1. What works to enhance students' transition into HE
What works to enhance students' transition into HE? An improvement plan for retention and success
Beth Fielding-Lloyd, Jayne Willis, Alison Purvis, Mark Collins, Karen Hibbert
Apologies from the other members of the group who couldn't be here today.
BFL

2. Context - who are we? what did we do? What Works? Our recommendations
Discussion
We have limited time and really want to focus on a group discussion around all our experiences and thoughts around this important issue.
Introduce ourselves.
This is what we intend to cover in relation to the topic.
BFL

3. Context
All have roles in student experience and support and a particular interest in retention
Drivers - Moral, financial and staff experience
Reviewed existing practice
what do we know has an impact?
what do we do well?? JW
What are our drivers?
Moral - we aim to develop a positive experience for all of our students where they are supported and challenged to achieve their best outcomes
Financial - retaining our students contributes to a positive financial position which will better enable us to invest in our staff and facilities
Staff experience - engaged and motivated students who demonstrate commitment to their studies contributes to a rewarding staff experience
We were tasked with reviewing all existing practice in the Faculty
- what did we KNOW had had an impact
- what do we do well?
- where are the gaps?

4. Key terms
Retention
Progression
Students remaining at Sheffield Hallam and completing a programme of study.
Successful completion of the level of a course allowing movement onto the next level. jw
These terms are often used interchangeably and SHU has no clear definitions.
For our purposes, we use these definitions.
And we'll return to the importance of making this distinction later.

5. Thomas, L. , Hill, M. , O'Mahoney, J. & Yorke, M. (2017)
Thomas, L., Hill, M., O'Mahoney, J. & Yorke, M. (2017). Supporting student success: strategies for institutional change. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation/HEA.
BFL
Probably the best established work in the sector is the 'What Works? programme which has been coordinated across a number of HEIs. And that project team developed these principles of effective retention practice.
When discussing what we thought SHu's priorities need to be, we consistently aligned them alongside these principles. The ones I'd like to pick out in particular are:
- academic purpose ('social' activities not shown to have a particular long-term impact)
- facilitate collaboration
- explicitly relevant (different things might be relevant at different times - be wary of info overload)
- ongoing rather than one-off
- engagement monitored

6. Our Recommendations 1) Focus on progression rather than retention
Y1 TO Y2
Y2 TO Y3
KPI
90%
95%
HWB
84%
91% JW
- Focusing on retention KPIs may be masking poor progression data, which are draining staff resource and limiting student success.
Whereas the average retention rate in HWB is 94%, progression is average of 84% and Range for L4 --> L5 progression is %
BFL
Are we really fulfilling our moral obligation to our students if we are happy to 'keep them in the system' rather than ensure they are having success?

7. 2) Develop the relationship early
Receive offer
Accept offer
Induction
Study
Graduate
BFL
'Retention' activity - relationship building needs to start at the stage we have provided offers to students. Induction may be too late if their expectations are incorrect or unrealistic.
As highlighted in the recent KPMG retention audit, HWB has had some success in implementing monitoring systems for current students at risk of withdrawal. However, students are more likely to succeed if their prior expectations of higher education are aligned with their experience. KPMG recommended that SHU consider how it interacts with students from the point of acceptance to ensure that we have the right students on the right courses. We aim to demonstrate to potential students that we are listening and learning about their needs and that we want to provide the right tools to start life at university.
Currently, there is a gap/inconsistency in the provision of pre-arrival CRM activity within HWB that proactively communicates the realities and expectations of higher education study. We're looking forward to hearing about the 'digital transition model' in the next presentation as a consistent approach to this is also something that we have recommended to Shaping Futures. We've proposed a digital platform, bespoke at department level, be designed to engage all HWB applicants from the point of an offer being made. It is recommended that the current Digital Belonging Proof of Concept led by the HWB Learning Enhancement team be rolled out for delivery in Jan Students will have differential levels of access from the point of offer, through acceptance and into the early weeks of their University career. It is envisaged that the digital platform become a central tool for pre-arrival CRM activity.

8. BFL
For example, this is a blank version of a version that has been piloted in HWB.
Students will have differential levels of access from the point of offer, through acceptance and into the early weeks of their University career. It is envisaged that the digital platform become a central tool for pre-arrival CRM activity.
One crucial feature is the opportunity for students to connect with students in their departments once they've accepted their offers in a professional environment.

9. 3) Provide explicit opportunities for students to change their mind
Are the right students on the right course? JW
We're also exploring the potential to give students explicit opportunities to change their minds.
Currently, we relay on students' self-disclosure which they may not feel confident/equipped to do. These opportunities could even be offered pre-arrival or at open days as, student support experience tells us that students' disengagement with a course due to not matching their expectations is hard to turn around.

10. Developing a new framework for student success: What is your experience?
How do we ensure relationship-building activities are sufficiently academically challenging and prepares the cohort to engage academically?
How do we build relationships that are inclusive and student centred as well as collaborative and academically productive?
How do we design a framework that acknowledges and address real diversity in our student population in a way that doesn't stigmatize difference or pretend that it doesn't exist?
BOTH
We believe that a new progression framework needs to be developed to enable a shared understanding of the main factors that impact on retention and success, and identifies what practices are most impactful. So we need your help and input...
We've made 3 firm recommendations so far. These questions reflect the areas that, as yet, we're less sure of.
Split into groups.
Different coloured post-it notes to reflect your discussion which we'll then take back to develop our ideas further.
10/15 min discussion.
And hopefully, 5 mins of examples from each question?