Feeder Routes into Foundation Degrees

1. Feeder Routes into Foundation Degrees Frances Cambrook South West Regional Director Foundation Degree Forward

2. Key statistics • Feeder routes • Development potential • Diplomas and Fds • fdf development activity

3. Key statistics • 60,925 Fd students in 2006-07 (up from 46,780 in 2005-06) • 27,000 part-time Fd students in 2006-07 (up from just under 20,000 in 2005-06) • 46% of Fd students are taught at HEIs and 54% of are taught at FECs • 56% of part-time students are taught in HEIs Data source: Foundation degrees: key statistics 2001-02 to 2006-07 (HEFCE, 2007)

4. Foundation degrees January 2007 • Total of 2896 Fd courses • 2193 (76%) of these are currently running • 703 new courses in development

5. Key statistics • 77% of part-time students supported by employer (financially or otherwise) • employer support is rare amongst full-time students • 64% of students aged 21 or over when they start their Fd • 57% of students are female • proportion of entrants from low participation neighbourhoods is higher than generally found in the undergraduate population Data source: Foundation degrees: key statistics 2001-02 to 2006-07 (HEFCE, 2007)

6. Foundation degree courses by subject area (2006-07)

7. Foundation degree courses by region (2006-07)

8. Foundation degree student numbers by region

9. Foundation degrees by subject

10. South West Region Foundation Degree Numbers 2001-06

11. Articulation and Progression Work Honours degree Routes to Routes from Level 3 vocational qualifications Higher level NVQs (e.g. level 5) Advanced apprenticeship Higher vocational Qualifications (e.g. CPD) A-levels Foundation degree Access to HE Work Professional qualifications Professional qualifications Non-vocational HE Voluntary/community activity Voluntary/community activity

12. Foundation degree entrants (2004/05) – prior qualifications Data source: Foundation degrees: key statistics 2001-02 to 2006-07 (HEFCE, 2007)

13. Drivers for development • Leitch • “The UK must become a world leader in Skills.” “Skills is the most important lever within our control to • create wealth and to reduce social deprivation.” • Proportion of jobs requiring high skills will continue to • increase substantially • Developing our present and future workforce • “new higher education should not be ‘more of the same’… rather provision should be based on new types of programmes offering specific, job-related skills such as Foundation Degrees”. • 100,000 ‘target’ by 2010

14. Potential for development • Increase take-up of existing provision • Increase direct progression from Level 3 • Increase/develop entry via work-based learning • Progression route for Diplomas?

15. Progression from Level 3 • Issues: • Is there need/demand for Level 4+ ? • From employers? • From learners? • Regionally?

16. SWRDA and LSC priorities

17. Development of work based provision • Re-define higher level work-based learning • “On the job training in the workplace is a vital source of • skills development and career progression” (Leitch) • Focus on the learner in work • accrediting existing in-house training • developing Fd ‘wrap-around’ • offering ‘bite-size’ learning • flexible and responsive delivery

18. Progression from Diplomas? • SW Gateways • 21 approved for 2008 (10 with conditions) • 5168 learners across three levels • 1423 at Level 3

19. From Diplomas to Foundation degrees Why? • Address low progression from “non-A-level” level 3 • Local, flexible, lower cost HE • Skills agenda / route into work

20. Diplomas Innovative Employer involvement in development Knowledge and skills in a “real world” environment Preparation for progression Foundation degrees Innovative Employer engagement in design and delivery Work based and work place delivery Progress to Hons degree / career

21. From Diplomas to Foundation degrees How? • 14-19 Partnerships / Lifelong Learning Networks • Curriculum solutions • Local employers • Knowledge and awareness of staff – IAG • Local prospectuses • LLN Progression agreements

22. fdfsupport for progression • fdf Strategic Aims 2006-2008 • To support and develop local, regional and national strategies and partnerships to enhance both private and public sector employer engagement in Foundation degree provision. • To enhance information, advice and guidance support for Foundation degree provision as offering opportunities for widening access to higher education. • To undertake a leading advisory role in generating and supporting a nationalmarketing strategy for Foundation degrees.

23. Employer engagement • Sector Skills Councils • National Fd development e.g. Tesco, RAF • Sector based employer consortia • Professional bodies • British Chambers of Commerce

24. IAG training materials • Launched 15 May 2007 • Free • Web-based, can be customised http://www.fdf.ac.uk/home/information_for_universities_and_colleges/iag_training_materials/

25. Marketing and Communications • Working with DfES • National campaigns • Regional employer profiles

26. Foundation Degree Forward Working for a degree of difference Frances Cambrook f.cambrook@fdf.ac.uk www.fdf.ac.uk

27. Working for a degree of difference

28. Questions and discussion • In the SW, (how) can the impact of the difference between RDA and LSC priority sectors be overcome in terms of Level 4+ in HE in FE? • Will HEIs embrace Diplomas? • How can employer links be built that span diplomas and Fds? • Does liaison between 14-19 partnerships and Lifelong Learning Networks need to be encouraged? How? • How can the right IAG be put in place?