The new Access to HE Diploma

Kath Dentith Head of Access, QAA

OCN London ConferenceOctober 2013

Developing a revised Diploma specification

• assessing the context – for students, providers and HE

• reviewing , analysis & evaluationAwareness

• addressing external change • confronting risks & vulnerabilities

Responsiveness

• exploring new possibilities• finding best solutionsImagination

• being clear about aims & purposesBut also…

Awareness:the student contextyounger: 49% Access to HE students are under 25

more mobile: 33% progress to HE more than 25 miles from 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+ (14,720 applied for loans to date)

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 • introduction of 24+ loansperformance measures• completion and successqualifications reform• GCSEs and A levels• Wolf report and

‘equivalent’ qualifications

Awareness: the HE policy context

• demographic changes and decline in mature student numbers

• social mobility• fair access• student number controls

– high achieving Access HE students outside SNC

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

• Academic standards

Part A

• Academic quality

Part B

• Information about HE provision

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)

Awareness: reviewing, analysis & evaluation- how is the Diploma operating? what are the issues?

Review and analysis: research; discussions and surveys with students, HEIs, providers, AVAs (1,500 responses)Evaluation: significant variability problematic for providing- level playing field for students- clear HE entry requirements / standard offers– assurance of standards on differently structured

Diplomas Developing and refining ideas: 12 roundtables (280

participants); AVA meetings; expert development groupFormal consultation: Jan - Mar 2013 (200 respondents)Outcome: majority support for all proposals

Being clear about aims and purposes1. to provide equity for students: equivalence in the

achievement and demands required for the same qualification – wherever studied and awarded

2. to improve clarity and transparency: about the requirements and standards which apply to all AHE Diplomas - and about how they differ

3. to underpin confidence in standards: clear and consistent expectations ensure that common processes can provide comparable outcomes

4. to support fair access to HE: enable HE providers to publish clear entry requirements, and students to be selected on fair basis

5. to maintain flexibility where this does not threaten equity, clarity, standards or fair access.

The 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 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 together define a planned, coherent programme of study

• Unit registrations no later than 12 weeks from start of course – or before student applies to HE

• All Diplomas structured of units of 3, 6 or 9 credits

2. Unit sizes: 3,6 or 9 credits

3. 45 credits academic subject content

• Units for 45 credits relate to knowledge and skills of subjects identified in title of the Diploma. Includes specialist and technical skills (eg Maths for engineering or lab skills), but not personal development, or generic English or mathematics or study skills units .

• Students assessed on these units by subject expert

And if ‘research’ units included in the 45, then• assessment includes students' command of the

knowledge domain and conventions of the subject• student work must be original work for the unit only (not

derived from work produced for other units)

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 concerns:• referral allowed at any time of the year• more holistic approach to assessment allowed for

assessment of referred (second resubmission) work

6. GCSE equivalentsQAA will no longer endorse ‘GCSE equivalent’ units for Access to HE from 2014-15, because:- varying acceptance by HEIs (& need for Grade B equiv)- lack of recognition by employers- changing policy view of value of ‘equivalent’ quals- policy and funding of GCSEs for adults (funded GCSE

achievement before or alongside Access to HE)- effect on student achievements on different Diplomas

• Provides additional ‘space’ in Diplomas for other units(perhaps at level 2), and focus on skills (perhaps inEnglish and/or maths) that are most relevant for HE.

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

Revised Access to HE Diploma:the implementation timeline

Date for your diary: Wednesday 16 October 2013Access to HE admissions fair

Central Hall, Westminster