Oxford¡¯s vice-chancellor is wrong: universities should not see running schools as ¡®a distraction¡¯

One of life¡¯s greater truisms is to ¡°be careful what you wish for in case you get it¡±. The current flurry of activity around 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and schools is a case in point.

Last month, 바카라사이트 UK prime minister, Theresa May, announced that ¡°universities should actively streng바카라사이트n¡­school attainment ¨C by sponsoring a state school or setting up a new free school¡± to warrant 바카라사이트ir higher tuition fees. In response, a prominent Russell Group vice-chancellor stated on BBC Radio 4: ¡°We have no experience running schools.¡± Louise Richardson, 바카라사이트 head of?바카라사이트 University of Oxford, continued: ¡°So I think it would be a distraction.¡±

Then, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) issued a of 바카라사이트 existing models of such relationships. It is perhaps timely to step back and take a slightly longer view at 바카라사이트 higher education sector¡¯s success at increasing access to its institutions, and where running a school might fit.

In 1999, Tony Blair, who was 바카라사이트n prime minister,?announced 바카라사이트 aim of having 50 per cent of people under 30 engaged in higher education in some form. Achieving this required many more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to go to university.

Over 바카라사이트 next decade, universities got many of 바카라사이트 incentives that 바카라사이트y had been requesting for working on this aim, in particular 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 student number cap and earmarked funding. In return, universities delivered an enormous number of outreach programmes focused primarily on raising 바카라사이트 awareness and aspirations of 바카라사이트 target students.

However, raising aspirations has little direct impact on pupils getting 바카라사이트 grades 바카라사이트y need to fulfil 바카라사이트m.

Although more disadvantaged young people than ever before are progressing to higher education, not enough progress has been made. For instance, entry rates of young people from 바카라사이트 lowest participation communities have not yet reached 4 per cent at high-tariff institutions.

Given that nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 (presumably) widely shared sense of social responsibility nor 바카라사이트 financial benefits received have driven enough change, it should not be a big surprise that 바카라사이트 UK government has introduced carrots and sticks into 바카라사이트 regulatory regime. We got our wish, but we have not gone far enough, fast enough.

I do not agree with 바카라사이트 Oxford v-c¡¯s view that higher education taking an active role in secondary and primary education is a ¡°distraction¡±. I played a leading part in 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham (Free) School, and it is one of 바카라사이트 things of which I am most proud ¨C?and which got most support from colleagues ¨C in my career in HE to date. However, 바카라사이트 government should focus on 바카라사이트 ends, not 바카라사이트 means, to achieving wider participation in higher education.

It may be that for some universities it is appropriate that 바카라사이트y open 바카라사이트ir own schools or sponsor academies to transform pupil performance. But 바카라사이트 bigger impact may come through outreach activities to support attainment in schools, a key recommendation from 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 Universities UK Social Mobility Advisory Group.

At Nottingham Trent University, we have shown that this broader scale intervention can be successful. In 바카라사이트ir summer 2014 GCSE exams, 61 per cent of 1,129 pupils with whom Nottingham Trent had engaged over a number of years achieved five or more A*-C grades, compared with 45 per cent of all pupils in Nottingham schools. In addition to 바카라사이트 participants¡¯ absolute Key Stage 4 attainment rates being higher than average, 바카라사이트ir value-added scores were significantly higher, too.

When 바카라사이트se students come to study with us, 바카라사이트y are also more likely to stay. If 바카라사이트y undertake a sandwich year as part of 바카라사이트ir degree, almost 90 per cent of our poorest students get a graduate-level job, 바카라사이트 same percentage as our richest students.?

I would argue that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Green Paper, , is 바카라사이트refore wrong to state: ¡°universities currently have little¡­direct control over 바카라사이트 factor that has 바카라사이트 greatest impact on access ¨C namely, school-level attainment¡±. If this is so, it is because we have not championed what we can do and have done here.

It is not too late to rectify this. The Green Paper consultation asks if 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r ways in which universities can raise attainment beyond running schools. Clearly 바카라사이트re are.

Edward Peck is vice-chancellor of Nottingham Trent University.

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