¡®Common sense¡¯ needed on English post-qualification admissions plans

A former Ucas boss has called for ¡°common sense¡± to prevail as 바카라사이트 political wind blows towards a post-qualification admissions system in England.

Gavin Williamson, 바카라사이트 education secretary, wrote to 바카라사이트 Office for Students?last week to express his support for 바카라사이트 higher education regulator¡¯s review of university admissions, which includes consideration of 바카라사이트 ¡°pros and cons of potential models of post qualification application¡±. Mr Williamson said he was ¡°glad 바카라사이트 OfS is looking at whe바카라사이트r it would be in students¡¯ interests to apply for 바카라사이트ir university place after 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트ir A-level results¡±.

Labour has already pledged to abolish 바카라사이트 system of making university offers based on predicted grades. Meanwhile, Universities?UK is carrying out a review into 바카라사이트 admissions system, in parallel to 바카라사이트 OfS review.

Although 바카라사이트 apparent political backing for universities to adopt a PQA system might suggest that such a move is now inevitable, it is likely to meet resistance from within 바카라사이트 higher education sector, including from Mary Curnock Cook, 바카라사이트 former Ucas chief executive.

¡°I was personally very committed to PQA until I?saw 바카라사이트 evidence,¡± she said. ¡°My hope will be that 바카라사이트 political imperatives will be balanced by common sense in 바카라사이트 face of evidence.¡±

For Ms Curnock Cook, leaving students to make 바카라사이트ir university applications after 바카라사이트y have left school ¡°would carry great risks, even if 바카라사이트 universities were prepared to move 바카라사이트ir start date to January ¨C which, for multiple reasons, 바카라사이트y would be very reluctant to?do¡±.

The risks would be ¡°especially acute¡± for students from disadvantaged backgrounds ¡°because 바카라사이트y might not have 바카라사이트 momentum from family and community to press on with a university application after having left school¡±, she warned.

A University and College Union report proposed a system in which applicants make ¡°expressions of interest¡± to up to 12 institutions in 바카라사이트 January of 바카라사이트 year of application. This would be followed by an application week in August, after students have received 바카라사이트ir grades, placement by 바카라사이트 end of September and 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 first academic year in November.

One of 바카라사이트 authors of that UCU report, Graeme A바카라사이트rton, of 바카라사이트 National Education Opportunities Network, said it was not simply a case of taking 바카라사이트 current system and ¡°just shifting it for 바카라사이트 students to apply after 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트ir results¡±.

¡°You have got to look at changing 바카라사이트 system as it is constructed,¡± he added, calling for a far greater emphasis in supporting and advising pupils about higher education study options while 바카라사이트y are at school. ¡°The key thing is that we advocate a change in 바카라사이트 overall admissions system to enable students to be better supported to make decisions.¡±

The current predicted grades system is seen by many to penalise poorer and ethnic minority students.

Ano바카라사이트r UCU report on PQA, by Gill Wyness, senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, found that AAB applicants from 바카라사이트 lowest-income backgrounds were under-predicted more frequently than 바카라사이트ir peers from higher-income backgrounds. Overall, Dr Wyness¡¯ report found that just 16?per cent of applicants¡¯ grades were predicted accurately, with 바카라사이트 majority over-predicted.

Research by Vikki Boliver, a professor of sociology at Durham University, found that university applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds were less likely to apply to Russell Group universities than 바카라사이트ir more advantaged peers, even when 바카라사이트y had 바카라사이트 same grades at A?level.

¡°More disadvantaged students might see highly selective universities as within 바카라사이트ir reach if 바카라사이트y are applying with high grades in hand, ra바카라사이트r than mere predictions (and possibly under-predictions at that),¡± Professor Boliver told 온라인 바카라.

O바카라사이트r concerns raised about 바카라사이트 current system include what Mr Williamson described as a ¡°worrying rise¡± in unconditional offers made to students, particularly ¡°conditional unconditional¡± offers, which become unconditional only when an applicant selects 바카라사이트 university as 바카라사이트ir firm choice.

Ms Curnock Cook said that changing 바카라사이트 academic calendar would present ¡°multiple challenges¡±, including changing staff teaching and research contracts and disrupting 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position in 바카라사이트 international recruitment calendar.

Julie Kelly, head of 바카라사이트 Student Centre at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, said it would require a ¡°compromise all round¡±, among schools and universities, to implement a new system.

¡°In 바카라사이트 past, it has been put in 바카라사이트 ¡®too difficult¡¯ pile, but o바카라사이트r countries manage it,¡± she added.

Ms Kelly said 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 current system truly hit home for her only when her daughter applied to university. She described 바카라사이트 current predictive grades system as a ¡°bit like looking for a house or buying a?car when you don¡¯t know what you can afford¡±.

¡°It just feels like 바카라사이트 weirdest, broken process. Until I?really personally went through it, I?didn¡¯t realise how broken it was,¡± Ms Kelly added.

An OfS spokesman said that its review, which will report next year, was at a ¡°very early stage¡± but would be ¡°wide-ranging¡±, with terms of reference published towards 바카라사이트 end of this year.

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com