1. International Conference on Enhancement and Innovation in Higher Education Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow 9-11 June 2015 Welcome

2. Dr Neil Croll and Alison Browitt Pre-entry Widening Participation programmes at the University of Glasgow: a study of success and impact on progression and retention. Outline: What is a Widening Participation student? Engaging with WP students - Pre-entry programmes - Admissions Effectiveness of programmes in widening participation Effectiveness of programmes in aiding student retention Supporting transition into, through and beyond University Case Study: the Top-Up Programme

3. What is Widening Participation? Who do we regard as WP students? ‘non-traditional’ students Examples of WP criteria: Schools with low progression to HE Reside in SIMD20/40 postcode Time spent in care Asylum seekers / refugees In receipt of EMA In receipt of free school meals Adult learners First in family

4. The ethos of UoG WP provision is to: Promote aspiration for study in HE in under-represented groups Prepare applicants for the transition to HE study, within UoG or elsewhere, enhancing their chances of continuation beyond Year 1 and a successful student experience Provide an access route for applicants to gain entry to UoG or elsewhere via Admissions progression agreements UoG WP Programmes / entry routes Schools (Engage with schools by progression rates to Higher Education) =<25% Top-Up (FOCUS West); Summer School; Reach (Access to Professions): Medicine, Vet Medicine, Law, Dentistry; from 2015: Engineering, Education, Acc/Finance =<30% Top-Up (LA partnership); Summer School; Reach =<35% Reach Access to a Career in Teaching (all GCC schools) Adult learners UoG Centre for Open Studies Access courses Scottish Wider Access Programme Access courses

5. Students from the most disadvantaged postcode areas by SIMD From: Learning for All: measures of success, ninth update. Scottish Funding Council, March 2015. Available at : www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Statistical_publications_SFCST062015_LearningforAllMeasuresofSuccess/SFCST062015 _Learning_for_All_2015_Measures_of_Success.pdf www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Statistical_publications_SFCST062015_LearningforAllMeasuresofSuccess/SFCST062015 _Learning_for_All_2015_Measures_of_Success.pdf Scottish- domiciled students in Scottish HE 2013-14 Scottish- domiciled students at UoG 2013-14 Top-Up Programme students at UoG 2004-2013 MD20 postcodes 12.1%11.8%31.1% MD40 postcodes 27.5%24.4%53.6%

6. Enabling Transition to HE via Contextualised Admissions Institutional willingness required to use contextualised admissions properly – acceptance that an applicant with AABB in one school is of the same standard as an applicant with AAAAA in another school because of the context in which both have completed their secondary education UoG operates distinct WP Admissions Policy based on contextualised admissions Initial use of Student Profiles via pre-entry programmes to adjust offers Further refinement by use of verifiable datasets of disadvantage by: 1) school - HE progression rate; pupils receiving EMA, free school meals; average pupil attainment; MD20 / MD40 pupil population; SHEP school 2) individual applicant – MD1-40 postcode Use of contextual admissions encourages applicants to aspire to apply to UoG

7. Enabling Transition to HE via pre-entry programmes Customised pre-entry programmes for target groups and subject areas Identify and address barriers for WP applicants Introduce academic work at HE level – participants complete academic work on campus in the HE learning environment (seminars, lectures) – builds confidence they are capable of HE level study and have the necessary skills Demystifies and prepares students for HE study – helps with academic transition Social barriers: build peer networks by bringing applicants from different schools / areas together – make friends before starting university, and remain friends throughout degree course and beyond Having a peer network, friends, builds confidence, encourages aspiration and leads to application – aids transition socially Broad pre-entry programmes can cater for hundreds of applicants each year

8. Enabling transition for specific target student groups – care leavers/asylum seekers Within the broad pre-entry programmes, extra provision is necessary for specific target groups Multiple barriers may be present for individual applicants More complex intervention and support needs to be in place to build applicant confidence to apply and ease the transition into HE Time consuming and resource intensive – but necessary and worth it Care leavers – corporate parental role – financial (possibly no family back-up); pastoral; social aid, accommodation Asylum seekers – financial barrier (international fees, no access to state funds); pastoral; social

9. Supporting through transitions on arrival and on degree course Need to be able to target the correct students for support / intervention Importance of an integrated reliable system to flag at-risk / WP students Local Student Orientation – bridge gap between pre-entry programme and commencing university (academic / social barriers) Advisers of Study – academic / pastoral Student Learning Service - academic Student support services – pastoral / financial / Target for scholarships / bursaries / other financial support Employment as mentors – financial / peer support / sense of institutional belonging

10. Case-study: The Top-Up Programme Running since 1999, element of GOALS 2000-08; FOCUS West and LA partnership since 2008 1,800 S5 and S6 school pupils per annum 52 schools 80 postgraduate tutors 10 in-school sessions; on-campus session Essential skills for HE Independent learning skills Admissions progression agreements Student Profile used to aid admission Impact on continuation, success and retention

11. Top-Up students progressing to the University of Glasgow: 2004-2013

12. Research Methodology Showing impact of the pre-entry WP programme in terms of retention and progression by comparing first year undergraduate students who: attended a Top-Up school and completed the programme (Top-Up) attended a Top-Up school and did not complete the programme (no Top-Up) attended a non-target school (schools with higher participation rates in HE) within the same LA (control group) Impact on the 2001 cohort first demonstrated by Walker et al (2004). Now showing impact on 10 cohorts of entrants to the University of Glasgow (2004-2013) Walker, L, Matthew, B and Black, F, 2004. 'Widening access and student non-completion: an inevitable link? Evaluating the effects of the Top-Up Programme on student completion', International Journal of Lifelong Education, 23: 1, 43 — 59

13. Impact of Top-Up on Retention Impact on retention of 10 cohorts of entrants to University of Glasgow (2004-2013): Top-Up 87.3% continue no Top-Up 85.5% continue control88.1% continue This finding is strengthened by the fact that the students in the comparator groups are generally less socio-economically disadvantaged than the Top-Up cohort. Proportions of MD40 students within the comparator groups: Top-Up 54% MD40 postcodes no Top-Up 44% MD40 postcodes control 33% MD40 postcodes

14. Continuation of studies after year 1 by socio-economic disadvantage (SIMD postcode) The higher continuation of Top-Up students from the most disadvantaged postcodes (MD20 / MD40) relative to the comparison groups suggests Top-Up is fulfilling its objective in helping to bridge the gaps for, and having most impact on, the most disadvantaged applicants and students.

15. Top-Up Graduate Numbers The proportions of students who entered the University of Glasgow 2004-06 and completed their degree within six years were compared. The graduation rates of all students in the control group were taken as a baseline (0%). Variations in completion rates of total and MD40 cohorts compared to baseline: Total graduate Top Up No Top UpControl All cohort72.2%70.7%75.9% MD40 students72.5%65.3%69.8%

16. Top-Up Alumni UoG graduates from three entry cohorts (2004-2006) were surveyed. 26% response rate 70% were in employment that required a degree Teaching was the most common career 63% undertaking further study 23% of those in further study are doing a research degree Main motivation for further study was to widen job opportunities. However, one respondent who is not in a graduate job or further study noted: ‘Very little jobs from undergrad degree, postgrads cost a lot of money which people from Whitehill simply don’t have.’

17. Thank you Any questions? Contact Dr Neil Croll: Head of Widening Participation neil.croll@glasgow.ac.uk Alison Browitt: WP & Student Retention Research & Evaluation alison.browitt@glasgow.ac.uk Kelly Hedge-Holmes: Top Up Programme Coordinator kelly.hedge-holmes@glasgow.ac.uk