1

WESTON COLLEGE ACCESS AGREEMENT 2016/17

Introduction

This access agreement sets out what Weston College intends to do in 2016/17

to extend on its continued commitment to widen participation, support student success and enable progression into further study and employment. Weston

College was allocated directly funded student places for the first time in 2012/13

although it has extensive experience of providing Higher Education (HE) in partnership with local universities.

This access agreement covers strategies the College intends to put in place,

primarily for directly-funded, but some will benefit all students, both direct and indirect franchised through one of its university partners. It is worth noting that

the College does not receive any funding from its partners to deliver any of the activities outlined within this document.

Weston College

Weston College is now designated a College of Further and Higher Education. The College was awarded an overall outstanding grade in its recent Ofsted

inspection, and judged to be outstanding in terms of effectiveness of leadership

and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for learners.

The higher education provision continues to grow and the College is ambitious

for the future. The HE Mission Statement is: “To deliver an outstanding higher education experience, enabling success

and inspiring ambition”

The HE Strategic Plan outlines the future developments and priorities, many areas of which are reflected through this plan and the milestone targets the

College has set.

1. To develop and deliver sustainable, high quality higher education which

reflects the needs of students, employers, partner universities, and both the

local and national economy.

2

2. To recruit high calibre students in sufficient numbers to ensure the ongoing

financial viability of HE programmes. To have a total of 893 FTE HE students

studying at Weston College by 2016/17.

3. To engage with, and reflect the expectations of the UK Quality Code for

Higher Education in all aspects. To achieve commended through Higher

Education Review (HER).

4. To focus on the student experience and to ensure that it continues to be

positive and varied. To enhance the student experience through acting on

student feedback and increased student engagement.

5. To develop staff skills, scholarship, and innovative approaches to teaching

and learning including the use of technology enhanced learning.

6. To focus on graduate employability and the development of those skills

needed to ensure that individuals are ready and able to enter the world of

work or self-employment.

7. To deliver quality enhancement that enables continuous improvement,

standards to be safeguarded, and higher education to flourish.

8. To continue to support the widening participation agenda by providing

increased opportunities for a wider range of students to participate in HE

programmes.

In addition to these aims the College makes a commitment to five key areas that

will underpin the aims, and ensure that they are deliverable. This demonstrates the commitment of Weston College to recruit students from diverse backgrounds

and support them through the student lifecycle to achieve and progress.

1. Higher education quality and enhancing the quality of learning opportunities

2. Student engagement

3. Widening participation

4. Graduate employability

5. Marketing and recruitment.

Weston College remains committed to widening participation and enabling

students who have the potential to succeed, the opportunity to undertake a HE qualification. The College seeks to recruit students who have varying

experiences of education, including those who are well qualified academically and those who may have followed non-traditional paths. Accordingly, the College

recognises a wide range of qualifications and experience for entry to higher

education programmes. The College recruits primarily from the state sector with 74% from Further Education Colleges, and accepts a wide range of qualifications.

3

Only 18% of students’ progress from A Levels, with the rest progressing from vocational routes including 50% from BTEC Extended Certificates or Diplomas.

The College holds the Buttle quality mark for support for potential and existing

care leavers. Additional financial and practical support is offered to care leavers including guaranteed year-round accommodation and targeted mentoring. At

the moment 3% of students are care leavers and targets are in place to improve this.

In the academic year 2014/15 there are 5200 FTE FE students and 809 FTE HE

students, 295 directly funded.

Equality

Celebrating diversity, creating a learning culture that is inclusive and treating everyone fairly and without discrimination is at the heart of Weston College’s

mission and strategy. Weston College expects all staff, students and visitors to maintain the culture of respect so that everyone can enjoy learning in a secure

and welcoming environment to achieve their full potential. Due regard is given to all the protected characteristics to ensure particular groups of students are

not discriminated against.

The College is recognised for its commitment to equality of opportunity for its students and this is clearly articulated through the commitment, support and

care provided to students with learning difficulties and disabilities. The number of specialist support areas has increased to include: visual impairments, autism

spectrum conditions, specific learning difficulties and deaf and hard of hearing.

The College has been recognised for its work in autism and was chosen to help launch a national campaign, ‘finished at school’, at the House of Commons with

the charity Ambitious about Autism. The college expanded its provision for students on the autism spectrum in 2012/13 through the opening of a specialist

training facility. 21% of HE Students have declared a disability, of whom 17% have claimed a DSA. Nearly 70% have Dyslexia / Dyscalculia, 10% are on the

Autism Spectrum and over 8% have a mental health condition. As a result the College has decided to invest in some specialist targeted support for students

within these categories detailed within this agreement.

The proportion of ethnic minority students at the College has increased steadily. North Somerset’s percentage of the population from black and minority ethnic

(BME) groups is 7%. The number of HE BME students for 2014/15 academic year is 7%. There is a target to continue to work on and increase this figure as

students benefit from a learning community that includes individuals from a

diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and cultures.

In 2012/13 the HE student population was made up of 36% males and 64% females and it has been agreed that the College should continue to have targets

related to recruiting additional male students. There has been some progress in this area, with the figure for the 2014/15 academic year at 40% male and 60%

4

female but the College need to continue working in this area and ensure this is an ongoing upward trend.

It is recognised that there is potential within the College as male students who

are qualified to progress are not currently progressing to HE. In addition those who do progress currently achieve at a lower level than their female peers. This

is reflective of the national picture of female students outperforming their male peers. The College is reviewing its provision and is introducing new programmes

that are aligned to local level 3 provision as part of the strategy to attract more male students. Alongside this there are a number of programmes which recruit

more female students including Health and Social Care, Care Management and Counselling, but the College is trying to encourage more male students into

these areas and has produced positive role models by profiling male students in

promotional literature.

Currently 21% of the student population have declared a disability. 17% of the directly-funded student population receive a full government grant as their

household income is under £25,000 per annum. In addition, according to POLAR data 20% are from the most deprived neighbourhoods categorised as quintile 1.

It is recognised that many students will be counting in multiple groups and therefore it has been agreed that throughout this document if activity is being

delivered to the whole student body the percentage attributed to OFFA accountable spend is 20%.

Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare has a population of around 76,200 and is based within North

Somerset. There are 124 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA) in North Somerset, which are a measure of multiple deprivation. 15 of these LSOAs are within the

most deprived 25% of areas nationally, all of which are within Weston-super-Mare. Six of these LSOAs also fall within the most deprived 5% in England and

there are some areas within the most deprived 1% in England.

Areas closest to the College experience high unemployment with a large percentage claiming benefits. The College works closely with the local Job

Centre Plus and works to provide training opportunities along with information, advice and guidance for those seeking to return to work.

In addition, Weston-super-Mare has a high number of drug rehabilitation centres

providing either treatment or support to individuals with drug and/or alcohol issues and many settle and raise families locally, which means that the area is

put at further risk of inter-generational social decline.

The College works closely with the four schools in Weston-super-Mare which are

all for 11-16 year olds. One is a sponsor-led Academy, one is a Foundation School and the other two have converted to mainstream academies. Three have

GCSE results below the national average of 56% with results varying from 40% - 54%. However, there is some improvement and in recent Ofsted visits all have

been judged as good. They also have high levels of pupils receiving free school

5

meals (FSM) one has 51.2% of its students in receipt of FSM which demonstrates the levels of deprivation of the students attending. This school also has over

10% of pupils with SEN statement or on School Action Plus.

The College, which is situated in the heart of the most deprived wards (South Ward and Central Wards), has been successfully working with schools in the

region, and is currently assessed as outstanding by Ofsted in terms of student outcomes.

HE Provision and Tuition Fees

In the context of this access agreement there are likely to be just over 340 FTE directly-funded HE student places at Weston College in 2016/17. The College

would like to retain the current tuition fee levels, which for the majority of programmes would be £7,500. However, the College works closely with local

NHS partnerships to deliver its Care programmes (FdSc Health and Social Care Practice and FdSc Care Management in the Community), where students are

partially sponsored to undertake their programme as part of their professional development and meet the needs of the Strategic Health Authority. Due to

limited resources within the NHS and the reluctance of some of these mature students to enter into debt the tuition fees for these programmes will remain at

£6,000.

The cost of fees for part-time students will be based upon the total cost of the full-time programme divided by the number of years of part-time study. For the

vast majority of students this will mean a fee of £5,000. In the event that any

full-time student completes their studies on a part-time basis, student will not pay more than £6,750 in any academic year. Thus the additional income due

to the increased fee for 2016/17 will amount to £364,500.

Widening Participation and Access Activities

Weston College is committed to recruiting students from a broad and diverse community, who have the potential to succeed and benefit from higher

education.

The approach to widening participation is based on the following aims: Seeking to improve provision of information, advice and guidance (IAG)

for prospective HE students

The development of support and guidance for particular target groups e.g. support for Disabled Students, Care Leavers or those wishing to study part

time The enhancement of collaborative links with feeder institutions

Developing the motivation to progress to HE via summer school activities Improving the quality of HE provision with an emphasis on retention and

success rates

6

Targeted provision of financial support for prospective students experiencing hardship.

Whilst the College works in partnership with University of the West of England

(UWE) and Bath Spa University (BSU) to deliver HE programmes, the College does not currently work in collaboration with them to deliver the outreach

programme. However, many of these initiatives were developed within the successful Aimhigher partnership and then subsequently the Aspire network

within North Somerset, and therefore activities complement and build on each other and work alongside those delivered by local universities.

It was agreed that the College would continue to work with local schools and

Weston Excellence to deliver a range of projects to help raise aspirations and

attainment of students. Due to the positive working relationships with UWE and BSU these institutions are mentioned at outreach events and students are

referred to them as appropriate.

Weston College is a member of the Western Outreach Network (WON), part of the HEFCE funded National Networks for Collaborative Outreach. Whilst plans

are in the initial development stage the College is committed to this project and may want to allocate some funds to maintaining activities initiated by this

network once the current funding concludes. The WON will evaluate the effectiveness of its activities considering schools’, colleges’ and universities’ level

of engagement with outreach activities; impact on aspiration to progress to higher education; effect on relationships between schools, colleges, universities

and the local community; and resource benefits of collaboration. This local evaluation will inform decisions regarding the continued operation of the

Network after 2015/16. It is possible that WON partners will use a subscription

model to maintain the website and would be open to sustaining the post if impact evaluations are positive and funding conditions continue to be favourable for

collaboration. The College is also considering involvement with the Children’s University and is in discussions with its partners regarding how it could

contribute to the initiative.

Aspirations Programme

The majority of the work the College carries out is with students from the 11-16

schools in Weston-super-Mare, along with selected students from other schools within the area. The College recognises that potential students need to be made

aware of the opportunities that further and higher education can offer them, whilst exploring the wide range of options available, and being encouraged that

going on to further and higher education is a choice that they and their family

can make. Whilst the actual decision to go to college or university is made much later in their learning journey, it has been shown that unless the ‘seeds are sown'

at an early age then making this choice is unlikely. It is also imperative that these intentions are nurtured and reinforced throughout their journey through

education incorporating a more informative approach. The College has therefore developed the progressive outreach offer branded the Aspirations Programme:

7

Year 6 Years 7 and 8 Year 9 and 10 Years 10 and

11

Years 12

and 13

Professor

Fluffy

Aspirations

Pathways Programme

Curriculum

Enrichment Projects

Mentoring

Taster Days

Ambassador Workshop

Mentoring

Vocational

Pathways Programme

Higher

Education Tutorial Programme

Brighter

Futures Fair

HE Taster Day

Professor Fluffy

Professor Fluffy’s Learning Journey is a half-day session delivered within Weston College which enables Year 6 students to identify key points in their educational

pathway including moving to secondary school, choosing GSCE options, progressing to College / 6th form / HE etc. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity

to interview current FE and HE students, undertake a treasure hunt to explore the College facilities and participate in a mock graduation.

Aspirations Pathway Programme

This is a two day event which raises the awareness of students’ knowledge and understanding of college and possible careers. During the first day they are able

to explore their own potential career options using specialist careers software which also identifies the necessary qualifications for them to achieve their

ambitions. On the second day the students participate in a range of practical workshops in relation to the results and chosen pathways they explored during

the first day.

Curriculum Enrichment Projects

Are a range of subject specific projects run over 4-6 weeks so students can discover more about a particular subject they are interested in. All projects

encourage students to develop their transferable skills including working with others to problem solve, be creative, and communicate effectively. Areas

offered include Catering and Hospitality, Performing Arts, Gaming and Construction.

Mentoring

Student Ambassadors go into schools to work with identified students on a 1:1 basis to support them with homework or work on their study / revision skills.

The intention is to raise their aspirations and achievement, or increase their motivation, as appropriate.

Taster Days Enable students to spend a full day participating in subject-specific workshops

to give them a real taste of college life in preparation for making decisions / applications for college post-16, as all students within the feeder schools must

move institution after Year 11.

8

Vocational Pathways Programme

Students from schools with 6th Forms, who have been identified as more suited

to vocational provision at post-16 come to college over a number of weeks to try a number of different vocational areas. The final session focuses on IAG

where students will make a decision on their post-16 option and submit a college application.

Tutorial Programme Weston College delivers a full tutorial programme to students in Years 12 / 13

covering what is HE, how to make decisions regarding courses / institutions, how to write a personal statement along with practical workshops on completing

UCAS and Student Finance applications. The College enables students to attend

the UCAS Convention at UWE and hosts the Brighter Futures Fair (HE and Careers fair) to assist in the decision making process. Partnership with other

higher education providers is central to delivering specialist workshops e.g. applying to Oxbridge, mock interviews at UWE for those interested in NHS

related programmes along with other opportunities as they arise and are appropriate for the students.

Evaluation of Aspirations Programme

All aspects of the outreach programme are evaluated. All students participating in of any of the events would complete an evaluation which asks them about

both the activity itself and what they gained from it, along with whether it had an impact on their plans for the future. In addition feedback is sought from the

student ambassadors assisting in the delivery of the event along with staff (from the schools involved and the College). Each year programmes are revised and

adapted based on the evaluations / feedback received. If appropriate activities

are changed or withdrawn to ensure only those that are most successful remain part of the programme. As part of the overall evaluation of activities due regard

is given to the protected characteristics and Equality and Diversity Policy to ensure the College minimise any adverse effects on any particular groups of

students.

This outreach programme will cost £21,000 in 2016/17.

HE Taster Day

Enables students to experience a practical session related to their preferred

course and interests, providing a real insight into the programme and an opportunity to experience teaching at HE level. This will be aimed largely at

internal vocational students and it is hoped that this will contribute towards raising aspirations, increased progression rates to HE and ensure students make

informed decisions prior to entry to increase continuation and achievement rates.

This event will cost £2,000 in 2016/17 and whilst we anticipate a number will be

within target groups some may not be, so the OFFA countable spend is £400.

9

Student Success

As well as being focused on successfully recruiting students, Weston College is committed to supporting them and enabling them to succeed and achieve their

intended qualification. The Colleges current continuation rate is 85%, and targets have been set to increase this to be more aligned with the national

average within universities of 92% As a result a number of initiatives have been put in place, some of which are for the benefit of all students and others that

are targeted at particular disadvantaged groups.

Summer Schools Following discussions with students the College has implemented two Summer

Schools aimed at particular priority target groups which have been developed to

have a positive contribution to improving access, and the success of these students. One will be aimed at mature / part-time students and the other for

students with Asperger’s or on the Autism Spectrum (AS). We anticipate that by delivering and promoting these Summer Schools it will both encourage

students from these groups to apply and equip them to be successful on their programmes, both will be evaluated.

The AS programme is intended to develop the academic and social skills students

require and ensure they have a smooth transition to HE. It will include activities to develop their independence and confidence, enable them to familiarise

themselves with the College and local area along with meeting staff before term starts in order to reduce anxiety and the possibility of them withdrawing or failing

to progress. This activity will cost £2,500, the full cost of which is OFFA countable.

The mature / part-time Summer School will also focus on developing confidence and reducing anxiety of students who are often returning to education after a

considerable break in study. It will focus on developing students’ academic skills and reintroducing them to learning and appropriate technologies. There will also

be an opportunity to talk to current students and ask any questions. This programme will cost £2,500 and whilst it would be aimed at mature / part time

students we would enable any interested students to attend, some of whom may not be within disadvantaged groups therefore the OFFA countable spend for this

event would be £500.

The total OFFA countable spend for the Summer Schools is £3,000

Peer Mentoring The importance of students’ sense of belonging, along with developing

knowledge, confidence and identity as successful HE learners is recognised

within the What Works? Student Retention and Success Programme. Following analysis of this and discussions with current students it was recognised that a

peer mentoring programme could be particularly beneficial. The College intends to target AS and mature students (the hope is that applicants will meet their

mentors during the Summer School and continue to engage with them prior and post enrolment at college). In addition young carers, care leavers, those who

10

have a disability or have moved into student accommodation will be targeted, as they are at increased risk of leaving early.

The cost of delivering the programme and training the students involved will be £2,500. The OFFA countable spend is £1,000 as the majority of students will be

within target groups initially.

Induction Programme Following evaluation of the current induction process along with consultation

with students, it has also been determined that this could be enhanced and a working group is currently developing proposals. This will certainly include

facilitating new students meeting the students in year 2 / 3 at an early stage and more interactive elements to the Welcome Talks. It is anticipated that this

will contribute to developing a greater HE Community within the College and

students’ sense of belonging. The total cost of this is approximately £1,000 and the OFFA countable send is

£200.

HELP Programme Weston College Higher Education Library Plus (HELP) programme is designed to

equip students with the academic skills they require to successfully enable them to complete their course. Five sessions are offered where library staff deliver an

introduction to the library, its staff and the appropriate Virtual Learning Environment (VLE); ensure students understand how to access the resources

available including eJournals and databases; explain the difference between primary and secondary sources, research and alternative formats for

assessment; referencing and plagiarism and ebooks, notetaking and reading strategies. Feedback on the HELP programme has been positive and the

effectiveness of the intervention continues to be evaluated and sessions

developed as appropriate. The total costs of this is approximately £25,000pa the OFFA countable spend is

£5,000.

Study Skills Programme The Study Skills programme is a structured programme aimed to raise the

academic standards of students and give them the academic tools to succeed at levels 4, 5 and 6. It has a focus on effective study and writing skills which builds

on the HELP sessions and is tailored to each course. With the changes to Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) being implemented it has been decided to

employ a full time member of staff who will be based within the library and will be available to support students with proof reading and other study skills. The

post holder will also deliver group sessions covering a range of subjects including giving presentations, report writing, engaging and getting the most from

lectures, planning and writing assignments, revising and exam skills, critical

analysis and understanding assignment briefs. In the second year students look at both advanced academic skills including research methods and reflection,

along with topics related to progression for example exploring the employment market, action planning and producing a Curriculum Vitae (CV). This is a

progressive programme with students receiving 5 sessions in each year. The cost for this programme is approximately £25,000pa the OFFA countable

spend is £5,000.

11

Specialist Support In recognition of the increased numbers of students who declare mental health

conditions it has been identified that the College needs to invest in further specialist support and will look to recruit a HE Mental Health Specialist who can

also offer welfare support to students. This person will take a proactive approach to the support and achievement of students with a mental health illness, working

with staff to develop strategies for success and liaising with, or referring to, external agencies as appropriate.

The total cost for this post is approximately £25,000pa but as some time may be spent with students experiencing crisis rather than having an ongoing mental

health illness the OFFA countable spend is £5000.

Disabled Student Support

Although the proposed Government changes to DSA are still not confirmed, it would seem appropriate to allocate funds to this area as it seems inevitable that

changes will be in affect from the 2016/17 academic year. A significant number of students at the College have additional needs (21% of the student population)

and nearly 70% (69.4%) of those have Dyslexia / Dyscalculia which under the current proposals are most likely to be impacted. In a recent survey of students

who receive addition support students were unanimous that the area they find of most value and would want us to protect is the one to one support. Therefore,

the College will introduce an allowance for disabled students in order to ensure that they can access the support they need to be successful. This will be

targeted to students who have a specific learning difficulty but are not eligible to DSA support. In addition the College will operate an interest free loan scheme

to enable students to purchase equipment not fully funded by DSA. Total allocation of £28,800 (48 students x 1hour per week 1-1 support) the full

cost of which is OFFA countable

Progression

Employability rates are good which can be attributed to the vocational nature of

programmes which enables students to engage in work-based learning / placement alongside their academic studies. Many students obtain work after

graduation as a result of their placement. Therefore we have deliberately focused resources on the other two areas. However, the College will continue

to review this and will make changes to allocations if necessary and continue to consider initiatives that could be beneficial to students.

Careers Development Programme

All students will benefit from an enhanced tutorial programme, complementing

personal development programmes (PDPs) with increased focus on Careers Information Advice and Guidance (CIAG) which will provide assurance that CIAG

is effective and impacts on student employability. This will include progression tutorials covering further study options, especially applying to Honours Top-Up

programmes for those completing a Foundation Degree. The themed week focusing on employability will also be embedded within the programme. A range

of materials will also be produced which will be available electronically via the

12

VLE. In addition 1-1 CIAG will be offered, particularly targeting groups who are at risk of not progressing into work / further study which reflects their ability i.e.

students on the Autism Spectrum. The total cost is £30,000, the OFFA countable spend is £6,000

Financial / Bursary Arrangements

It is recognised that much research suggests that bursaries and financial

packages do not have a significant impact on student’s decision to progress to Higher Education or choice between institutions. However, Weston College is of

the opinion that financial support does support the retention and therefore

success of some students, especially those who are parents or disabled students who are often unable to undertake part time paid work. In addition it is

recognised that some students from low income backgrounds, along with care leavers, may not undertake additional beneficial activity which could contribute

to success and progression opportunities due to financial restrictions. Therefore the College intends to still offer some financial bursaries along with maintaining

some discretionary funds to support those experiencing financial hardship.

Income Based Bursaries The College will make the following means-tested allocations to full time

students:

Family Income Bursary

0-£17500 £500

£17501-£25000 £250

Bursary payments made to students can be used for travel costs, books and materials, accommodation expenses and childcare costs where appropriate. On

current data this would result in a total allocation of £28,500 (52x£500 and 10x£250).

Bursaries for Part-time students

The College has introduced a Part-time Scholarship of £750 paid to any new part time students. It is anticipated that this will encourage students to study on a

part-time basis and will enable students to access some support for costs like

books and field trips where there is currently no funding available. Allocation of £3,750 (5 x £750).

Discretionary Hardship Funds

With the reduction of ALF the College would like to make an allocation to support students in financial hardship. This will be administered in the same way as ALF

was with priority being given to the same target groups. The College will ensure the costs of year round accommodation for care leavers, along with their

participation with optional residentials, also be considered for awards from this fund.

Total allocation £15,000.

13

Other Bursaries

Furthermore students can apply for additional Weston College Scholarships, depending on their previous course, where they studied and the UCAS points

obtained. If they qualify for more than one scholarship they are awarded the one with the highest value:

Progression Scholarship - £250 paid in the first year of study for students who have completed a level 3 course at Weston College within the last five

years. Excellence Scholarship - £400 paid to students who achieve ABB or

equivalent and awarded in their first year of study. Federation of Schools Scholarship - £250 paid to one student from a local

College or Sixth Form during their first year of study.

International Work Placement Scholarship - up to £500 will be available to students who would like to undertake an international work placement and

will incur additional costs. Priority will be given to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those from a low household

income.

However, as these are available to all students not just WP students the costs

of these have not been included within the expenditure.

Overall Expenditure

The total OFFA countable expenditure for the 2016/17 outreach activities, financial support package along with the programme related to student success

and progression will be £122,650 which represents 33.6% of the total

anticipated tuition fee income above £6000. Therefore the expenditure on access measures reflects OFFA guidelines.

Informing Students

Detailed information will be provided to prospective students, and their families, regarding the tuition fees that apply to higher education programmes, along with

the financial support available via bursary arrangements and other sources of funding. This information will be available through a variety of means including

the College website, the Undergraduate Prospectus, financial support booklet, and other relevant media. Specific talks will also be delivered during interview

/ open days, and the team is easily accessible should students require or benefit

from an individual appointment. In addition this is explained at relevant points and in increasing detail through our aspirations programme activities and

events. Internal level three students will also be given this information during their FE Tutorial Programme and through a Parents Information Evening.

14

The College will continue to work closely with UCAS and the Student Loan Company (SLC) to provide all required information in a timely fashion to ensure

students can access accurate information prior to starting and that payments are made efficiently once students’ attendance has been confirmed.

Consultation with students in deriving this agreement has been extensive; the

Student Engagement Officer has been involved in the process. In addition any developments deriving from working groups or consultation include student

representation and many of the changes have been discussed with the HE Student Union Representatives at the Student Forums.

Measuring Success

Targets and milestones identified by the College are shown in detail in Annex B. Covering a range of areas these seek to improve access to HE provision in the

College as well as encourage and facilitate applications from a wider group of

aspiring learners. In addition some new targets have been added related to both supporting student success and progression. These targets have been set

around the HE strategic aims and priorities.

Weston College will continue to monitor the performance of this Access Agreement in order to report on progress made against the milestones referred

to in the relevant appendices to this agreement. The Assistant Director HE: Academic Registry is responsible for writing and submitting the annual report

to the Director of OFFA subject to the approval of the College Corporate Management Team. Many of the targets are included in the HE key

performance indicators which are monitored by the College Governors. In addition the annual data report is presented to Higher Education Board of

Study, the College’s Equality and Diversity Committee and Higher Education Curriculum and Quality Committee who will also evaluate achievement against

target and therefore the success of the access strategy. All of these

committees include student representation.

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20

T16a_01 Other statistic - Gender (please give details in the next column) Work to encourage more males to progress to HE including to female dominated subjects No 2013-14 36% 36.8% 37% 38% 39% 40%

T16a_02 Other statistic - State School (please give details in the next column) Maintain high levels of recruitment from state sector No 2011-12 91% 93.3% 93.4% 93.5% 93.5% 93.6%

T16a_03 Other statistic - Other (please give details in the next column) Continuation rates from Y1 to Y2 to continue to improve No 2014-15 85% 87% 90% 90.5% 91% 91%

T16a_04 Other statistic - Progression to employment or further study (please give details in the next column) For Progression to employment / further study after 6 months to remain at a high level No 2013-14 98% 97% 98% 98% 99% 99%

T16a_05 Other statistic - Ethnicity (please give details in the next column) Maintain representation from ethnic minorities No 2011-12 6% 7% 7% 7.1% 7.2% 7.3%

T16a_06 Other statistic - Care-leavers (please give details in the next column) Increase numbers of Students who have previously been in care Yes 2011-12 1.8% 2.9% 3% 3.1% 3.2% 3.3%

T16a_07 Other statistic - Disabled (please give details in the next column)Maintain recruitment of students who have a disability or learning difficulty and enable

them to access appropriate supportNo 2014-15 20.7% 20.8% 20.9% 21% 21.2% 21.4%

T16a_08 Other statistic - Part-time (please give details in the next column) Increase numbers of part time students Yes 2014-15 3.6% 3.7% 3.75 3.9% 4% 4.1%

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20

T16b_01 Outreach / WP activity (collaborative - please give details in the next column) Professor Fluffy Year 6 project - Deliver to 10 Primary Schools x 30 Students Yes 2011-12 300 360 360 390 390 390

T16b_02 Outreach / WP activity (summer schools)Deliver a Summer School for PT / Mature Learners to focus on Study Skills and building

confidenceNo 2014-15 New Initiative 12 15 17 20 20

T16b_03 Outreach / WP activity (summer schools)Deliver a Summer School for Students on the Autistic Spectrum to help them develop the

personal, social and academic skills needed to be successfulYes 2014-15 New Initiative 8 10 10 12 12

T16b_04 Outreach / WP activity (other - please give details in the next column) HE Taster Day Yes 2015-16 New Initiative 50 60 70 80 80

T16b_05 Student support services Deliver Peer Mentoring to new students At risk No 2015-16 New Initiative 30 40 50 60 60

T16b_06 Outreach / WP activity (collaborative - please give details in the next column)Deliver Curriculum Enrichment Projects to students in Years 9 & 10, 10 Students per

projectYes 2011-12 60 80 80 100 100 100

Description

(500 characters maximum)

Is this a

collaborative

target?

Table 7a - Statistical targets and milestones relating to your applicants, entrants or student body

Commentary on your milestones/targets or textual

description where numerical description is not

appropriate (500 characters maximum)

Yearly milestones (numeric where possible, however you may use text)

Yearly milestones (numeric where possible, however you may use text) Commentary on your milestones/targets or textual

description where numerical description is not

appropriate (500 characters maximum)

Description

(500 characters maximum)

Is this a

collaborative

target?

Baseline year Baseline dataReference

numberPlease select target type from the drop-down menu

Optional commentary on milestones.

This box is character-limited to 1000 characters; however, we are happy for you to upload additional ‘supporting information’ as a separate Word/pdf document.

Notes

Alongside applicant and entrant targets, we encourage you to provide targets around outreach and student success work (including collaborative work where appropriate) or other initiatives to illustrate your progress towards increasing access, student success and progression. These should be measurable outcomes ‐based targets and should focus on the number of

beneficiaries reached by a particular activity/programme or the number of schools worked with, and what the outcomes were, rather than simply recording the nature/number of activities.

Table 7b - Other milestones and targets.

Baseline dataBaseline yearReference

NumberPlease select target type from the drop-down menu

Table 7 - Targets and milestones

Institution name: Weston College of Further and Higher Education

Institution UKPRN: 10007459