Schools

Ministers scrap plans for post-qualification admissions

DfE says support for shake-up of university admissions was 'not strong enough'

DfE says support for shake-up of university admissions was 'not strong enough'

opportunity areas

Plans to radically overhaul university admissions to offer students places based on their actual exam results have been shelved.

The government had consulted on a move to post-qualification admissions, which would have seen students receive university offers once they had obtained their final grades.

Former education secretary Gavin Williamson said at the time that he wanted to “remove the unfairness” from the current system, in which pupils apply and are offered places based on predicted grades.

But universities minister Michelle Donelan confirmed today that the reforms have officially been shelved.

“While we are considering and implementing a range of reforms, after careful analysis of responses to the separate consultation on post-qualification admissions, we have decided not to proceed with this at this time.”

The government consulted on two potential models.

One would have involved both applications and offers being made after students receive their exam results, with results day moved to July and the higher education term moved to October.

The other would have involved applications being made before results, but offers made after results day.

The proposals prompted a mixed response. Research by the Sutton Trust in 2020 found that 66 per cent of students felt a post-qualification approach would be fairer than predicted grades.

A review by Universities UK backed a move to post-qualification admissions, but shot down a suggestion that the start of term for universities be moved to January to facilitate a later admissions process.

Sector wants to ‘focus on recovery’

Ofqual, the exams regulator, also warned that exam results could be delayed and students miss out on places if the government relied on slashing marking time to deliver its overhaul.

It said the reforms would rely on results for A-levels and other level 3 qualifications being released up to three weeks sooner than usual.

The DfE said responses to its consultation indicated the reform “would be a significant undertaking for both the HE and the school and college systems”.

“Many respondents” had pointed out the need for the sector to “focus on educational recovery and exam recovery as a priority, rather than wholesale system reform”.

Two thirds of consultation respondents were in favour of a change to PQA in principle, but 60 per cent of respondents felt the models proposed “would be either worse than, or no better than, current arrangements”.

“Whilst there is some support for post-qualification admissions, this is not strong enough to indicate that this is the right time for such a major upheaval, the DfE concluded.

The department said it would “continue to work with UCAS and sector bodies to improve transparency, reduce the use of unconditional offers, and reform the personal statement to improve fairness for applicants of all backgrounds”.

The government is due to shortly publish its response to the Augar review of post-18 education.

Among the proposals is the introduction of a minimum grade thresholds which could see students denied finance if they fail their English and maths GCSEs.

Latest education roles from

Executive Director of Finance – Moulton College

Executive Director of Finance – Moulton College

FEA

Director of Governance – HRUC

Director of Governance – HRUC

FEA

Principal and CEO

Principal and CEO

Hills Road Sixth Form College

Senior Quality Officer

Senior Quality Officer

University of Lancashire

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

IncludEd Conference: Get Inclusion Ready

As we all clamber to make sense of the new Ofsted framework, it can be hard to know where...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Helping every learner use AI responsibly

AI didn’t wait to be invited into the classroom. It burst in mid-lesson. Across UK schools, pupils are already...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Retire Early, Live Fully: What Teachers Need to Consider First

Specialist Financial Adviser, William Adams, from Wesleyan Financial Services discusses what teachers should be considering when it comes to...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

AI Safety: From DfE Guidance to Classroom Confidence

Darren Coxon, edtech consultant and AI education specialist, working with The National College, explores the DfE’s expectations for AI...

SWAdvertorial

More from this theme

Schools

Reform council’s school transport cut call ‘Victorian’, says Phillipson

Phillipson rejects call to extend the distance children can be expected to make their own way to school

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Schools

School uniform: New rules to meet Labour’s cap revealed

Government guidance tells schools to confirm changes ASAP, consider legal advice and lets parents complain to government

Jack Dyson
Schools

AI could analyse lessons delivered by new teachers under NIOT pilot

Artificial intelligence could be used to analyse recordings of lessons by early career teachers under a new trial being...

Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Politics, Schools

Reform government would ‘root out teachers brainwashing kids’ says MP Lee Anderson

Reform UK members tell party conference of need to crack down on 'brainwashing' teachers and stop schools 'becoming indoctrination...

Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *