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Taking it forward


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It is clear that students are generally well served in terms of learning about aspects of university life and how and where to apply. However, there is some evidence that they need more detailed information and guidance about choice of course and choice of institution.

Some opportunities are restricted to students in particular circumstances or geographical areas (eg first generation HE, areas of social and economic deprivation). Others are targeted towards the gifted and talented. Consideration should be given to students who may need, and be worthy of, support but do not necessarily fit within any of the usual categories. Some centres or partnerships may consider providing such experience as an entitlement for 16- to 19-year-olds.

The Nuffield review reports that HE staff comment on the different levels of support for HE aspirants within different types of school and college. This applies to support for both progression to and success within HE. It is obviously important that all students should be in a position to present themselves accurately, yet in their best light.

These HE staff agree with undergraduates that development of higher-level skills and the ability to learn independently is the main priority in preparing for success in HE study. Schools and colleges need to ensure that the development of these skills is a main aim of their curriculum and their teaching and learning methodology.

Providing HE-style experience to 16- to 19-year-olds can contribute to meeting these recommendations. The use of HE units in particular can:

provide experiential learning of the content and style of HE learning and of specific subjects
create opportunity (within their programme or as a supplement to it) for 16- to 19-year-olds with the qualities and ability to succeed
support HE aspirants in awareness of how best to select, present themselves for, and succeed in, an HE course
promote independent learning
develop the skills of research and presentation.

Schools and colleges should consider the advantages of including HE units within their curriculum offer and the students who would be most likely to benefit.

The 16-19 curriculum from 2008

Forthcoming curriculum development at a national level will provide an opportunity to review the 16-19 curriculum and its delivery. This should be done in the light of the outcomes of recent research on what students need for success in HE.

While not all school and college students working at Level 3 will go to university, a substantial proportion will do so, and the skills developed by a well-planned Level 3 programme will largely be those required in employment and life more generally.

The changes to be introduced from 2008 include:

revised A level specifications
a new diploma
an extended project
functional skills qualifications
the expectation of collaborative provision.

Revised A level specifications will represent stretch and challenge in terms of material and assessment style. The new diploma is seen as an integrated programme of theoretical and applied learning. It has a strong focus on skills – generic, functional and sector-specific – and this should support student progression. In selecting a specification and planning a scheme of work based on it, teachers should ensure that students are able to develop and practise the skills needed in HE.

The extended project qualification will form part of all diplomas and will complement A level programmes. It is intended to develop just those skills under consideration and has been planned with HE representatives and employers. Schools and colleges should consider offering the extended project to all Level 3 students and should take every opportunity to make links between it and the students’ other work. Links with local HE institutions can add to the value of the project. Students taking HE units could also make links between the subject of their unit(s) and their choice of extended project.

Students who have not yet achieved functional skills qualifications at Level 2, or GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT at grade C or above, will be expected to include functional skills at Level 2 within their programme. This will be an entitlement from 2013. Those who have achieved at Level 2 should be encouraged to continue to practise these skills, demonstrate them in different contexts and develop them further.

The development of 14-19 local partnerships should also enable schools and colleges, with their local HE institution(s), to investigate personalised provision that can be targeted to appropriate students and would be cost-effective for providers. Dialogue between the sectors should ensure better understanding of the needs and demands on each, and of the relative responsibilities of pre-HE and HE teachers in developing the skills their students need.