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The new competitive environment: How can the use of contextual data aid fair admissions SPA event 19 June 2012 Janet Graham, Director of SPA. What is Fair Admissions and Access?. Getting more disadvantaged students into top universities? Supporting the most able but least likely to apply?
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The new competitive environment:How can the use of contextual data aid fair admissionsSPA event 19 June 2012 Janet Graham, Director of SPA
What is Fair Admissions and Access? • Getting more disadvantaged students into top universities? Supporting the most able but least likely to apply? • Yes, but that’s only part of the issue • Raising aspirations and encouraging and supporting all students with potential to aim higher for an HE course that is right for them, at an institution that can provide what they need, when they need it - full-time, part-time, flexible or distance learning etc • Schwartz Report: “Equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of background, to gain admission to a course suited to their ability and aspirations.”
A definition: What is contextual data use in admissions? • Data used by universities and colleges which puts attainment in the context of the circumstances in which it has been obtained; currently mainly educational, geo-demographic and socio-economic background data. • Self-declared e.g. in application: applicant been in care, illness, looks after others, disability. Extenuating circumstances • Increasingly ‘hard data’ from publicly available data sources - e.g. Government departments, funding councils and some via UCAS • Commercially available data e.g. ACORN or MOSAIC • Contextual information: interviews, auditions, portfolio, admissions tests
Initial basket of data for HEIs, free, via UCAS • Socio-Economic Background • % of students entitled to free school meals and for Scotland % registered, by Local Authority • % of students entitled to EMA (not England) • Lives in a low progression to higher education neighbourhood (POLAR 2) • All being supplied by UCAS for 2012 at time of application, if universities and colleges sign up to take it. • This is work in progress. • Educational Background • School performance: % of students achieving 5 A*-C GCSE including English/Welsh and maths (or equivalent SCQF level 4 in Scotland) • Average school “best 8” GCSE performance (England and Wales) and equivalent SCQF level 4 in Scotland • Average (mean) of QCA points per A level (England and Wales) and per student - or average points score Highers equivalent Basket of Data
How is contextual data used? • for widening participation – to target aspiration raising • to inform the decision as to who to interview • to inform admissions decision making to enable the “best students” to be admitted and retained (as defined by the HEI) • to identify applicants who may need additional learner support or practical advice during their application process, transition or when registered as a student • to help assess applicants for financial/ in-kind support – scholarships and bursaries • for statistical and qualitative monitoring and reporting purposes
SPA survey: Contextual data use past, present and future The full question: “When deciding whether or not to make an offer to applicants who otherwise meet your academic criteria”
Why are institutions using contextual data? • Institutions are choosing to use contextual data to widen participation and maintain excellence. • The SPA report highlights the extensive research in this area: socio-economic background, where you live, type of school attended; subject choice can all impact on attainment and therefore progression to higher education. • The key point is that ‘intelligence’ alone is not the only causal factor behind different patterns of attainment and education progression. • The use of contextual data in the admissions process is used to mitigate these factors by identifying those who ‘merit’ a place using a wider range of indicators than attainment alone.
What does the SPA research tell us? • Overwhelming agreement of the 17 HE providers that informed professional judgment is essential and appropriate in admissions and contextual data should sit within this context. • Contextual data as a standalone measure cannot address the social mobility agenda. However, applied robustly and within a holistic process, it can be an effective tool • Case study institutions reported the use of contextual data was effective in a competitive field, identifying the ‘best’ applicants with the greatest potential and likelihood of successful outcomes.
What does this research tell us? • Methodologies can be transferable to other institutions for fair admissions, in line with the SPA principles, but should be underpinned by institution-specific research and monitoring; • Data used in admissions varies considerably in line with different institutional character, mission and culture, and is being informed by different drivers relating to these factors; • Added value of contextual data to professionalism within HE admissions: • its contribution to widening participation strategy and delivery of targets; • consistency of approach in the application of admissions procedures; • targeting of support services and student bursaries.
What are the main recommendations? • Contextual data use: good professional practice in admissions, contributes to a fair, equitable and consistent approach; admissions decision makers have as full a picture as possible of each applicant; • The UK government /agencies address the quality of data as a matter of urgency. Assurance it is robust would encourage more institutions to consider using it. SPA and others will address this • Greater co-ordination across the various national data sets and that more data from these publicly held data sets should made accessible to the HE sector. Unique Learner Number? • Link to the work of the Learning Records Service and the HE Information Landscape project being managed by HESA which aims to develop a new system that reduces the duplication that currently exists and results in timelier and more relevant data.
What are the main recommendations? • That institutions, facilitated by SPA, use the report and their own developing practice to: • develop key messages, • enhance transparency, be more explicit and • promote the positive aspects of contextual data in admissions to key stakeholders: in house, in the HE sector, more widely externally. • Contextual data should be linked to internal data and management information to help better targeting of bursaries, and for tracking, monitoring and reporting. • SPA will facilitate the sharing of current practices and research expertise across the sector, SPA a point of contact for the dissemination of innovative practice and resources in respect of contextual data.
