Good practice in entry requirements @SPA_Admissions Good practice in entry requirements Jeni Clack, Admissions Support Manager https://www.spa.ac.uk/resources/entry-requirements-and-offer-making UCAS Annual Admissions Conference 2017

What is SPA? Set up in 2006 following the Schwartz Report Fair Admissions to Higher Education: Recommendations for Good Practice, 2004: “The Group recommends the creation of a central source of expertise and advice on admissions issues. Its purpose would be to act as a resource for institutions who wish to maintain and enhance excellence in admissions. Such a centre could lead the continuing development of fair admissions, evaluating and commissioning research, and spreading best practice.”

The SPA team Website resources

Fair admissions be transparent Admissions update 17 October 2012 Fair admissions be transparent enable institutions to select students who are able to complete the course as judged by their achievements and their potential strive to use assessment methods that are reliable and valid seek to minimise barriers to applicants be professional in every respect and underpinned by appropriate institutional structures and processes “Equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of background, to gain admission to a course suited to their ability and aspirations.”

Fair admissions and entry requirements HE providers should have a justifiable basis for their entry requirements, minimise barriers to participation and select applicants with the skills and knowledge to enable them to successfully complete the course. Transparent, clear and accessible information on entry requirements will allow applicants and their advisers to make the most informed and suitable match in their choices.

QAA UK Quality Code for HE Chapter B2: Recruitment, selection and admission to higher education Indicator 7 “Selection processes for entry into higher education are underpinned by transparent entry requirements, both academic and non-academic, and present no unnecessary barriers to prospective students”.

CMA advice Competition and Market Authority (CMA) advice to HE providers on consumer protection law Course-related material information made available to applicants must include published “entry requirements/criteria (both academic and non-academic), and an indication of the standard/typical offer level criteria.

SPA’s good practice The distinction between entry requirements, typical/standard offers and actual offers made Considerations for reviewing entry requirements Considerations for publishing and communicating entry requirements

Entry requirements Entry requirements, or entry criteria, represent the normal requirements an applicant is expected to achieve in order to be considered for a place on the course. Likely to be far broader than what may appear in an offer Should include the full range of academic and non-academic requirements Not necessarily the exact grades that will be requested, but the prerequisites for making an offer.

Typical offers Typical offers, or standard offers, refer to the offers a course expects to normally make for applicants meeting the entry requirements. They are commonly published within the entry requirements themselves, but are subject to change closer to the start of the admissions cycle. Usually based on historical data Indicative only and do not represent a guarantee that all offers will be at that level Offers to individual applicants could vary for e.g. consideration of contextual factors; progression agreements

Actual offers Actual offers made should relate to both the published entry requirements and typical offers and should not include any extra requirements. Adding new requirements, such as subject-specific qualifications or work experience, is unfair and imposes barriers to entry. May be appropriate to vary the offers made within published requirements Terms and conditions for entry should be made absolutely clear to the applicant before they accept any offer. How are academic and non-academic requirements conveyed to applicants to ensure they are fully aware of what is expected of them?

Which do you display? Entry requirements represent the normal requirements an applicant is expected to achieve in order to be considered for a place on the course. Typical offers, or standard offers, refer to the offers a course expects to normally make for applicants meeting the entry requirements. Actual offers made should relate to the published entry requirements and typical offers and should not include any extra requirements.

Approaches to entry requirements The absolute minimum required for consideration, based on the lowest matriculation requirements identified in the course validation: E.g. “Five GCSEs including English and Mathematics plus two A levels.” Higher requirements based on agreed selective levels: E.g. “Ten GCSEs at grade A including English, Mathematics and a foreign language, plus three A levels at grades ABB.”

Continued… The absolute maximum required as a guarantee to applicants that no offer will exceed it. Differential entry requirements for applicants who fulfil certain criteria: E.g. “AAA - ABB at A level”

? What’s your approach? The absolute minimum required for consideration Higher requirements based on agreed selective levels The absolute maximum required Differential entry requirements

Reviewing Ensure staff have an informed understanding Review qualification profiles of applicants Consider qualification reform Ensure equivalency Use reliable and consistent assessment methods Mitigate the risk of unconscious bias Monitor progression of students Adhere to contractual obligations

Changing It is not good practice to change entry requirements after they’ve been published. Where changes are deemed necessary: Widely publicise both the change and reason Update online information promptly Clear internal and external comms Reflect in offer libraries or standard offer text

Publishing and communicating Should be clear for all applicants and easily navigable, allowing applicants to find requirements most relevant to them. Admissions cycle Clearing or main-scheme Different modes of study Frequently encountered, with signposting Combinations of qualification types Legacy, current and future

Language and terminology Should be precise and specific, and describe exactly what is required. Exact qualification, level, subject Same name but different ‘or equivalent’ Help text for terms Exclusions Alternative offers

Thank you Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact the SPA team: enquiries@spa.ac.uk All of our resources are freely available on our website: www.spa.ac.uk Follow us on twitter: @SPA_Admissions