In the summer, all universities with an approved Access and Participation Plan (APP) were asked by our regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), to submit a mid-cycle variation responding to a set of new priorities. Of these new priorities, two stand out as representing a significant shift in focus from previous iterations of the APP process. First, providers have been asked to develop plans to diversify pathways into and through higher education, including the development of apprenticeships. Secondly, providers need to put in place interventions to raise pre-16 attainment in school settings. These priorities are notable due to their external focus – particularly with regard to raising pre-16 attainment, we are being asked to demonstrate positive impact on the performance of institutions outside of our own.
With regard to diversifying pathways into and through higher education, this is neither a surprising nor an unwelcome priority. Indeed, the Augar review noted the need to expand Level 4 and 5 qualifications to address skills gaps. However, as the landscape of pathways into and through higher education grows more complex, there is a need for our sector to develop better information and guidance for prospective students. There is a greater risk in particular for prospective students from underrepresented backgrounds that they will struggle to understand the different options available, which I have written about previously.
