24th June 2010 1Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

Level Zero Foundation Years – the Cinderella Programmes of Widening Participation.

A Longitudinal Study of Students from Foundation Year to Graduation

Nikki Hughes Manchester Metropolitan University

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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“It is the mark of a civilised society to aim at eliminating such inequalities as have their source, not in individual differences, but in its own organisation”

R.H. Tawney, 1964

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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What are Level Zero Foundation Years?

• Additional integral year of study • Provide access to HE for students not in possession of

sufficient, traditional or appropriate subject-specific qualifications

• Attract students from non-traditional or under-represented groups

• Offered by the majority of UK HE institutions• 25% increase in numbers between 2002/03 and 2006/07

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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MMU Foundation Year Vital Statistics 2009-2010• Linked to 120 degrees• Delivered at 4 centres (MMU, MMU Cheshire,

Manchester College and Trafford College)• Grown from 240 students in 2000 to 1074 in

2009/10• 63% cohort male (43% of institution)• 52% cohort white (72% of institution)• 16% cohort aged 21-24 (9% of institution)

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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A longitudinal study of students from Foundation Year to graduation

Does MMU’s Foundation Year “Work”?

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparative Progression from Year 1 (Level 4) to Year 2 (Level 5) of former Foundation Year Students

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparative progression at University level

n=460

n=444n=389n=378

n=6395n=6534n=6946n=6011

0102030405060708090

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

% p

rog

res

se

d

Former FY

Not FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparative progression by Faculty

n=100

n=82n=53n=59

n=1054n=1129n=1227

n=1057

n=166

n=173n=162

n=148

n=1344

n=1321n=1318n=1123

0

20

40

60

80

100

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

% p

rog

ressio

n

Business former FY Business not FY

Sci Eng former FY Sci Eng not FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparison of Degree Outcomes of Former Foundation Year Students with Direct Entrants

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparison of degree outcomes of former Foundation Year students

Degree outcomes 2008/09 (FY 05/06)

0

20

40

60

1 2.i 2.ii 3 Pass

% c

oh

ort

Former FY (n=184)

Not FY (n=2700)

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparison of degree outcomes of former Foundation Year studentsDegree outcome

Former FY?

2004/05 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09

1, 2i or 2ii Yes 82% 85% 93% 92%

No No data 90% 93% 91%

1 or 2i Yes 28% 35% 50% 49%

No No data 53% 58% 58%

1 Yes 2% 6% 6% 11%

No No data 10% 11% 13%

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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There is now very little to differentiate between a former Foundation Year student and a direct entrant other than their background…..

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Differences in Socio-economic Group

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Ratio of enrolments from SEC 4-7 to enrolments from SEC 1-3 for the Foundation Year and University from 2006-2009

00.20.40.60.8

11.2

2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

FY

University

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) DataWP group Year MMU loc-adj

benchmarkMMU Foundation

Year

State Schools %

2005/06 93 94 95.4

2007/08 93 95 96

Classes 4,5,6,7 %

2005/06 35 34 45

2007/08 35 35 46

Low Part Neighb %

2005/06 20 19 29

2007/08* 15* 14* 14*

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Differences in Ethnicity, Gender and Age

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Proportion ethnic minority students in successful Level 4 cohort

University-wide

n=460n=444n=389n=379

n=6385n=6534n=6946n=6011

0

20

40

60

2004/052005/062006/072007/08

% c

oh

ort

By Faculty 2007/08

020406080

% c

ohor

t

Former FYNot FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Proportion male students in successful Level 4 cohort

University-wide

020406080

% c

ohor

t

By Faculty 2007/08

01020304050607080

HSCE

FCHM

Humanities

Business

SciEng

Cheshire

% c

oh

ort

Former FYNot FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Proportion of students aged 21-24 in successful Level 4 cohort (2007/08)

Age profile of successful level 4 students (university-wide)

0

50

100

<21 21 - 24 >24

% c

oh

ort

Comparison of proportion of level 4 students aged 21-24 by Faculty

05

101520253035

HSCE

FCHM

Humanities

Business

SciEng

Cheshire

% c

oh

ort

Former FY

Not FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Students from all social groups are equally likely to participate in higher education if they achieve the relevant qualifications

N. Barr, 2003Higher Education Policy Institute, 2003

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Acknowledgement

• Doug Bett – formerly Planning and Management Information, MMU.

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Entry Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification / 40-160 tariff points plus GCSE mathematics and English grade D or level 3 numeracy and communication

0

10

20

30

<100 101-200 201-250 251-300 >301

UCAS Tariff Points

% c

oh

ort

FY

MMU

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Scope of Study

• Institutional-level data sources have been examined to– compare the progression from Level 4 (Year 1) to Level 5

(Year 2) of the 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07 cohorts of FY students with that of direct entrants to Level 4.

– compare the age, gender and ethnicity of the former 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07 cohorts of FY students studying at Level 4 with that of direct entrants.

– compare degree outcomes of the 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 cohorts of FY students with that of direct entrants.

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparative progression by Department

0

20

40

60

80

100

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

% p

rog

ressio

n

Computing & Maths former FY Computing & Maths not FY

Eng & Tech former FY Eng & Tech not FY

24th June 2010 Widening Participation in the 21st Century: A decade of learning

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Comparison of degree outcomes of former Foundation Year students

Degree outcomes 2007/08 (FY 04/05)

0

20

40

60

1 2.i 2.ii 3 Pass

% c

ohor

t

Former FY

Not FY

Degree outcomes 2006/07 (FY 03/04)

0

20

40

60

1 2.i 2.ii 3 Pass

% c

ohor

t

Degree outcomes 2004/05 (FY 01/02)

0

20

40

60

1 2.i 2.ii 3 Pass

% c

ohor

t

Degree outcomes 2008/09 (FY 05/06)

0

20

40

60

1 2.i 2.ii 3 Pass

% c

ohor

t