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Widening Access to Higher Education and 2012: How do we measure it?. Dr. Graeme Atherton Aimhigher Central London Partnership Manager, University of Westminster. Summary. Access to HE – background and policy Drivers of Access to HE Evidence of impact of previous Olympics here
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Widening Access to Higher Education and 2012: How do we measure it? Dr. Graeme Atherton Aimhigher Central London Partnership Manager, University of Westminster
Summary • Access to HE – background and policy • Drivers of Access to HE • Evidence of impact of previous Olympics here • Potential impact of Olympics • Conclusions and questions
Access to HE: Background and Policy • Gap by social class significant but narrowing slightly – Young ft entrants from IV – III 27.9% 02/03 to 29.8% 06/07 (1) • Several measures & definitions • Numbers/population/geography/youth cohort survey (2) • Significant investment by present govt • £450m + 2006-07 National Audit Office report (3) • Different investment streams • Aimhigher/Lifelong Learning Networks/Postcode Premium/OFFA & Access Agreements (4)
Drivers of Access to HE • Attainment – large gap at GCSE by social class – 35% gap at 5 A-C highest & lowest quartiles (10) • Aspirations – 60% 11-16 yr olds in non-work households want to go to HE vs 74% in where 2 parents work (11) • Information, Advice and Guidance - 70% of HE students wanted more & better advice pre HE (12) • Progression routes - 89% 2 A-levels+ go to HE vs 40% Level 3 vocational qualifications (13) • Above factors interact together
Evidence of Impact of Previous Olympics • Not significant evidence • Sydney – increase in overall participation post 2000 but could be due to re-classification (14) • Individual projects based around Beijing – featured today e.g. London Beijing Vocational Education Project • Focus been on potential growth in international students (15)
Potential Impact of Olympics • Attainment • Learning materials with Olympic theme (16) • Integration of Olympic themes to core curriculum • Achievements in sports supporting wider subject attainment • Evaluation of School Sports Partnership (SSP) Programme suggests physical education can have positive impact on attainment (!&)
Potential Impact of Olympics • Aspirations • Olympic themed outreach projects focused on: • subjects e.g. Engineering, Languages (18) • groups e.g. boys/those with disabilities • HE involvement in volunteering allowing HE to reach new young people/adults (19)
Potential Impact of Olympics • Information, Advice and Guidance • Probable relationship less here • Need for effective IAG though in particular subjects to support: • Raising of aspirations (above) • Creation of new progression routes (below
Potential Impact of Olympics • Progression Routes • New provision of Level 1/2/3 courses in Olympics related areas – 60,000 person yrs of employment (20) • New/Adjusted/Expanded existing Level 4 provision to allow progression (21) • New courses co-funded with/delivered for employers – part time/flexible/modular
Discussion • As with other Olympic: societal impact scenarios strategic integration with current initiatives needed – Games/Education/Access • Could theories e.g. Olympic Tourism & ‘leveraging’ be applied to access context? • Widening Access benefits will not just ‘happen’
Discussion • To capture impact – concurrent mapping of any access:Olympics projects needed • Tracking of participants • Identification of where impact expected & measure of access • Further research could benefit both: • Event Legacy Theory • Widening Access Theory
Contact • Thank You • Full paper available as draft • If you want to discuss any of the issues in the paper please contact me: • Dr. Graeme Atherton • athertg@wmin.ac.uk
References • 1) Higher Education Statistical Agency (2008) Performance Indicators Cheltenham: HESA • (2) Atherton, G. (2008) ‘Who is widening participation for? The lost case of Aimhigher Central London Partnership’Paper to the Exploring learning trajectories” Conference to launch the Widening Participation Research Centre Edge Hill University 20/21st May 2008 • (3) National Audit Office (2008) ‘Widening participation in higher education’ London: NAO • (4) National Audit Office (2008) as above • (5) Atherton, G. & Hall, J. (2007)‘Application to Higher Education amongst Different Ethnic Groups in Greater London: Is there no place like home?’ • (6) Atherton, G. & Hall, J. (2007)as above • (7) HEFCE (2005) Young participation in Higher Education Bristol:HEFCE • (8) HEFCE (2005) as above • (9) HESA (2006) Student Tables 2005/06 Chetenham: HESA • (10) Department of Education and Skills (2006) Social Mobility: Narrowing Social Class Educational Gaps – supporting materials to a speech by the Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP Secretary of State for Education and Skills to the Institute for Public Policy Research London:Dfes • (11) The Sutton Trust (2008) Ipsos MORI Young People Omnibus Survey – 2008http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/MORI2008.pdf • (12) Purcell, K., Elias, P., Ellison, R., Atfield, G. , Adam, D., & Livanos, I. (2008) Applying for Higher Education – the diversity of career choices, plans and expectations – Findings from the First Futuretrack Survey of the ‘Class of 2006’ applicants for Higher Education Warwick: Warwick Institute of Employment Research
References • (13) Department of Education and Skills (2003) Widening Participation to Higher Education London: Dfes • (14) Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008) Impact of the Olympic Games on HE in the host city London: London Higher • (15) Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008) • (16) For example of materials being developed with Olympic theme go to: • http://getset.london2012.com/home • (17) Loughborough partnership (2008) The Impact of School Sport Partnerships on pupil attainment Loughborough University: Institute of Youth Sport • (18) For information on the HEFCE funded Routes into Languages project go to: http://www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/london • (19) HEFCE (2007) The HE sector and the Olympic Games Bristol: HEFCE • (20) Experian (2006) Employment and Skills for the 2012 Games: research and evidence London: Learning and Skills Council & London Development Agency • (21) HEFCE (2007) (as above) • (22) Higher Education Policy Institute Demand for Higher Education in 2020 and beyond • (23) HEFCE (2008) ‘HEFCE to provide £105m to expand employer engagement courses’ 21st February 2008 http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2008/employer.htm • (24) Thorne, D. & Atherton, G. (2008) Behind the Lines: Exploring models of HE engagement with 14-19 Diplomas London: Learning and Skills Council