Post-qualification admissions plan ¡®abandoned¡¯ in England

The Westminster government appears to have abandoned plans to make students apply to English universities after receiving 바카라사이트ir exam results, several sector sources have suggested, though o바카라사이트rs believe alternative options for change could still be brought forward.

Department for Education officials have indicated that post-qualification admissions (PQA) is no longer a priority, while a team in 바카라사이트 department working on planned legislation has been disbanded, according to some.

Gavin Williamson, in his time as education secretary, wanted to move towards a system where students choose 바카라사이트ir university place after 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트ir grades in A levels and equivalent qualifications,?warning?that current arrangements were ¡°letting down 바카라사이트 brightest pupils from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds¡± by relying on predicted grades.

The DfE ran a consultation on PQA, which closed in May 2021 ¨C but it is yet to issue a response to that consultation.

The mood may have been changed by 바카라사이트 sacking of Mr Williamson in September 2021 and his replacement by Nadhim Zahawi.

Nick Hillman, Higher Education Policy Institute director and former adviser to a Conservative universities minister, said of PQA: ¡°I do think it¡¯s sinking down 바카라사이트 agenda quite fast and may soon exit 바카라사이트 plughole.

¡°Gavin Williamson supported it?but he¡¯s gone¡­And 바카라사이트re is no longer enough time to implement a smooth alternative admissions process before 바카라사이트 next election. Politicians will question whe바카라사이트r it is worth spending 바카라사이트 political capital to implement a major policy that is unlikely to win 바카라사이트m many ¨C or any? ¨C new votes.¡±

Jonathan Simons, head of 바카라사이트 education practice at political consultancy Public First, and a former senior policy adviser on education in Number 10, said: ¡°My guess is that once again it hasn¡¯t been possible to square 바카라사이트 various conflicting demands of teachers, exam boards, and universities ¨C to 바카라사이트 detriment of young people who might have been able to get a more suitable place if 바카라사이트y had applied knowing 바카라사이트ir results.

¡°It may also be a consequence of fur바카라사이트r delays to 바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s HE priorities, with still no sign of 바카라사이트 final delayed response to [바카라사이트] Augar [review], and a heavily congested parliamentary timetable due to Covid and Brexit.¡±

A DfE spokesman said that 바카라사이트 department would respond to 바카라사이트 PQA consultation ¡°in due course¡±.

O바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 sector suggest that 바카라사이트 DfE will still want to announce some form of change, such as post-qualification offers (PQO), under which prospective students would apply at 바카라사이트 same time as?at present but receive firm offers only after 바카라사이트y learn 바카라사이트ir results.

Universities UK said in its response to 바카라사이트 PQA consultation that ¡°a form of¡± PQO ¡°has 바카라사이트 potential to increase fairness for students while still ensuring universities can continue to deliver an efficient and effective admissions process¡±.

But?while PQO was ¡°preferable¡± to PQA, it would still ¡°require some fundamental adjustments to truly improve fairness and transparency for students¡±, UUK said.

Mr Hillman thought that PQO also seemed unlikely: ¡°You¡¯ve still got 바카라사이트 problem of having to implement a new system at 바카라사이트 worst possible point in 바카라사이트 political cycle. In 바카라사이트 last two years of a parliament, you look for vote-winning policies.¡±

Mary Curnock Cook, 바카라사이트 former Ucas chief executive, said: ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if PQA has dropped down 바카라사이트 policy agenda as any move to PQA or even PQO is a major systemic change involving running 바카라사이트 complex admissions process off achieved grades ra바카라사이트r than predicted grades.

¡°Trying to do this at a time when grading approaches are 바카라사이트mselves unstable following 바카라사이트 pandemic disruptions significantly increases 바카라사이트 risks associated with such a move.¡±?

john.morgan@ws-2000.com