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WESTON COLLEGE ACCESS AGREEMENT 2017/18

1. Introduction, background and context

This access agreement sets out what Weston College intends to do in 2017/18

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

agreement has taken a student life-cycle approach, and builds upon the

initiatives previously implemented and the successful partnership work the College is engaged with to raise aspirations and encourage progression to higher

education (HE).

Weston College was allocated directly funded student places for the first time in 2012/13 although it has extensive experience of providing HE in partnership with

local universities. The College is currently working with Bath Spa University (BSU) and the University of the West of England (UWE). This 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.

This agreement has been developed in partnership with the student body and

consultation with students has been extensive; the Student Engagement Officer has been involved in the process, students receiving bursaries were surveyed

for their feedback and the Lead Student Representative has made some recommendations. 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 Representatives at the Student Forums.

1.1 Weston College Mission and Strategic Plan

Weston College is now designated a College of Further and Higher Education. The College was awarded an overall “Outstanding” grade in January 2014 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.

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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. 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

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2. Student engagement

3. Widening participation

4. Graduate employability

5. Marketing and recruitment.

Part of the vision includes the rebranding of higher education provision at Weston College to become University Centre Weston (UCW). The College has achieved

University Centre status with both its university partners and has longstanding

partnership agreements in place to enable us develop provision and introduce new programmes. UCAS have now confirmed the College can be listed under

the new name for the next application cycle and this should be well established by 2017/18.

Weston College remains committed to widening participation and affording

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

(91.9% of all HE Students) with 75% from Further Education Colleges, and accepts a wide range of qualifications. Only 12% of students progress from A

Levels, with the rest progressing from vocational routes including 40% from BTEC Extended Certificates or Diplomas1.

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

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

However an additional 5% are carers.

In the current academic year (2015/16) there are 9704 FE students and 842 HE students, 349 directly funded.

1.2 Equality

Celebrating diversity, creating a learning culture that is inclusive, and treating everyone fairly and without discrimination are 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 College

1 HE Student Induction Questionnaire 2015/16

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received a Beacon Award by the Association of Colleges for its work in this area. 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 and has a further centre opening in September

2016. 24% of HE Students have declared a disability, 14% have claimed a DSA. 67% of those with a declared disability have Dyslexia / Dyscalculia, 6%

are on the Autism Spectrum and 5% 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 is less ethnically diverse than England and Wales as a whole, with 97% classifying themselves as belonging to a white ethnic group2. 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% 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. Of those who do progress currently lower numbers achieve at the highest level than their female

peers. This is reflective of the national picture of female students outperforming their male peers and the gap is closing. The College continues to review 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 24% of the student population have declared a disability. 32% of the

directly-funded student population in 2014/15 received a full government grant

as their household income is under £25,000 per annum. In addition, according to POLAR data 14% 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

2 North Somerset JSNA – Changing Population Dec 2015

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

1.3 Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare has a population of around 77,000 and is based within North Somerset. In terms of the Indices of Deprivation (ID) 2015, North Somerset

has 18 areas in the most deprived quartile in the country. All of these are in Weston-super-Mare. There are areas in North Somerset within the most

deprived 1% nationally and within the least deprived 1% nationally. This results in North Somerset having the 3rd largest inequality gap out of the 326 English

districts. The index of Multiple Deprivation is a Lower Layer Super Output Areas

(LSOA) measure of multiple deprivation. There are 135 LSOAs in North Somerset, nine of these are in the 10% most deprived areas and two within the

most deprived 1% nationally, all of which are located in Weston-super-Mare, Central, South and West. 3

Areas closest to the College experience high unemployment with a large

percentage of the workforce 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 54% with results varying from 38%

to 52%. However, there is some improvement and in recent Ofsted visits all have been judged as at least “Good”. They also have high levels of pupils

receiving free school meals (FSM); one has 54.3% of its students in receipt of free school meals which demonstrates the levels of deprivation of the students

attending. This school also has 11% of pupils with English not as a first language4.

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.

3 North Somerset JSNA – Changing Population Dec 2015 4 DfE School and College Performance Tables

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2. HE Provision and Tuition Fees

In the context of this access agreement there are likely to be just over 355 FTE directly-funded HE student places at Weston College in 2017/18. In order to

support additional activity to widen access, enable success and progression the College would like to increase the tuition fee levels to £7,950 for the majority of

programmes. 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 to

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 increase slightly to £6,450.

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 £5,300. For part-time honours

top-up programmes and for those studying part-time foundation degrees over 4 years (50%) the cost would be £3,975. In the event that any full-time student

completes their studies on a part-time basis, the student will not pay more than £7,155 in any academic year. Thus the additional income due to the increased

fee for 2017/18 will amount to £492,900.

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3. 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 as outlined within the strategic aims and commitments.

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

Targeted provision of financial support for prospective students experiencing hardship.

Many of the initiatives within our outreach plans and the Aspiration Project 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 promoted at outreach events and students are referred to them as appropriate. The College is also involved with the Children’s

University and is in discussions with its partners regarding how it could contribute to the initiative.

Western Outreach Network

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

successful and effective collaborative partnership developed, the HEIs involved have decided to sustain the network beyond the current HEFCE funding period

through subscription. The Coordinator will be retained on a part-time basis to maintain communications with schools and organise collaborative outreach

activities for pre-16 students in the WON area. The WON will be managed through the Western Vocational Progression Consortium Board which currently

manages Careerpilot.

Weston College has contributed to materials and staff development related to

alternative pathways to higher education. Although the collaborative targets have not yet been finalised due to the ongoing evaluation of the current project,

Weston College is committed to this work.

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The total cost of Weston College’s contribution is £2,000, all of which is OFFA countable.

Widening Participation Officer

To enable the College to place a greater focus on long-term outreach, effectively deliver its outreach initiatives and ensure this activity is sustainable the College

intends to appoint a Widening Participation and Recruitment Officer. The post holder will also work closely with, and fully participate in the delivery of projects

within, the WON. This will also enable the College to work more closely with external organisations working with vulnerable young people who have the

potential to benefit from HE who are within target groups, including care leavers and young carers. 40% of this role will be based on widening participation work

and raising aspirations.

The total cost is £27,000, 40% of which is OFFA countable, £10,800.

Aspirations Programme

The majority of the work the College carries out within this programme 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:

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

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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

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

In order to expand the project to additional primary schools and ensure there is

no cost to schools and their transport costs are covered, the cost of the project is £10,000.

Aspirations Pathway Programme

This is a two day event which increases 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 These comprise 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

These 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.

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.

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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 any of the events 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 £31,000 in 2017/18, all of which is considered

to be OFFA Countable.

HE Taster Day

This 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 of attendees will be within target groups, some may not be, so the OFFA countable

spend is £400.

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4. 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 College’s current continuation rate is 87%, 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 spend on Summer Schools is £5,000, the OFFA countable spend 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 to

and post enrolment at college). In addition young carers, care leavers, those

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who 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.

Induction Programme

Following evaluation and consultation with students it was determined that the induction process could be enhanced. A new induction process for all students,

new and returning, has been developed which includes facilitating new students meeting with students in year 2 / 3 at an early stage along with providing social

activities during each day for mature / part-time students to participate in on

their normal day of study. 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 spend is

£200.

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

equip students with the academic skills they require to enable them to successfully 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 cost of this is approximately £25,000 and 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

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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 £25,000 and the OFFA countable

spend is £5,000.

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, having a HE Mental Health Specialist who can 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.

In addition they will develop self-help guides available to all students and take a lead in promoting positive messages around mental health and wellbeing. This

will include organising events at key points during the academic year to support students in managing their stress and mental health, encouraging students to

talk about and understand mental health issues, promoting relaxation and healthy living and highlighting the support services available. They will also play

an integral role in the smooth transition of students to the College, contacting applicants who declare a mental health illness on their applications to ensure all

appropriate support is in place and that they can discuss any concerns prior to starting.

The total cost for this post is approximately £27,000 but as some time will be

spent with students experiencing crisis or temporary anxiety rather than having

an ongoing or diagnosed mental health illness, the OFFA countable spend is £5,400.

Disabled Student Support

Although the proposed Government modernisation efficiency measures to DSA have not been implemented fully and the future of support is unclear, it would

seem appropriate to allocate funds to this area as it seems inevitable that further changes will be in affect by the 2017/18 academic year. This seems most likely

to affect students with dyslexia or a specific learning difficulty. As the College has a significant number of students with additional needs (24% of the student

population) and 67% of those have Dyslexia / Dyscalculia, investment in this area seems crucial. In a recent survey of students who receive additional

support, students were unanimous that the area they find of most value and would want us to protect is the individualised additional study skills support.

Therefore, the College plans to invest in additional staff to provide specialist

input for disabled students with dyslexia in order to ensure that they can access the support they need to be successful.

In addition the College will operate an interest free loan scheme to enable

students to purchase equipment not fully funded by DSA.

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Total allocation of £38,000, whilst we anticipate that staff would be working with students with dyslexia they will also support students who may require some

additional support, especially those who are waiting for a diagnosis, therefore the OFFA countable spend is £15,200.

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5. 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 more resources on the other two areas. However, students have recommended that we invest in a Careers Advisor so that all students have

access to specialist 1:1 advice. The College will continue to review this and will make changes to allocations if necessary and consider additional initiatives that

could be beneficial to students.

Careers Development Programme

All students will benefit from an enhanced tutorial programme, complementing Personal Development Planning (PDP) with an increased focus on Careers

Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG). This will enhance the CEIAG that students receive and should impact positively on 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 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 cost of delivering this programme is £31,000.

In addition the College will purchase Careers software which will provide

additional resources and videos providing tips from employers and example

interview questions / responses. As much of the material is video based this will enable students with disabilities to access and benefit from the materials to a

greater extent than traditional paper-based resources / self-help guides. The cost of this resource is £7,000.

The total cost is £38,000, the OFFA countable spend is £7,600.

Bridging Programme

Students have requested that alongside the HELP programme and Summer Schools currently available that the College develops a bridging course to ensure

the smooth transition between Foundation Degree and Honours Top-Up, particularly in terms of preparation for writing a dissertation and advanced study

/ research skills. Whilst this programme would be available to all students it would be targeted at those with disabilities.

This activity will cost £1,000, OFFA countable spend would be £200.

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6. 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. The evaluation the College has undertaken into the current bursaries offered also supports this. However,

Weston College is of the opinion that financial support does support student retention and therefore the success of some students, especially those who are

at risk, including estranged students and parents, young carers 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.

The College has taken a decision to significantly alter the bursaries provided on

the basis of consultation with students currently in receipt of bursaries and those who received National Scholarships. As a result a more targeted approach will

be taken, offering fewer bursaries but of a higher value. The students commented that the current level of support does not go far for a single parent

or care leaver who is solely supporting themselves and that higher value bursaries would be of more value with students not awarded a bursary being

encouraged to apply for the discretionary hardship funds.

Bursaries

Full Time

The College will offer 20 bursaries of £2,000 spread equally across both years of study. Bursaries will be available to students if their declared household

income is below £25,000 per annum. As there will be a limited number they will be targeted and priority will be for those experiencing multiple factors of

deprivation, i.e. those from the lowest household incomes who are also from a disadvantaged background including:

Care Leavers / Young Carers

Students who are estranged or currently living in an accredited Foyer Students from POLAR Quintile 1

Single parents Those with a declared disability

Students can either chose cash instalments made twice a year (November /

February), a fee waiver or in kind support including support with

accommodation costs.

Total Allocation £40,000 all of which is OFFA countable.

Part Time

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All non-sponsored part time students will be eligible for a part time scholarship of £1,500 spread across all 3 years of study. Students can either chose cash

instalments made twice a year (November / February) or a fee waiver.

Total Allocation £12,000 all of which is OFFA countable.

Scholarships 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:

Excellence Scholarship - £350 paid to students who achieve ABB or

equivalent. This will be paid in three instalments, two in year one (November / February) and a further payment in November of year two

Progression Scholarship - £300 paid to students who have completed a level 3 course at Weston College within the last five years. This will be

paid in three instalments, two in year one (November / February) and a further payment in November of year two

Federation of Schools Scholarship - £300 paid to one student from a local College or Sixth Form. This will be paid in three instalments, two in year

one (November / February) and a further payment in November of year two

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.

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 residential visits, also be considered for awards from

this fund.

Total allocation £20,000 all of which is OFFA countable.

18

7. Overall Expenditure

The total OFFA countable expenditure for the 2017/18 outreach activities, financial support package along with the programme related to student success

and progression will be £158,800 which represents 35.9% of the total anticipated tuition fee income above the basic level. Therefore the expenditure

on access and support measures exceeds OFFA guidelines.

8. 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 3 students will also be given this information during their FE Tutorial Programme and through a Parents Information Evening.

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.

In addition the College has updated its information to provide a named contact

for care leavers, young careers and estranged students in order to ensure that applicants know who to approach regarding any queries or specialist additional

support.

19

9. Measuring Success

Targets and milestones identified by the College are shown in detail in Annex B.

These extend across the whole student lifecycle relating to a range of areas 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 targets continue throughout the student journey also covering 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 (KPIs) which are monitored by the College Governors. In addition the

KPIs and annual data report is presented to Higher Education Board of Study and the College’s Equality and Diversity Committee. These committees will

evaluate achievement against target and therefore the success of the access strategy. All of these committees include student representation.

2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

T16a_01 Access Other statistic - Gender (please give details in the next column) Work to encourage more males to HE No 2013-14 36% 37% 38% 39% 40% 41%

T16a_02 AccessOther statistic - State School (please give details in the next

column)Maintain high levels of recruitment from state sector No 2013-14 90.4% 93.4% 93.4% 93.5% 93.5%

T16a_03 Access Other statistic - Ethnicity (please give details in the next column) Maintain representation from Ethnic Minorities No 2012-13 6.2% 7% 7.1% 7.2% 7.3% 7.4%

T16a_04 Access Other statistic - Disabled (please give details in the next column)

Maintain recruitment of students with disabilities or

learning difficulty and enable them to access

support

No 2013-14 21.8% 23% 23.5% 24% 24.5% 25%

T16a_05 Access Other statistic - Part-time (please give details in the next column) Increase the numbers of Part time students No 2014-15 3.4% 3.6% 3.9% 4% 4.5% 5%

T16a_06 Student success Other statistic - Other (please give details in the next column) Improve Continuation Rates from Y1 to Y2 No 2014-15 85.7% 90% 90% 91% 91% 92%

T16a_07 ProgressionOther statistic - Progression to employment or further study

(please give details in the next column)

Enable Student Progression, from both Foundation

Degree and Honours into employment / further

study 6 months after graduation

No 2014-15 93% 94% 94.5% 95% 95.5% 96%

Stage of the lifecycle (drop-down menu)

Table 7 - Targets and milestones

Institution name: Weston College of Further and Higher Education

Institution UKPRN: 10007459

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

Description

(500 characters maximum)

Is this a

collaborative

target? (drop-

down menu)

Baseline year

(drop-down

menu)

Baseline dataReference

numberTarget type (drop-down menu)

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)

2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

T16b_01 AccessOutreach / WP activity (other - please give details in the next

column)Professor Fluffy Y6 Primary School Project No 2012-13 300 360 390 390 420 420

T16b_02 AccessOutreach / WP activity (other - please give details in the next

column)

Curriculum Enrichment Projects to students in

Years 9 and 10No 2012-13 60 80 100 100 100 100

T16b_03 Access Outreach / WP activity (summer schools)Summer School for students on Autism Spectrum

or withNo 2015-16 New Initiative 10 10 12 12 12

T16b_04 Access Outreach / WP activity (summer schools) Summer School for PT and Mature Learners No 2014-15 12 15 15 17 20 20

T16b_05 AccessOutreach / WP activity (other - please give details in the next

column)Taster Day No 2015-16 60 60 70 80 85 90

T16b_06 Student success Management targets Peer Mentoring for At Risk Students No 2015-16 New Initiative 20 20 25 30 35

T16b_07 Other/Multiple stages Other (please give details in the next column)

Develop links with Care Leavers / Young Carers.

Work with local schools / HEIs / WON where

possible and attend PEPS for L3 College Students

No 2015-16 New Initiative 5 7 10 12 14This is a new target and the College will monitor

closely to ensure it is challenging, ambitious & realistic

Reference

NumberPlease select target type from the drop-down menu

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

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.

As some targets / milestones were for new initiatives and based on limited historical data some have been revised. Where the College has met or exceeded targets currently more challenging targets have been set for the future, others targets set are both aspirational and challenging but also realistic

and achievable. The target related to Progression has been amended, the College's cohort is changing as more Honours top ups have been introduced, hence the investment into careers support. Whilst the College remains committed to working with care leavers / young carers and estranged students,

there is not currently a Virtual Head in our area which makes it difficult to work with targeted students on a long term basis to raise aspirations and support their progression which makes it difficult to take a strategic and sustained approach. As a result the target related to recruitment of these groups has

been removed but instead an activity target added. The College will work with the WON and support students within the College at FE Level to encourage progression to HE, and provide support when on programme.

Description

(500 characters maximum)

Is this a

collaborative

target?

Select stage of the lifecycle Baseline dataBaseline year

Commentary on your milestones/targets or textual

description where numerical description is not

appropriate (500 characters maximum)

Table 7b - Other milestones and targets.