The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) today publishes an important new report, Cracks in our foundations: Evaluating foundation years as a tool for access and success (HEPI Report 170), by HEPI Policy Manager Josh Freeman.
Foundation years are an additional year of study at the beginning of a higher education course designed to prepare students for degree-level study. Proponents say they can boost access, by giving students an extra year of study to catch up with their peers.
Critics, including in the Department for Education (DfE), argue many are low-quality and not necessary for students. In July 2023, the DfE cut the maximum fees for some courses from £9,250 to £5,760.
This report argues there is significant room for improvement, both in the way higher education institutions use foundation years and in how Government has responded to them.
