entry.

UK Quality Code for Higher Education - Part B (a brief diversion)

The development process

Review and analysis: research; discussions and surveys

with students, HEIs, providers, AVAs (1,500 responses)

how is the Diploma operating? what are the issues?

Evaluation: significant variability that was problematic for – students - not a level playing field

– HE - unable to provide clear entry requirements / standard offers

– Standards - comparability of differently structured Diplomas

Developing and refining ideas: 12 roundtables - 280

participants; development group and committee

Formal consultation: Jan - Mar 2013 – 200 respondents

Outcome: majority support for all proposals

Clarity of aims and purpose

Aims:

• to ensure equity for students

• to improve consistency, clarity and transparency

• to underpin the assurance of standards

• to maintain some degree of local determination of

details of content, delivery and assessment

2013 specification – key changes

1. All Diplomas = 60 credits

total

3. 45 credits from graded level 3

units concerned with academic subject content

6. GCSE-equivalents no

longer regulated/

endorsed by QAA

5. amendment to regulation on referrals

4. 15 credits from level 2 or

ungraded level 3 units

2. Units 3, 6 or 9 credits

1. Diploma = 60 credits total

• Rules of combination identify the units (including

mandatory and optional units) which define the required

achievement for students = 60 credits

• Students registered and certificated for specified units to

the value of 60 credits, which provides basis for a

planned, coherent programme of study

• Unit registrations no later than 12 weeks from start of

course – or before student applies to HE

2. Unit sizes: 3,6 or 9 credits All Diplomas structured of units of 3, 6 or 9 credits

3. Academic subject content

• unit content (as expressed in the learning outcomes)

must relate to knowledge and skills of subjects identified

in title of the Diploma

• students supported/ assessed on unit by subject expert

• includes knowledge and skills related to all Access to

HE Diploma subjects – eg multi-media as well as history

• not study skills, personal development, or generic

English or mathematics units, but can include specialist

(eg Maths for engineering) and technical (eg lab skills)

Academic subject content (2)

And also, for units that focus on research project or

major final project:

a) units have learning outcomes relating to students'

command of the knowledge domain and conventions of

the subject (not just generic research skills)

b) student work must be original work for the unit only (not

just ‘cross-referenced’ from work produced to

demonstrate achievement of other units’ learning

outcomes)

4. Level 2 or ungraded level 3

• decision about balance between L2 or ungraded L3

determined at validation according to progression

needs

• units identified as L2 or L3 in Rules of Combination

• if graded in some Diplomas and ungraded in others,

these must be separately validated units

• may also be concerned with academic subject

content

5. Referrals

Current situation:

• opportunities for second resubmission limited to the end

of the year

Two changes in response to these concerns:

• referral allowed at any time of the year

• more holistic approach to assessment allowed for

assessment of referred (second resubmission) work

• detailed guidance on changes in the full specification

6. GCSE equivalents from 2014

From 2014-15 QAA will no longer regulate or endorse the

claim of GCSE equivalence for groups of Access to HE

units

Response to:

- varying acceptance by HEIs (growing need for full

GCSE and ‘Grade B’ equivalence)

- lack of recognition by employers

- changing perception of value of ‘equivalents’

- policy and funding of GCSEs for adults

- increasing numbers of students with GCSEs

- impact on Diploma structures

Possibilities and alternatives

• up to 15 credits at level 2

• potential for AVAs and providers to maintain local

arrangements with local HEIs or courses, where

units as part of to accept units within their Diplomas

as adequate to satisfy their GCSE requirement(s)

• funded GCSE achievement before or alongside

Access to HE

and

• additional ‘space’ in Diploma for other units

Benefits for students

Equity: same achievement required for same qualification;

structural consistency ensures equity of opportunity for

students to achieve

Progression into the Diploma: students clear about the

structure and demands of their intended Diploma

Fair access to HE: HE providers better able to publish

clear, generic entry requirements, and students can

compete on equal footing

Standards: consistency underpins confidence in the

comparability of demand and student achievement on

different Diplomas

Revised Access to HE Diploma:

the implementation timeline

First students entering HE with new specification: 2015-16

Full implementation on all courses: from 2014-15

All courses operating new specification; students applying to HE

Development year for AVAs and providers: 2013-14

Courses re-developed and revalidated, where necessary

New specification developed & published: 2012-13

Outline - June 2013 Full Specification: Sept 2013

Implementation support from QAA

• communications and PR strategy

• ongoing dialogue with AVAs to address all aspects of

implementation

• events for higher education and AHE providers

• guides for

– students

– tutors

• admissions ‘toolkit’ including updated guide to

admissions

• new website for improved information and functionality

What stays the same?

• level and size of qualification:

Level 3, 60 credits

• grading model

• credit/unit technical definitions etc

AND

• what it’s for: preparation for HE

• who it’s for: adults (19+) who left school with

insufficient formal qualifications to progress to

higher education

Remaining true to aim and purpose

..... Behind the statistics are women and men with

unrealised potential for self-development and valuable

contributions to the community. That development and

those contributions will depend largely on the quality of

equal opportunity that they are given through these

courses, as expressed through academic, professional,

tutorial and financial support.

A survey of Access courses to HE: analysis and prospects

(CNAA briefing paper, 1990)

Exploring possibilities and opportunities

for the future

…while not forgetting the

strengths and achievements of the past

Date for your diary:

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Access to HE admissions fair

Central Hall, Westminster