UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON CONFIRMED WIDENING PARTICIPATION SUB COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on 26 th September 2012 at Stratford Campus Present: Officer: Gail May (Chair), Joy Coogan, Stacey Hall, Anthony Hudson, Warren Kidd and Maggie McLinden Dinaz Trudeau 1. APOLOGIES 1.1 RECEIVED: from Pritesh Barcha, Steve Brant, Stephen Maddison and Stuart Smith 1.2 NOTED: the Chair welcomed Stacy Hall (UELSU Representative) to the WPSC 2. MINUTES OF THE WIDENING PARTICIPATION SUB COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 15 th MAY 2012 2.1 RECEIVED & CONFIRMED: the unconfirmed minutes of the Widening Participation Sub Committee meeting held on 15 th May 2012 as an accurate record subject to the following amendment: 2.2 NOTED: that minute 32.2 (e) should read: (e) Widening Participation Learning & Teaching Objectives and UEL s Learning & Teaching Strategy 2012-2015 (Minute 26.1 k refers) The Chair, MMcL and AH had discussed whether UEL students who have attended EP to Campus Project Meetings could work with our NSP students who are studying Politics or International Development 3. MATTERS ARISING AND ACTION POINTS FROM THE WIDENING PARTICIPATION SUB COMMITTEE MEETING OF 15 th MAY 2012 3.1 NOTED: that there were two matters arising: (a) UEL s Access Agreement 2013/14 (Draft) (Minute 33.7 refers) The Chair is now engaged in discussion with the Pro Vice Chancellor (Strategic & External Development) with regards to the possibility of the new Newham Bursary being used to encourage Newham residents into Higher Education in particular Mature Learners and WP Undergraduate students who wish to pursue postgraduate study at UEL as this is an area that currently has no bursary or scholarship provision. The Chair agreed to update the WPSC on this matter. Page 1 of 6
(b) Any other business (Minute 40.1 refers) The Chair updated the WPSC to confirm that the Access Diploma is now recognised as AAB Equivalent for 2013/14.. The Chair agreed to disseminate to the WPSC and the Admissions Team the list which has details of this. 3.2 REVIEWED: progress on the action plan from the WPSC meeting held on 15 th May 2012: (a) Matters Arising (Minute 32.2 (a) refers) The UEL Admissions form which is mapped against the UCAS Admissions Form had been used at Clearing this year. It also captured data regarding pre entry qualifications and the previous institution. The Chair would ask SS to feedback at the next WPSC meeting in December or to send a deputy if he is unable to attend. (b) Any other business (Minute 40.3 refers) JC informed the WPSC that the programme was running this year with low numbers of students due to late validation which had left little time to advertise and recruit. JC felt it would be beneficial to invite the School of Psychology Leader in Learning & Teaching to a future WPSC to discuss the programme further. The Chair agreed to issue a formal invitation. 4. DATA ON WP STUDENTS 4.1 RECEIVED: a verbal update from Maggie McLinden, FE & Schools Partnership Manager. 4.2 NOTED: that keeping the data current including the schools and colleges maps was a continual body of work, however we have developed full partnerships with many institutions. Revised maps have been produced for East London, available on web based application. The maps cover KS4, KS5, partnerships and outreach. Presented online through Arc (http://www.arcgis.com/explorer/) with legends and layers. The Cass School of Education and Communities were now also putting placement data into Click View. MMcL wished to thank Cheryl Prior in the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering for her assistance with this work. Page 2 of 6
4.3 NOTED: that there is a now a new pattern of provision with the development of Free Schools and Academies and these will need to be added into the data gathering and representation on the ClickView maps. 4.4 NOTED: that where previously we had a reactive approach it had been decided that this academic year we would adopt a more proactive approach by starting to make contacts with Free Schools and Academies to offer our outreach programme. 4.5 NOTED: WK asked if there was a link between a lack of presence on the maps and under represented/developed groups. The Chair responded that it was unclear if there was a link as there had been no analysis undertaken using postcodes. 4.6 NOTED: JC suggested asking all UEL staff by means of an In Focus article to inform the E&CP Team if they had any family members or friends who have links with schools and colleges as a way to make contacts and build relationships. 4.7 AGREED: that MMcL would draft an article for In Focus with regards to minute 4.6 Action: Maggie McLinden 4.8 NOTED: that partnership data for 2012-13 has been updated to include new WP measure (sustained destination measure) to take account of FSM, the percentage of students entering HE (destination measure) and the expected disparity. Socio-economic data is no longer being used, expected to be annual statistical release. 4.9 NOTED: that MMcL had met with Holly Dugan (new Head of Strategic Planning) to discuss NSP partnership data reports, with the outcome being to produce anonymous data for partners on an annual basis. Areas covered include; raw numbers, subject areas, type of accepting qualification. 4.10 NOTED: that the first cut of acceptance data received from SRM from NSP partners, shows a snap-shot at the start of clearing. 5. 2012-2014 TARGETS FROM ACCESS AGREEMENT 5.1 REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED: the final submission of UEL s Access Agreement including excel spreadsheet in particular the Milestones Tab (a) the access agreement was submitted in May and approved in July and the funding now relates to both retention and outreach activity. The agreement consists of two documents a summary and financial breakdown with milestones and targets; and (b) that the Chair wishes for the WPSC to assist with the setting of milestones and targets for the 2014/15 Access Agreement; and Page 3 of 6
(c) that the target for bursary awards this year is 372 students; an early snapshot of data for SEM A looks like t 279 students in receipt of the National Scholarship Programme Bursary (schools and colleges route) and 33 students who will be eligible for the New Beginnings route; and (d) that a project exploring retention and outreach work with white males from low socio-economic backgrounds will also begin (target taken from the Equality & Diversity Strategy); and (e) that there will be an analysis (demographic and educational) of students who are taking an extended degree to ascertain which WP students are supported through this route as opposed to the New Beginnings pathway; and (f) that evaluating planned activities this year for the NSP Cohort, New Beginnings students, students in receipt of the UEL Progress Bursary is required as part of the Access Agreement and is being undertaken by Continuum; and (g) that the Chair is now part of an OFFA Delivery Group which meets every 6 weeks to ensure and monitor the milestones and targets from the OFFA Agreement; and (h) that TH had been working on the access agreement evaluation strand and agreed to present this at the next WPSC meeting. Action: Anthony Hudson 5.2 CONSIDERED: the 2012/13 Schools and Colleges Outreach Plan. (a) that the plan consisted of three strands of work Events, Schools and Colleges and Mature Students and Community Outreach; and (b) that the section under Schools and Colleges was now fully populated and the next step was to secure the support of schools and services in delivery. 6. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE WIDENING PARTICIPATION SUB COMMITTEE 2011/12 6.1 NOTED: the annual report of the Widening Participation Sub Committee 2011/12. 6.1 NOTED: the Chair wished to thank all members for their input to the WPSC last year. 7. THE FUTURE STRUCTURE OF WIDENING PARTICIPATION DELIVERY AT UEL AND WP PRIORTIES FOR 2012/13 7.1 DISCUSSED: the future structure of WP delivery at UEL. Page 4 of 6
(a) that as well as the WPSC there was also the UEL OFFA Delivery Group and the Chair felt it was time to explore the relationship between these two groups and the WPSC and Learning & Teaching Committee. The revised timeline for the L&T Strategy has also impacted on this; and (b) the WPSA is due to be reviewed and resubmitted this year in April/May 2013 and it would be beneficial to review WP at UEL as part of preparation for this submission as well as any possible areas of overlap with other committees or groups.. ; and (c) the Chair was concerned as to the poor attendance at the WPSC and would like to improve this; and (d) that some suggestions to tackle these areas included giving LiLTs targets within their L&T Objectives around outreach work, WP activity and retention. Making a business case for WP and holding an event in March 2013 asking staff to attend and give their input into our Access Agreement and WPSA as well as finding out more; and (e) it was suggested that the new Director of Student Life, Gareth Smith be invited to a future WPSC meeting to discuss WP in relation to Student Life. The Chair will extend the invitation. 7.2 NOTED: that the guidance published by HEFCE regarding WP priorities for 2012/13 had been addressed in the WPSA submission and was therefore removed from the agenda. The Chair agreed to disseminate the current guidance to the WPSC. 8. LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN 8.1 NOTED: a verbal update from Maggie McLinden, FE and Schools Partnership Manager regarding WP activity with Looked After Children. 8.2 NOTED: MMcL attended and represented UEL at both national and other sub-regional forums. At these forums, there were similar issues arising of; establishing and maintaining key contacts in care leavers community, transferring information across points of transition, encouraging timely disclosure, reaching out to social workers (corporate parents) and foster carers. At present there is no resource for co-ordination at national level. 8.3 NOTED: Sub-regional East London group met three times in academic year 2011-12, three meetings scheduled in 2012-13. Membership unstable, proving difficult to move ahead on work programme. Final meeting of 2011-12 hosted and supported by Buttle UK. Page 5 of 6
8.4 NOTED: that Access HE hosted London regional group in September 2012. Representatives from SE, SW, Central and East London attended. There is action planned to approach the Mayor of London to move ahead on obtaining a London wide pledge for care leavers entering HE. 8.5 NOTED: that MMcL has conducted an operational update by revisiting mapping contacts, producing a revised plan for mentoring to bring in line with other UEL mentoring services, UEL offer in Who Cares Trust publicity has been circulated nationally and a HE Fun Day is planned for 20 th October 2012. 8.6 NOTED: that the internal Buttle monitoring schedule in place with first meeting planned this semester, data submission to follow January 2013. 9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 9.1 NOTED: that there was no other business of the Widening Participation Sub Committee which was not covered elsewhere on the agenda. 10. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS 10.1 TO NOTE: that meetings for the WPSC for this academic year will be held on: 4 th December 2012 10-12pm EB1.39 Docklands 14 th March 2013 10-12pm RB1.04 Stratford 19 th June 2013 2-4pm EB1.44 Docklands Page 6 of 6