SUPPORTING APPLICATIONS Widening Participation

Widening Participation in 2016

• A vital component of HEI’s strategic mission since the introduction of access agreements in 2012.

• Increasing focus from OFFA and HEFCE on the importance of targeting and justifying the effectiveness of WP activity.

• Coming to end of the NNCO programme (December 2016), government and HEFCE now focusing on NCOP.

Do you know your nearest NNCO?

• NNCO’s (National Networks for Collaborative Outreach) have been established across the UK, with the purpose of offering provision to all secondary schools.

• Funding due to end in December 2016 – though activities have been designed to be sustainable following the end of funding.

Your nearest NNCO: • Leicestershire – REACH: www.reach.ac.uk • Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire – NEMCOM: www.nemcon.ac.uk • Staffordshire – Higher Horizons: www.higherhorizons.co.uk • Think Higher Coventry & Warwickshire: www.thinkhigher.ac.uk

HEFCE – NNCO webpages: • http://www.hefce.ac.uk/sas/nnco/find/ (pool the resources on offer!!!)

NNCO activity – Subject In a Box

• Utilising NNCO funding to create a sustainable & high accessible activity.

• Loughborough academics & professional services staff have created “boxed” sessions, that compliment year 10 curriculum.

• Schools can order specific boxes to be posted out to them.

• Box themes include: Physics, Creative Writing, Chemistry, Business, Sports Science, Drama – (more coming soon).

Book a box! – email: wp@lboro.ac.uk

Post NNCO…

• The government has challenged HEI’s to go further in efforts to reach out to children who have academic ability, but are choosing not to progress to HE.

• To further incentivise collaboration between HEI’s funding has been made available under a new scheme, NCOP (National Collaborative Outreach Programme).

• Targeting for the scheme is focused on 14-18 year olds in specific post code areas.

• One effect of this scheme will see differences in the WP provision offered to certain children.

For more information on NCOP visit: - http://www.hefce.ac.uk/sas/ncop/maps/

Loughborough’s approach

Access agreement targets, looking to increase percentage of WP cohorts studying at Loughborough, this includes:

• LPN (Low participation neighbourhoods): Focusing outreach and fair

access activities to improve progression from low participation neighbourhoods.

• Disabled students: Increasing the number of students in receipt of DSA.

• Mature student targets: Percentage of mature students with no experience of Higher Education and from LPN’s.

• Who are the WP groups we look to target?: LPN’s, Mature students, Disabled/learning difference students, Mental health, Refugee children, Care Leavers & Young Carers.

Disability/learning difference

• This includes students with undiagnosed/diagnosed mental health conditions.

• The importance of disclosure cannot be understated.DSA remains in place – student opportunity fund under review. (http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/products/disabled-students-allowances/dsas-forms-and-guides.aspx)

• Challenges remain for schools, FE colleges and HEI’s, in convincing children and their parents/guardians to seek formal diagnosis.

• Free resources to assist schools in supporting children: www.reach.ac.uk/resource-category/disability/

Mature students

• Applies If a student is 21 at the time of registration at University.

• No age restrictions on student finance (though conditions apply as to whether an applicant has studied at HE before).

• HEI’s offer financial support packages to mature students, Loughborough offer Scholarship programme and Mature student scholarship.

More information: Mature student scholarship: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/support/finance/bursaries-and-scholarships/mature-student-scholarship/ Loughborough Scholarship programme: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/support/finance/bursaries-and-scholarships/lsp/

Support for Care leavers

• Loughborough offers generous financial support (assessed on care leavers

income), with £6,500 per year in bursaries and fee waivers.

• Important to tick the care leaver box on UCAS application, opens up financial support options.

• Additional support whilst studying, 52 week accommodation, opportunity for paid work as a student ambassador.

• Book onto the We Care training, 15th November: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/events/wecaretraining/

Free resources for schools: NNECL: http://www.nnecl.org/resources Propel: http://propel.org.uk/guide-for-teachers-parents-and-carers/

Support for Young Carers • Young carer classes as someone aged 16-25 who looks after someone

else.

• Support for students in this cohort focuses on adapting timetables and/or reserving parking spaces on campus. Other Universities do have financial support packages in place.

• Date for your diaries: Young Carers event – June 14th, Loughborough Campus

• Book onto the We Care training, 15th November: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/events/wecaretraining/

Great resource for supporting young carers: Learning and Work Institute – www.learningandwork.org.uk/our-resources/improving-life-chances/really-useful-book-learning-and-earning-ruble-young-adult

Video case studies

For a range of videos documenting WP students experiences of HE study, please visit the links below: Grace Anne – https://youtu.be/fE1_aCW_3XM Keziah & Gemma - https://youtu.be/wn50Yt7HfgA Konstantinos - https://youtu.be/8ZcVEImNjJc Vanessa - https://youtu.be/gAvkw_QVcZQ

Student finance

• 2016/17 new system, incorporating tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, the maintenance grant has been replaced.

• Parental barriers, fears of debt, no understanding of how a student loan differs to other loans? All factors in stopping student progression to HE.

• WP cohorts will be the most likely to take out maximum tuition fee and

maintenance loans.

Myth busting

EMPLOYEE NUMBER DEPARTMENT DATE PERIOD

Joseph H Bloggs 53401 R&D 26/05/2016 2016/2017

PAYMENTS DEDUCTIONS YEAR TO DATE

DESC QTY RATE AMOUNT Tax: £183.25 Gross £1,833

NI: £139.36 Tax £183.25

SLC: £ 7.00 Ni £139.36

SLC: £7.00 TOTAL TOTAL £329.61

EMPLOYER : The Dream Factory PLC TAX CODE NAT. INS. No Rate £1,503.39

0001L JJ1234568B NET PAY

Figures based on graduate wage (£22,000), repayments based on maximum student loan entitlement (tuition fee & maintenance loan). No fee waivers, or bursaries have been added into the calculation. *SLC = Student Loans Company

Myth busting…

Income each year before tax Monthly income before tax Approximate monthly repayment

£21,000 £1,750 £0

£22,000 £1,833 £7

£23,500 £1,958 £18

£25,000 £2,083 £29

£27,000 £2,250 £45

£30,000 £2,500 £67

Myth busting cont…

• Will a student loan stop graduates accessing further finance (car loan etc.), a

mortgage, living? – Answer is no

• Investment in their future: graduate earnings still significantly higher compared to non graduates.

• Under the current system, Graduates need to earn £21,000 before any loan repayments begin.

Supporting with applications

Understanding the cycle: Year 12 - 13 • 15th Oct – 1st UCAS deadline • 15th Jan – 2nd UCAS deadline • Feb – Student Finance applications • Mar – Most offers will have been made. • May – Firm/insurance choices need to be decided. • Aug – Results day, confirmation and clearing. • September: Start University!

More info: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/resources/ucas/

Personal statements

Personal statements • Opportunity for students to demonstrate to admissions tutors their

passion and enthusiasm for their chosen course, also highlighting transferrable skills they have acquired.

• Encourage emphasis on strengths, incorporating examples of this as evidence.

• Spelling and grammar is key, no slang!

• Plenty of “previously used” personal statements available online, avoid these at all costs!

More info: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/resources/personal-statements/

Preparing for interviews

Why interview? • Application to certain courses require an interview stage.

• Usually applies to courses that lead onto a profession, or courses that

require a bespoke skill (arts/performing art).

• Also institutions that are in high demand, used as a way of narrowing down strong applications.

• Interview should act as an extension of their UCAS application, building on strengths, including additional information that applicant was unable to include on the personal statement.

Guide available here: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/resources/interviews/

Video guides – applying to HE

Please see below for a number of video guides designed to inform about the application cycle: Progression pathways & the types of qualification: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/16-18-choices/getting-started/what-are-my-options/what-qualifications-are-there-16-%E2%80%93-18-year UCAS application process - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avTmrdwn5ig Student finance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXThqNeWsqo Personal statements - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcBRDnTjI4k Preparing for interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEzP7VcAyfM

Talk to us! wp@lboro.ac.uk

• Questions on any element of this presentation?

• Have we missed anything?

• Want to give us feedback on activities we could/should be doing?

Inspiring Winners since 1909