How does UCAS support Widening participation? Kate Howell/Ben Jordan Senior Policy Executives, UCAS

What is UCAS’ approach to WP? UCAS is a charity which exists to deliver public benefit We aim to promote the benefits of HE We want to actively support progression to, and successful participation in HE so that everyone who has the potential to benefit from HE has the opportunity to do so

How does WP relate to the UCAS corporate Strategy ? Strategic objectives in the UCAS Corporate strategy Learners Engage actively with non- traditional learners and support widening participation 2. Providers Offer innovative analytical products and services which support the effective planning and management of admissions and widening participation 3. Advisers Extend our reach to those who advise the full diversity of learners in a range of settings 4. Analysis Use our data to support widening participation an fair access to higher education

WP focuses on learners who are disadvantaged and/or under represented in HE: Both men and women in relation to specific subjects Carers Learners from low income households Learners with chronic illnesses Learners from certain ethnic groups Older learners Learners with disabilities Care leavers Refugees Who are WP learners?

Barriers for WP learners

Key objectives of the government’s National Strategy for WP: Raising levels of attainment at Level 3 amongst disadvantaged and under-represented groups Encouraging more learners from disadvantaged and under- represented groups to apply to HE Encouraging more learners from disadvantaged and under- represented groups to apply to “elite institutions” Ensuring that admissions processes are fair for all, including consideration of contextual factors Supporting effective transition to HE and successful completion of the course of study and progression to graduate employment or postgraduate education What is the WP challenge for our customers?

Earlier this year (2015), the Prime Minister stated a commitment to doubling the university entry rate for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds by 2020 compared with 2009 levels The government also wishes to see a 20% increase in the number of BME students going to university by 2020 ‘We have made strong progress to open up access to higher education but I’m still concerned about low participation rates for disadvantaged white boys and we must do more to raise outcomes for those from black and minority ethnic communities’ Universities Minister Jo Johnson MP WP as a political priority

Governments Policy organisations HEP outreach teams Influencing organisations Research groups WP landscape – Who are we working with?

Data and analysis Impartial I&A Supporting Contextual Admissions UCAS Supporting WP?

Initiatives designed to support more students from non-traditional backgrounds in making applications A high level progression pathways infrastructure which explains and demonstrates the different progression opportunities available throughout a learners journey Real learner case studies aimed at learners, covering four sector/subject areas Case studies aimed at university staff involved in admissions, i.e. admissions staff and academic staff in recruitment and selection of learners Pathways project Tariff

1.4 million data points freely available on ucas.com Wide range of analytical reports and data resources describing trends in demand for full-time undergraduate courses, offer making, and entry to higher education at universities and colleges Resources freely available as pdf reports and open-format data files (csv) Can be downloaded, re-used, and re-published freely UCAS data – analysis and insight into UK HE admissions

Likely to be of interest to those involved in understanding differences across groups in accessing full-time higher education:  Analysis Reports covering selected topics in depth  Single topic Analysis Notes published periodically  Extensive Data Resources published at the end of the cycle  Detailed reporting of applicant numbers at the main application deadlines  Day-by-day detailed reporting of Clearing How can the data be used?

Headlines Slight slowing of demand Record numbers of applicants set to enter HE Difference in entry rate between men and women is larger than ever before Further increase in the number of disadvantaged learners entering HE Majority of growth driven by BTEC learners to middle Tariff institutions What the data tells us: 2015 cycle – The story so far

UK domicile 18 year olds, application and entry rates by sex

Percentage difference in applicant numbers to UK higher education between 2015 cycle and 2014 cycle for UK domiciled 18 year old applicants at the March deadline by qualification group

18 year old entry rates for disadvantaged areas (POLAR2 Q1) by country of domicile

Entry rates for English 18 year old state school pupils by FSM status at age 15

Entry rates for English 18 year old state school pupils by Ethnic group

STROBE – a service for tracking the admissions outcomes for groups of individuals using various characteristics specified by users How it could help you: You want to understand the effectiveness of your WP and outreach activity You want to understand what works best You want to demonstrate your contribution to WP You want to test the success of open days

Tracks user supplied data on individuals into UCAS data Provides outcomes for all stages of the application process through a set of detailed tables and charts Outputs are aggregated and non-disclosive Standardised reports that can be configured by the user to meet their requirements What does STROBE do?

how many participants went on to apply to HE? the proportion who applied (the application rate)? where did they apply? how many were made offers? how many were accepted? what proportion were accepted (the entry rate)? which providers and subjects were they accepted to? what is the contribution to WP and fair access? Example: You run a summer school. To understand its effectiveness you want to know:

How many participants applied to HE?

What is the application rate?

What was the entry rate?

37,000 responses 90% said they wanted to be asked for their consent before their personal data is shared beyond the admissions service 62% think sharing their data for research is a good thing 78% have high trust in UCAS 8% would consider not applying at all if UCAS were to share their data with researchers without asking them first Applicant data survey and our work with the ADR

What our survey respondents told us: I think sharing personal data for research is a good idea as long as consent is given each time As long as I am told who my personal data is shared with and asked before it is shared then I will continue to feel that UCAS is a safe/secure website to give personal data to

From February 2016 we will be inviting students to give their consent to allow researchers access to their data, and we will share this information with the ADRN once the 2016 admissions cycle has closed Supporting the research community

Contextualised data service introduced 2012 in response to the sector Service provides HEPs with a basket of data about school performance and eligibility for financial assistance from Education Departments, to inform understanding about the wider educational context in which a particular student has studied. The ‘basket’ was put together with the help of SPA, and following consultation with HEPs UCAS Contextualised Data Service

England, Wales, Average QCA points per A level entry (or equivalent) England, Wales and Northern Ireland % of students achieving 5 A*-C GCSE including English/Welsh and maths or equivalent England, Wales, Northern Ireland % of students entitled to free school meals Scottish Highers equivalent Average point score per Higher entry Scotland % of students registered for free school meals School level data includes:

Individual level data (linked by postcode):  POLAR2  POLAR3  SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) School level data continued:

Enhanced information and advice for learners Conferences and events Analysis and Research Contextualised data UCAS products and services including EXACT and STROBE, Browsealoud Progression pathways project New Tariff What else can we do to help? What is UCAS doing to help?