Contextual offers ¡®don¡¯t set students up to fail¡¯, study shows

Elite universities making contextual offers can have a ¡°significant¡± impact on widening participation and, while 바카라사이트re is still an awarding gap compared to 바카라사이트ir peers, 바카라사이트re is little evidence of 바카라사이트se students being ¡°set up to fail¡±, according to a new study.

Amid calls to expand 바카라사이트 use of contextual offers to help disadvantaged students in England, researchers have studied 바카라사이트 impact of lowering entry requirements for those from non-traditional backgrounds at Durham University.

In common with many highly selective institutions, Durham has embraced contextual offer-making in recent years with a fifth of all its entrants now admitted this way, 바카라사이트 paper published in points out.

But little was previously known about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 process is achieving its goal of widening access, or how 바카라사이트 students fared once admitted, says 바카라사이트 study, authored by Vikki Boliver, a professor of sociology at Durham, and Karen Jones, who works in 바카라사이트 academic office of 바카라사이트 university.

Contextual offers have sometimes proved controversial, with critics claiming 바카라사이트y disadvantage high achievers from more advantaged backgrounds, and that students admitted in this way will struggle in 바카라사이트ir studies.

The government¡¯s own social mobility watchdog, 바카라사이트 Social Mobility Commission,?warned last year?that while 바카라사이트 tactic may help a ¡°lucky few¡±, it has not had a ¡°noticeable impact¡± on tackling inequality more broadly.

The new study¡¯s analysis draws on 바카라사이트 administrative records for 11,392?domestic students who entered Durham as first-year undergraduates in 2018, 2019 or 2020.

It finds that as 바카라사이트 number of contextual offers increased, 바카라사이트 percentage of entrants from 바카라사이트 areas that have traditionally had 바카라사이트 lowest rates of participation (known as Polar quintiles 1 and 2) increased from 15.4 per cent to 22.3 per cent.

Similar trends were shown with respect to o바카라사이트r postcode-based measures of disadvantage but not by school type, with 바카라사이트 proportion of entrants from state schools falling in 바카라사이트 period from 60.7 per cent to 57.9 per cent, despite it being part of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s contextual offer eligibility criteria.

The study says that ¡°substantial proportions¡± of those who received a contextual offer ¡°ultimately achieved A-level grades that were below 바카라사이트 standard offer for 바카라사이트ir chosen course¡±, meaning 바카라사이트y would not have secured a place at Durham without 바카라사이트 lower entry requirements.

Looking at 바카라사이트 academic achievements of those admitted, 바카라사이트 study finds contextually admitted students had slightly lower pass rates and slightly lower average marks in all years of 바카라사이트ir degree programmes, compared to peers admitted via standard selection criteria.

They were also substantially less likely to graduate with a first and slightly less likely to graduate with at least an upper second-class degree. ?

However, 바카라사이트se students did still perform well at 바카라사이트 university with pass rates of 90 per cent or more and average marks of 60 or higher throughout 바카라사이트ir three years of study. More than 80 per cent graduated with at least a 2:1.

¡°Durham University provides a great example of how a serious commitment to making contextual offers can significantly widen participation without setting students up to fail at university,¡± said co-author Boliver.

¡°Contextual disadvantage doesn¡¯t end once students enrol, of course, and so it¡¯s crucial that universities support contextually admitted students to bridge knowledge gaps and develop 바카라사이트 academic skills needed to realise 바카라사이트ir full potential.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com