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Key Areas - Widening Participation
The Context
Widening participation is the attempt to make Higher Education more accessible to people who are from the social backgrounds that are under-represented in Higher Education. It is a part of the social inclusion agenda. It includes both outreach activities and retention activities. Examples of widening participation activities include summer schools, taster days, mentoring, HE Fairs, school visits, masterclasses, compact agreements, academic partnerships between FE Colleges and HE institutions, and the establishing of progression routes into HE from school, college, and work based learning.
Action on Access
The mission of Action on Access is to promote inclusivity and diversity, and the broadest possible access to higher education. Their activities are intended to shape and influence both policy and practice and broker dialogue between policy-makers and practitioners. They work with a wide range or partners and strategic alliances to help deliver and embed widening participation.
Office for Fair Access
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent public body that helps safeguard and promote fair access to higher education. They approve and monitor 'access agreements' with English universities and colleges who must negotiate an 'access agreement' with OFFA when determining the level of their tuition fees.
Aimhigher
Aimhigher is a national programme that is funded by HEFCE and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and operates across 42 area partnerships throughout England. The programme began in 2004 and funding is currently allocated to maintain the programme until 31st July 2011.
The purpose of Aimhigher is to raise aspirations and motivation to enter HE among young people from under-represented groups, raise attainment of potential students from under-represented groups so that they gain the academic or vocational qualifications that will enable them to enter HE, strengthen progression routes into HE via vocational courses, and offer information, advice and guidance to potential students and their teachers and families
Aimhigher activities engage and motivate learners who have the potential to enter HE but may be under-achieving, undecided or lacking in confidence. The programme particularly focuses on young people from lower socio-economic groups (NS-SEC groups 4-8), those from disadvantaged backgrounds who live in areas of relative deprivation where participation in HE is low, disabled learners, and looked after children.
Aimhigher Direct Gov Aimhigher Practitioners Aimhigher Associates Scheme
Conference Report for the Aimhigher Associates Scheme Conference, May 2010
What role does FACE Play?
FACE provides a network and a forum for discussion for practitioners and policy makers. Research, best practice and experience can be shared at FACE seminars and through workshops or papers at the FACE Annual Conference or electronically through the network.
Resources
Continuum – the centre for widening participation policy studies - is the first research centre of its kind in the UK. The aim of Continuum is to provide a focus for critical understanding of WP policy and practice.
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