UK Education Trends and Qualification Reform

Transcription

1 UK Education Trends and Qualification Reform Margaret Farragher Head of Policy and Qualifications 26/03/2015 1

2 Summary Latest higher education progressions trends The impact of qualification reform The effectiveness of the English baccalaureate on future option choices Changes to the UCAS Tariff 26/03/2015 2

3 1. Latest Higher Education Progression Trends 26/03/2015 3

4 2014 End of Cycle A buyer s/student s market University winners get stronger/ HE market forces take effect Record number of applicants enter HE Increased focus on quality by Higher Education Providers (HEPs) static acceptance rate Growth in demand driven by BTEC learners Headlines Significant social change growing reduction in rich/ poor gap Absolute difference in entry rate between men and women is larger than ever before 26/03/2015 4

5 Record numbers enter HE Acceptances by domicile For the first time over half a million people placed in HE. 512,400 applicants were placed, an increase of 3.4%. 26/03/2015 5

6 Growth in BTECs Entry rate by qualification held The proportion of the 18 year old population in England who entered HE and held a BTEC qualification increased to 6.7% in This is the highest entry rate holding BTECs recorded; 18 year olds in England are around 120% more likely to enter HE holding a BTEC than they were in /03/2015 6

7 Qualifications pipeline Looking to the future, the pool of applicants holding BTEC qualifications will grow, whilst the number holding A levels decreases 26/03/2015 7

8 Attained and predicted A level grades diverge Since 2010, the chance of achieving ABB or higher grades has fallen. In 2014 the chances of achieving ABB or higher grades fell, proportionally, by 5% for the AAA and AAB predicted grade profiles and 9 % for the ABB grade profile. 26/03/2015 8

9 The Impact of qualification reform 26/03/2015 9

10 An HE admissions perspective New Core Maths - England New A levels UK Decoupled AS - England New Nationals - Scotland New Highers - Scotland Science practical grades - England New Welsh Bacc - Wales VQ reform - England Coupled AS Wales and NI New GCSEs England, Wales and NI 26/03/

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12 What does this mean for learners? Be ambitious in choices buyer s market, importance of firm choice Will the significance of the reference, personal statement and GCSEs increase? Complex picture of AS contributing to final A level grades for some A levels only New AS and A level qualifications are designed to prepare students for HE/ enhance employability Information and advice on other options Impact on selecting the right three/four A levels 26/03/

13 What questions are the reforms raising for teachers? Will the EPQ and new Core Maths level 3 qualification become popular as the fourth qualification? How important are predicted grades to universities? How to predict A levels where there is no AS? Will interviews and admissions tests become increasingly commonplace? Will GCSE grades become more important? Will universities continue to look at the AS where it is provided? Or require it for some courses 26/03/

14 What questions are the reforms raising for universities and colleges? Impact of A level The reliability of predicted grades reform on grades, already decreasing population of A level learners Entry requirements taking into account growth in BTECs and science practical, other new qualifications Consider processes to manage review of personal statements and references and applicant contextual information Importance of the reference in explaining whether choice of subjects has been limited. Provision of HE Courses to take into account A level changes and/or limited access to different subjects 26/03/

15 The English baccalaureate 26/03/

16 Possible impact of the English Baccalaureate 2010: Introduced as a performance measure Rationale: Increase the take-up of core academic qualifications languages, science and history Too early to note any concrete impact 2015 entry students will be first affected Could reduce GCSE subject choice and thus limit learner choice at A level and HE GCSE subject choice A level subject choice HE subject choice 26/03/

17 Current HE subject choice Source: UCAS Analysis Note 2015/01 26/03/

18 Changes to the UCAS Tariff 26/03/

19 In brief UCAS is introducing a new Tariff for the 2017 admissions cycle The new Tariff addresses many of the shortcomings of the current model and enables international qualifications to be included The new Tariff is based on a significantly different method to the current Tariff The primary purpose of the new Tariff is to provide a broad metric for higher education providers (HEPs) which will be used for management information and reporting purposes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the Student Record onwards. Tariff using HEPs can continue to use the new Tariff in setting entry requirements and making offers 26/03/

20 Design principles 1. Transparency Clear process for allocating Tariff points 2. Meets the needs of the HE sector Supports HEPs that use the Tariff for management information purposes and admissions purposes 3. Cost effective Lower cost than the current process and/or no charge to awarding organisations 4. Comprehensive Has the scope to accommodate all UK regulated Level 3/ SCQF Level 6 qualifications 5. Sustainable Robust enough to cope with qualifications reforms across the UK, and to last for a minimum of ten years 6. Flexible Sufficiently flexible to cope with the widest range of qualifications and accommodate future changes to them 7. Support fairness Fair to the greatest number of applicants across the UK and in support of the widening participation agenda 26/03/

21 New Tariff method Tariff points = size band x grade band Size bands - qualifications will be allocated a size band of 1 to 4, based on their guided learning hours/notional learning hours Grade bands qualifications will also be allocated a grade band. The new Tariff has 12 grade bands across a value range of These grade bands spread across the breadth of Level 3 / SCQF Level 6 New Tariff points are determined by multiplying size and grade bands 26/03/

22 Resources - new Tariff Resources currently available to support the switchover are available on the UCAS website: 26/03/

23 What is UCAS doing to help? Qualifications reform web page including HEP statements and FAQs Qualification Information Profiles for new A levels and other reformed qualifications Analysis and Research Conferences and events UCAS products and services to include new qualification features Awareness raising What else can we do to help you? 26/03/

24 Questions? Margaret Farragher Head of Policy and Qualifications