Progress in Widening Participation

1. Progress in Widening Participation Where to Next? Liz Marr Manchester Metropolitan University

2. The roots of WP Baroness Kennedy ‘Learning Works’ • ‘Education strengthens the ties which bind people, takes the fear out of difference and encourages tolerance’ Lord Dearing • “Higher education is fundamental to the social, economic and cultural health of the nation. It will contribute not only through the intellectual development of students and by equipping them for work, but also by adding to the world’s store of knowledge and understanding, fostering culture for its own sake, and promoting the values that characterise higher education: respect for evidence; respect for individuals and their views; and the search for truth. Equally, part of its task will be to accept a duty of care for the wellbeing of our democratic civilisation, based on respect for the individual and respect by the individual for the conventions and laws which provide the basis of a civilised society”

3. Ten Years of Funding • June 1998 – HEFCE invite proposals for funding partnerships for WP • Objective – to increase participation in HE to 50% of 18-30 year olds by 2010 • 2001 – Funding for Aimhigher, Introduction of HEFCE WP Premium • 2004 – funding for Lifelong Learning Networks • 2006 – OFFA Access agreements

4. How far have we come? • Increased participation (43%) but differential rates • Gender: rate for men 10% points less than women • Socio-economic background: lower groups make up 50% of population but 29% of young first time entrants to HE • Locality: Young people in deprived areas have shown some improvement in progression but still low • Disability: Not known but still felt to be under-represented • Age: Mature participation increased but more likely in post-92 institutions and part-time • Ethnicity: CRE figures in 2004 showed that for every African Caribbean male in HE there are two in prison. • LAC: statistically more likely to go to prison than university

5. Where are we now? • School attainment is critical • Recruitment: • Post-92 HEIs perform at or above benchmarks, Russell Group perform at or below • Data Issues: • Incomplete data on student characteristics hinders accurate assessment of participation • Insufficient information on what HEIs do • IAG • Family expectations are critical

6. What does the NAO say? • Data • Need to further develop and promote use of measures to best capture participation rates (eg pupil data linked to HEI students records) • Evaluation • Need for more rigorous/robust evaluation to show what works • Institutional expenditure • HEIs should produce single strategic documents to bring together wp, fair access and admissions policies, and use to report on expenditure and achievements, HEFCE should set standards for reporting of assessments • Availability of HE • HEFCE need to determine how to resource wider provision • Greater diversification • HEFCE should assess demand for more alternative strategies (Fds, part time, transfer of credit and use to determine future funding for support • Lack of understanding of support available • DIUS should support and promote a single source of comprehensive information on financial support for applicants which will allow the to assess their own eligibility.

7. What should happen next? • Partnership is key: • HEIs and14-19 partnerships • HEIs and schools • HEIs and colleges • Colleges and schools • Schools and schools • HEIs