Geography and WP at Exeter

1. Geography and WP at Exeter Richard Jones

2. WP at Exeter – University schemes • HEFCE- target - 19% of student intake • Currently – 14% • WP activities – run through the School liaison office. • Campus day visits • Mentoring programme – undergraduates visit promising students – year 10 and 11. • Subject master-classes – English. Easter classes on GCSE topics for ~ 100 yr 10 students – high achievers from disadvantaged backgrounds. • Summer schools – two weeklong residential programme – sample campus life and courses offered. • Development of Bursary scheme for local students – depending on variables fees in 2006 – (£2000 for 100 students).

3. Geography at Exeter • 2003 – 2004 – 143.5 places on offer • BA = ABC (300 pts) – A in Geography • BSc = ACD (260 pts) – A in Geography + Science • Gave out 1002 offers • Entry requirements were raised in 2003 with the introduction of an “A” in Geog to try and combat over application + perceived drop in the standard of applicants.

4. Identifying WP students….. • Based on Social Class – determined by post-code, house type (?) and school. • Classification carried out by central admissions – they attach a blue form to UCAS application and send them out to admissions tutors. • Comparatively high entry requirements are somewhat problematic. Achieving / maintaining standards. • If suitable candidate – lower offer “B” in Geog or at the very least invited for Interview. • On average still reject outright ~ 8 WP applications. • Aside from Campus visits – Geography does not currently participate in any of the University WP schemes. In part due to a lack of demand!

5. 2003 WP Geography intake…… School entrants 1999 • 58% - State school sector • 8% Mature • 1% Ethnic minorities • 12% Lower Social class • Below University average – and well below HEFCE standards – no sign of improvement.

6. WP Geography intake…… • Under-recruit from the South West, • Majority of students from SE - < 1% from north! • Cornwall ~ 260k population - 26 applications. • Dorset ~ 460k population - 29 applications, • Somerset ~ 645k population - 30 applications, • Devon ~ 1m population - 44 applications. In comparison • Surrey ~ 1.01m population - 92 applications

7. Interestingly, it is not just our entrants who tend to come from predominantly privileged communities, but also our applicants. • For 2002 – 2003 over 70% of both applicants and entrants came from wards with lower than average levels of deprivation (using the new DETR Index of Multiple Deprivation, 2000). • Therefore little point in simply devising mechanisms of positive discrimination in favour of those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

8. Why so few WP students ???.. • Huge Image problem – that puts WP students off • Oxbridge types / Durham of the south • Rich student body – Staff vs Student car park • Lack of Ethnic minorities in the SW as a whole Currently no black / Asian Geography – 1% ethnic intake = Chinese postgraduates • As recruitment has never been a problem – and fact that research is THE main focus of the dept– never been any incentive to make WP a priority until recently. • Limited links with local colleges / schools………

9. Located across the road from university +2000 6th formers – large % of which classed as WP students. Majority of Geography students that go onto take a Geography degree in SW – Plymouth. Never consider Exeter – “too posh”. No formal links until recently between the two institutions

10. Teaching & WP • Dedicated tutors – task is to guide WP students through early stages of University. Extra support sessions individual / group • But task hampered by fact that not allowed to know who the WP students are…..!!! Data protection act. • Fieldwork – problem area for WP students. • New Zealand – Student contribution =£1200 • Cumbria – Student contribution = £60 • WP students excluded from International experience!! • The perception that it is the WP students that bring with them the various issues / problems….but not always the case!

11. Answers…..? Student ambassadors • Identify students within our present undergraduate cohort who have come from target schools • Schools in the South West identified as having either a low HE progression rate, or which are under-represented at Exeter – and recruit them as ‘student ambassadors’. • These students paid to go back to their schools to demonstrate that Geography at Exeter is both an attractive proposition and a realistic aspiration. • If requested Staff to follow up with additional talk. • Is it working?