BRIDGWATER COLLEGE ACCESS AGREEMENT 2017-18 Institution: Bridgwater College Contact for access agreement: Wendy Dick Post held: Director of Staff, Curriculum and Quality Services Telephone number: 01278 441330 Email address: dickw@bridgwater.ac.uk Introduction Bridgwater College was formed in 1973 and is a tertiary college providing the main education and training for young people in the area leaving secondary school at age 16. The College is responsible for the vast majority of post-16 education and training in Bridgwater and its surrounding area. In addition the College has developed a wide ranging curriculum for employers and adults. In 2014-15 full time 16-18 year old student numbers for Further Education (FE) were 3,374 and for adults were 629. Part time FE provision was delivered to 378 school aged students, 12,704 part time students and 1,597 Apprentices. In Summer 2016, Bridgwater College merged with Somerset College, a medium-sized further and higher education college based 13 miles away. Somerset College started life as the School of Art and Science in 1856, as a result of the rise in interest in Arts and Science following the Great Exhibition of 1851. At the time of merger, Somerset College had 1,200 full-time FE students, 4,472 part-time students and 459 apprentices. The newly merged College came under the Bridgwater College name initially but with plans to create a new brand in Autumn 2016. This Access Agreement is written for the merged College with three campuses Bridgwater, Cannington and Taunton. Bridgwater College underwent a QAA Higher Education Review in April 2014 and the former Somerset College, in November 2014. Both were judged to meet UK expectations across all aspects of the UK Quality Code. A number of areas of Good Practice were identified, most notably engagement with employers, design and approval of new courses and work on supporting students with transitions. The College has three centres involved in managing and delivering HE; Bridgwater, Taunton and Cannington. Provision is currently allocated to the centre with the best match related to learning resources and overall student needs. Following the merger, however, plans are being developed to re-evaluate the location of many programmes with conclusions being drawn for September 2016 and beyond. A continued programme of investment in resources has enhanced the learning environments and opportunities for HE students. Particular specialist resource investment in arts and engineering curriculum is being continued along with investment in many programmes in terms of teaching resources. This investment reflects the continued financial stability and performance of the College. Governors are responsible for the strategic direction and educational characteristics of the College. Working with the Principal and the Senior Management Team, the mission, strategic aims and annual objectives are set out in the Strategic Plan and are reviewed and evaluated 1
as part of the College s annual Self Assessment Report (SAR) and Self Evaluation (SE) that is specifically focused on HE. This includes performance measures, progress against which is monitored through Review Groups and Academic Boards, and other governing body committee processes. The College s strategic aims are reviewed annually by the Governors and SMT, who consult with the College Management Team. The strategic aims and operational objectives are set out in the current Strategic Plan. All aims encompass aspects of the Higher Education offer. Bridgwater College s Vision, Mission and Aims for : Strategic Aim 1: Strategic Aim 2: Strategic Aim 3: Strategic Aim 4: Deliver outstanding teaching, learning and support which ensures the best possible progression and outcomes for students Respond to the current and emerging education and training needs of the students, employers and communities we serve Promote within our staff a culture of innovation, creativity and passion for student success and achievement Maintain excellent financial health which enables the College to invest in and support the development of its staff, facilities and resources The College s Operating Plan for 2015/16 details actions to implement the strategic plan and includes enhancement and improvement actions resulting from the HER and internal review processes at programme and College levels. The Operating Plan is reviewed regularly by the institutional level HE Review Group / HE Academic Board to ensure progress and updates are noted against those actions specifically relevant to HE. While HE activity equates to a relatively small percentage of the College s full time and part time provision, it remains a priority for longer term strategic growth. This gives the College a full range of qualification levels in a number of vocational subject areas from entry and level 1 through to level 4,5 and in some cases level 6 through the offer of Higher National, Foundation Degrees and top up Bachelor honours qualifications plus full three year degrees. The College has developed an effective strategy of working with university partners with a particular strength or expertise in the curriculum area/sector the College wishes to offer. These partnerships with HEIs are valued highly by the College and continue to be developed over time. The College has a mix of its own directly funded provision which operates in validation partnerships and indirectly funded franchise provision with university partners and Edexcel. The College is now focused on its enhancement strategy, which recognises and further develops the top down approach to enhancing the experience of all of our students. Profile of the student population Higher Education is an important part of the College s wide range and depth of curriculum offer that offers higher levels of study and development linked with vocational and skills sectors. During 2014-15 full time HE student numbers were at 394 with a further 257 part time HE students studying at Bridgwater and 421 full time, 82 part time students studying in Taunton. The majority of the College s HE students are recruited from Somerset and 2
surrounding counties. Some students are recruited outside of this locality on a national and international basis but are in the minority. The student population at the merged college is predominantly of White British ethnicity, which reflects the profile of the local region which was estimated by the County Council in 2011 to have only 2% of its population from non-white ethnic origin. A significant proportion of the students are in employment and therefore live and work locally to the College. Age ranges vary between courses, there is strong young participation with level 3 progressing students and more mature entrants directed to study through their employers. Bridgwater Centre is situated immediately adjacent to two Quintile 1 wards. Over recent years the College has proactively worked to create an all-through academy that seeks to raise aspirations of students in that ward. Progression through to HE from these wards and similar in the Taunton area will be reviewed in the context of a merged college will fees above the basic fee level from 2016/17. Achievement and success are high for those that remain to the end of their studies and the non-continuation rates from year 1 remain below the national average for comparable institutions. The Student Experience The College ensures that the experience that each and every student has during their time with us is as good as it can be from an academic, pastoral and social viewpoint. This involves all staff playing their part in providing excellent customer service and ensuring that students are at the heart of everything that we do. We are looking to produce graduates who have excelled and developed their skills and potential for academic achievement, employment, independence and life. We will continue to enhance the student experience by: Providing students with access to highly qualified staff, academically and professionally, the best possible academic resources and cutting edge equipment Further developing the scholarly activity framework Continuing to develop relevant work based learning, opportunities including internships, work placements, relevant visits, live project briefs and visiting speakers Enhancing student employability by developing employability skills and career planning, and providing opportunities for personal development planning and internships Promoting the development of an appropriate HE student community Incorporating professional qualifications and accreditations into our HE programmes where possible Ensuring that Somerset College delivers an HE curriculum that is informed by employers and academic practice and which is accessible to all students, regardless of social or economic background Widening Participation Position Widening Participation is central to the College s mission statement: We will inspire the people of the local, national and international communities we serve to achieve success by providing: 3
Outstanding teaching, learning and skills development Creative and exciting partnerships with our students, staff and employers A welcoming, safe, inclusive and supportive environment This mission and commitment to widening participation is reflected throughout the College s draft Strategic Plan for 2015-2018. Priorities and target groups The key priorities for widening participation and an overview of how HEFCE funds will be used are as follows: 1. Raise awareness and expectations about participation in higher education among the local community and support increased social mobility 2. Increase participation in higher education, particularly for those in participation cold spots (HEFCE data), especially for specified target groups: Care leavers Disabled students Students from black and minority ethnic groups Students from low income backgrounds 3. Increase retention of students on programme 4. Ensure equality of opportunity for all students throughout their student lifecycle. High Risk Students and under-represented groups The College recognises that certain categories of students are at greater risk than others of failure to stay for the duration of their HE course in College, and to achieve and reach their full potential. The College is committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, particularly those whose circumstances mean that additional support and attention may need to be in place. High risk students may include the following (but the list is not intended to be exhaustive): students with behaviour management issues students who have suffered different forms of abuse or neglect in the past those who are academically more or less able students qualifying for a bursary scheme award or from low-income backgrounds students for whom English is an additional language minority ethnic students lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students Gypsy, Roma and Traveller students 4
young carers students of different religions and beliefs ex-offenders women returners and teenage mothers mature students care leavers disabled students. For disabled learners, as defined by the Equality Act 2010, and those who have special educational needs, see the College s separate Additional Learning Support (ALS) Policy. The College employs a range of methods to identify high risk students at an early stage and support them in a number of different ways throughout their course. The strategy for the support of these students is detailed in the College s Strategy for High Risk Learners. Level of fees or fee limits The fee levels for all franchised (indirectly funded) courses are those determined by the franchising institution and contained in their own access agreements. A maximum fee of 7,500 will be charged for all full-time higher education programmes and in proportion to intensity of study for part-time programmes from September 2017. This includes Higher National Diplomas, Foundation degrees and BA/BSc Honours degrees. The fee will apply equally to United Kingdom students and to students who are nationals of any other state of the European Union. A maximum fee of 6,750 will be charged for all part-time higher education programmes, per academic year. This fee will be reviewed annually, in the spring term. In addition to the tuition fees the College reserves the right to charge students for additional professional registration and/or sector skills requirements. The College first charged above the basic fee limit of 6,000 in 2016/17, prior to that the basic fee levels applied. The College is not yet in a position to evaluate the impact of the raised fee levels and subsequent access activities at the time of producing this agreement. Continuing Students For 2017-18, we intend to increase our tuition fees in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility s forecast for RPI-X (the retail price index, excluding mortgage interest payments). Financial Support for students 5
1. During the academic year 2015/16, a review of financial support available to HE students took place, to ascertain the support that can be made available in the academic year of 2016/17 and beyond. The College reserves the right to review the levels of financial support granted each academic year following an evaluation of the impact from the previous year. 2. Financial support will be made available from 2016/17, with further details below: HE Diagnostic Support Fund The Diagnostic Support Fund aims to provide financial support for eligible higher education students who are undertaking a full diagnostic assessment that is being conducted by Bridgwater College. Funds available A grant of 250 per eligible student to pay for the full diagnostic assessment when conducted by Bridgwater College. Once the finances available to support this fund have been exhausted there will be no further funding available. DSA Technology Support Fund The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) Technology Support Fund aims to provide financial support for eligible higher education students towards the cost of higher specification equipment, as identified by their Technical Needs Assessment (TNA). Funds available A grant of 200 per eligible student to pay for the first 200 required towards higher specification equipment as identified by the TNA. Once the finances available to support this fund have been exhausted there will be no further funding available. The HE Bursary Fund The Bridgwater College Bursary Fund is a means-tested bursary to support higher education students with costs directly related to their studies. This fund is only available to students who are in their first year of study, on an eligible course, in 2016/17. Funds are granted on a priority basis to identified priority groups. High priority students are those who are: o Care leavers To be eligible as a care leaver you must: Have been in local authority care for a minimum of three months 6
o o o o Be a permanent resident in the United Kingdom and be home student for fee purposes Have proof of being in care from an official source, such as a local authority Be enrolled on an undergraduate course at Bridgwater College Not already hold a previous HE qualification Have not been adopted Registered as disabled From ethnic minority groups Students with children, especially single parents Carers with responsibility for caring for others Funds available A grant of up to 600 per eligible student, payable during the academic year 2016/17. Applications will be considered on priority basis. Funds are paid per term in equal instalments. Eligible students studying on a part time programme will receive a pro-rata amount. Once the finances available to support this fund have been exhausted there will be no further funding available. The HE Emergency Discretionary Fund The Bridgwater College Emergency Discretionary Fund is a small fund aimed at supporting students who are facing genuinely severe hardships that are directly impacting upon their ability to study and are not normally already being supported through other means. This fund is open to all students studying on eligible programmes. Funds available A grant of up to 600 per eligible full time student, funds are made available pro-rata to eligible part time students. Funds are granted on a needs basis and prioritised to specific groups. Once the finances available to support this fund have been exhausted there will be no further funding available. Indication of spend The money allocated in 2017/18 towards access and student success measures are as follows: Access 70,000 Student Success 65,000 Progression 37,000 7
Information on financial support available to students: Financial information will be made available to all prospective students considering whether to join courses coming under this agreement. Such information will be guided by the principles of accessibility, transparency and clarity. The institution is able to provide a full range of financial advice to prospective and current students though it s Student Support department. All information relating to fees and means of financial support for students will be made available to applicants as soon as possible following confirmation by the Principalship. This information will be included in the College s HE prospectus and on the College website. It will also be made available to UCAS and the Student Loans Company in the summer of 2016 so that all students are able to access this information when making decisions about where to study. Consultation with the Student Body The College holds the views and involvement of students at the centre of all decision making processes. The overarching principles of Higher Education Student Representation at Bridgwater College describe the values and characteristics expected as a result of the implementation of the Student Engagement policy: All students are treated fairly, equitably and with respect All students, through this process, have the opportunity to actively engage with and contribute to the enhancement of their experience of being a HE student at Bridgwater College Student representatives are supported by the College to enable them to fulfil their role Student representatives contribute to the development and continuous improvement of this policy and associated procedures and processes The student voice is actively listened to and engaged with as part of the College s formal quality assurance process. This is a process that spans each academic year and is informed by university specific processes throughout via programme and institution level procedures. The diagram below provides an illustrated overview of the key processes relating to the student voice: 8
Student Surveys HE Students External Examiner Reports Student Representatives Programme meetings HE Student Forum Documents on HE Info Hub HE Review Group Student Voice listened to and recorded Actions identified and issues responded to Communication of impact of student feedback Governors Standards Committee Enhancement of the higher education student experience 9
Evaluation method The priorities for the College will be monitored and reviewed via established College mechanisms, most specifically Senior Management Team meetings and termly Higher Education Review Group / Academic Boards meetings. This will involve the above priorities featuring as part of the Operational Plan for 2016/17 and beyond, regular review via monitoring meetings, review of related Key Performance Indicators and reporting at a senior level which culminates in the annual Self Evaluation process and document. Responding to the changing environment Despite the anticipated major changes affecting the College post-merger, we do not anticipate any major changes to our longer term widening participation strategy for the next two years. Widening participation is central to the College s mission and strategy and this will remain unchanged regardless of external pressures. The College is committed to providing high quality but affordable higher education. Keeping the cost affordable is proving to be a challenge particularly where partner universities dictate the fees for programmes, which in some instances are significantly higher than those we set for the provision we manage directly. Fair Access Bridgwater College is committed to providing and promoting fair access to higher education for appropriately qualified or experienced students regardless of their background and social status. We actively promote our Higher Education to under-represented groups and undertake a number of initiatives to do this, including charging the lowest possible fees and setting entry requirements appropriate to the local environment which are reviewed annually based on the applications received during the previous recruitment cycle. 10
Outreach activities The College is committed to collecting data about, monitoring and evaluating the outreach activities detailed below. At the time of producing this document the College is newly merged and the data represented on the evaluative statements made are for Bridgwater College pre-merger to help give an indication of the College s impact to date. Outreach activity description Liaison work with local schools College support schemes Careers services Aim(s) Target group(s ) Outputs/results Measures of success/failure/impact. Do we plan to continue with this activity in future? To raise aspirations and understanding of HE in school-age students To provide financial support to young people from low income families to study at College at FE level and then later progress into HE To provide careers information, advice and guidance in local schools and within the College All 13-16 year old students in schools within the College s catchment area Students from low income families 14-16 year old students in schools within the College s catchment area and all current College student Increased awareness of HE generally, increased understanding of the accessibility of HE and the opportunities available to young people Increased FE participation of students from low income families and increased progression of those young people, into HE Increased awareness of career opportunities and routes through HE. Increased understanding of the accessibility of HE Applications of school students to College courses. Feedback from school students and teachers. Progression data of local young people through College into HE. Progression data of students. Feedback from school students and teachers. Applications of school students to College courses. Progression data of local young people through College into HE. 11
Progression activities within the College Retention /progression activities Tutorial programme To provide focused information and support for progression through FE and into HE for College students Full time College students (largely aged 16-19) Increased applications to HE providers (including Bridgwater College). Amount of UCAS applications from College students. Aim(s) Target group(s) Outputs/results Measures of success/failure/impact. Do you plan to continue with this activity in future? To provide one to one support and target setting for students All HE students, with individualised tutorial support for each student Target setting and tutorial support enables and enhances learner progress on programme and beyond. Individualised academic and pastoral support aids the retention of students. KPIs continuation data, success, destinations. Student feedback. The College can demonstrate impact in this area of activity. Bridgwater College (premerger) has seen an increase in retention from 85% in 2012-13 to 88% in 2014/15, achievement rates remain high between 89% and 93% between 2012-15. There is currently a trend demonstrating the high quality of achievement with a third of students achieving a 1 st class or Distinction in 2014-15, up from from 21% in 2012-13. Student feedback has remained positive but the College has identified key areas of operation to focus on as a result of this feedback which includes further strengthening its tutorial offer. 12
Work based learning projects Educational visits To provide opportunities for students to gain work place experience thus employability skills To provide enrichment and relevance to HE study by supporting the learning with visits to employers, trade shows, HEIs etc HEI partner activity To provide access to the relevant HEI partner to inspire All programmes where work based learning is appropriate / applicable All HE students, with visits relevant to the programme of study All HE students who study on a By participating in work based learning projects, students gain employability skills and industry awareness, thus aiding progression. These activities also aid retention by providing a realistic and engaging experience of the work place, relevant to the programme of study. Improved understanding of industry and subject area, enriched learning opportunities and a widened educational experience aid student retention and support progression both through the programme and beyond. By providing access to the HEI, through visits, liaison with HEI Continuation and retention data. Student feedback. EE reports. Employer feedback. Employer feedback has been very positive as demonstrated with the good practice points noted in Bridgwater College s HER report in May 2014. Retention data for students completing Foundation Degrees in 2012-13 to 2014/15 has remained steady with 87% retained in 2014/15. EE reports also continue to demonstrate high quality provision and opportunities with these programmes with many good practice points being noted. Continuation and retention data. Student feedback. EE reports. Employer feedback. The College has identified opportunities to embed more educational visits into its HE provision. However there is no notable correlation between courses that actively embed this type of activity to those that do not. Students do however appreciate and regularly request more visits in their feedback. Destination data. Feedback from students. Feedback from HEIs. 13
and support progression programme that is linked with an HEI staff and access to student unions and resources, progression and retention are aided. Enhancing student success/reducing attainment gap activities Tutorial programme Quality improvement plans Aim(s) Target group(s) Outputs/results Measures of success/failure/impact. Do you plan to continue with this activity in future? To provide one to one support and target setting for students Targeted action plans aimed at improving poor success rates and reducing gaps in attainment All HE students, with individualised tutorial support for each student Programmes with success rates and / or attainment gaps below benchmark or College acceptable levels Targets and tutorial support enables and enhances learner progress on programme and thus success rates. Individualised support aids the reduction of attainment gaps. Action plans written to address specific issue/s which are monitored throughout the academic year by the senior management team KPIs and analysis continuation data, success, destinations. Student feedback. Measure of success improvement of particular KPI that falls below benchmark / acceptable levels. Student feedback. EE reports. Courses identified for QIPs demonstrate that this process has a positive impact in addressing areas for improvement. 14
PDP Programme Self Assessment monitoring Use of the PDP to enhance student success To monitor the progress and achievement of students and analyse data and staff / student feedback to continually improve students success and experience All HE students All HE students Use of the PDP process and output to support students in their success on programme and development of employability skills. A termly monitoring process whereby Course Leaders selfassess and report to a Senior Manager on progress made and action planning. Individual success data. Student feedback. KPIs and analysis - continuation data, success, destinations. Student feedback. Collaboration Aim(s) Target group(s) Outputs/results Measures of success/failure/impact. Do you plan to continue with this activity in future? University partnerships To raise aspirations and develop awareness of offer available from the College and University Level 3 students Current HE students Visits to University Talks from University staff Increased links and working together between University and College Amount of UCAS applications from College students. 15
Local schools Local and national employers To raise the aspirations on young people on the local area and provide a reality to going to University To provide opportunities to develop awareness of employment opportunities and employability skills through engaging directly with businesses. School age students School age students. FE students, HE students Effective collaboration between Bridgwater College and local schools to raise awareness of University level opportunities available to local young people. Work placements. Visits to and from employers. Internships. Interview practise. Feedback from school students and teachers. Applications of school students to College courses. Progression data of local young people through College into HE. Destination and DLHE data. Employer feedback. Bridgwater College is a member of the Western Outreach Network, part of the HEFCE funded National Networks for Collaborative Outreach. In terms of sustainability beyond the funding period 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. 16
Additional information The institution will undertake annual monitoring of this access agreement to confirm compliance and progress towards the achievement of the milestones it has established. Responsibility for the monitoring report will rest with the Head of Academic Partnerships and Marketing. The report will be presented to the Senior Management Team and the Higher Education Review Group and following such approval be sent to the College Governors. The annual monitoring report will be submitted to the Director of OFFA following its approval by the College Governors. The report will be presented to the Executive at such time as to ensure that OFFA will receive the report by its July deadline. The report will incorporate the following sections: Financial data summarising recruitment levels, payment of bursaries, and other financial support made available to students; Outreach activities that have been undertaken during the year; Progression made in meeting institutional targets and objectives. 17
Table 7 - Targets and milestones Institution name: Bridgwater College Institution UKPRN: 10000878 Table 7a - Statistical targets and milestones relating to your applicants, entrants or student body Reference number Stage of the lifecycle (drop-down menu) Target type (drop-down menu) Description (500 characters maximum) Is this a collaborative target? (dropdown menu) Baseline year (drop-down menu) Baseline data Yearly milestones (numeric where possible, however you may use text) 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Commentary on your milestones/targets or textual description where numerical description is not appropriate (500 characters maximum) T16a_01 Access Other statistic - Applications (please give details in the next column) Increase applications from FE students moving into HE in Somerset No Other (please give details in Description column) 152 163 165 168 170 177 Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges T16a_02 Access Other statistic - Care-leavers (please give details in the next column) Increase applications from care leavers No Other (please give details in Description column) 10 10 11 11 11 12 Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges T16a_03 Access Other statistic - Disabled (please give details in the next column) Increase applications from disabled students No Other (please give details in Description column) 99 102 107 107 109 113 Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges T16a_04 Access Other statistic - Ethnicity (please give details in the next column) Increase applications from black and minority ethnic groups No Other (please give details in Description column) 34 34 34 34 35 36 Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset College. The baseline data is very challenging at that minimum level. The aspiration is always to improve but the reality of achieveing is challenging given the ethnic mix of the local region (2011 Somerset County Council data for Somerset show only 2% of the local population are black or minority ethnicities). T16a_05 Access Other statistic - Low-income backgrounds (please give details in the next column) Increase applications from students from a lowincome background No Other (please give details in Description column) Not currently measured 60 65 70 75 78 Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges T16a_06 Student success Other statistic - Completion/Non continuation (please give details in the next column) Improve retention on all programmes No Other (please give details in Description column) 75% 76% 77% 78% 79% 79% Merged figures for Bridgwater and Somerset Colleges Table 7b - Other milestones and targets. Reference Number Select stage of the lifecycle Please select target type from the drop-down menu Description (500 characters maximum) Is this a collaborative target? Baseline year Baseline data Yearly milestones (numeric where possible, however you may use text) 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Commentary on your milestones/targets or textual description where numerical description is not appropriate (500 characters maximum)