Once Gavin Williamson left his position hopes of admissions reform rescinded

The government’s decision announced last week not to undertake any reform of the higher education (HE) admissions system is not a surprise. Once Gavin Williamson left his position hopes of what is long overdue reform rescinded.

However, as disappointing as this is for those who have been presenting the evidence for a shift to a system that would have put student choice central to HE admissions it should not signal a wholesale retention of the status quo.

The debate regarding admissions reform has identified a series of changes that could and need to be implemented in order to put student house closer to the heart of the system.

The government in its response to the consultation on PQA offered only a limited perspective on what could be changed in the context of the current pre qualifications admission system stating it would improve transparency, reduce unconditional offers and reform the personal statement.

They could and should go farther than this and HE providers themselves as well as sector bodies such as UCAS can also introduce changes which could increase fairness and access in particular.

The ‘supporting choice’ phase

A key area where changes could occur relate to improving what in the work that UCU, who offered the most comprehensive set of ideas regarding admissions reform, describe at the ‘supporting choice’ phase.^1]

Central the UCU argument was that higher education admissions starts far earlier than the point at which students make their application. As research from UCAS shows more than three in four students first realised HE was an option for them before they started post-16 education, and one in three first realised this when they were still at primary school.^[2]

In the light of this kind of evidence, which only chimes with what previous research shows –  we need to start to see ‘admissions’ as starting far earlier than at some point (usually later) in year 12 or in the first year of a Level 3 course.

The need to re-frame admissions is even more important when you consider that research from UCAS also shows that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are less likely to think about HE earlier.

Hence, there is a greater gap in their understanding of their future options that needs addressing as their counterparts whose parents/carers are more likely to have attended HE spend time considering and learning what course is right for them.

Engagement with UCAS from year 10 would help schools achieve Gatsby Benchmarks

In the light of this evidence, the admissions system needs to be seen as beginning at year 10 at the latest for young people.

To really embed this idea of admissions beginning at year 10 they could be offered the opportunity to enrol in the UCAS system at this point. As a way of encouraging all young people thinking of going to HE, especially those from under-represented groups to start engaging in the process of choice making this could be a very powerful change.

Less than a third of schools and colleges in 2019-20 were achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks where encounters with higher education were concerned.^[3]

This unevenness in HE related information, advice and guidance provision is a function to a great extent of the lack of support that schools receive to deliver careers related advice and the weaknesses of the national approach to careers but it also reveals the view that HE related IAG is something that only really needs to begin after 16.

Engagement with UCAS from year 10 would help schools here especially if combined with online information via UCAS tailored for students at this level. Introducing a formal start to the admissions at this point would also need to be combined with other changes if we are really to try to bolster choice making.

An entitlement to HE IAG from year 10 of a minimum of 10 hours per year and a student choice week at the end of year 12 were both ideas suggested by UCU to bring a more systematic approach to helping students make the best choices of HE provider and course for them.

These new approaches, while better introduced with the backing of government, could also be attempted by local or regional groupings of schools, colleges and universities.

It is worth noting that in the research that UCU undertook with school and college leaders in 2019 over 80% favoured the introduction of an entitlement to HE IAG and student choice week.^[4]

When students apply to HE remains unchanged

It is tempting to think of the work regarding admissions reform that has gone on over recent years as wasted effort, as the status quo in terms of when students make their application to HE remains unchanged.

This is the wrong approach. There is an opportunity here to build on this work and continue to look critically at our admissions system and how it could be improved.

Professor Graeme Atherton, Director, National Education Opportunities Network (NEON), University of West London

[1] Atherton, G. & Nartey, A. (2019) Post-qualification application: a student-centred model for higher education admissions in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, London:UCU

[2] UCAS (2021) Where Next? What influences the choices school leavers make? Bristol: UCAS

[3] Atherton, G. (2021) Higher education admissions: The time for change, London: UCU

[4] Atherton, G. (2021) Post Qualifications Applications: How we can make it work, London: UCU