About SPA
Objectives
The first four years of the Programme included the following objectives:
1. To review current admissions practices and assessment methods, and commission research where appropriate to improve the evidence base for good practice. Using existing professional networks, work with practitioners to build consensus and identify and disseminate advice and guidance on, and examples of, what constitutes good practice.
We have achieved this through visits to over 130 universities and colleges across the UK and identified a huge amount of good practice in admissions and related areas. We have talked with teachers, advisers and associations of schools and colleges to find out what is good in admissions and identify some of their concerns. We have met with many groups, governments, HE funders, and other organisations in different parts of the UK to discuss good practice and professionalism and have spoken at conferences to teachers, advisers, admissions practitioners and HE managers about how this good practice can be taken forward.
2. To audit the use of admissions tests, and consider issues relating to their rationale, purpose and validity from HE perspectives and issues to do with the costs, manageability and impact on the 16-19 curriculum for schools and colleges from pre-HE perspectives with regards to good practice.
We have identified about 90 different admissions tests that meet our definition and have carried out a survey to explore the underlying rationale for HEIs' use of tests. Further information about our research into admissions tests can be found on our admissions tests webpages.
3. To assess the principles and good practice surrounding the use of data as part of holistic assessment to give a context to admissions decision-making, together with the use of data from a range of sources to support the HE recruitment and admissions processes.
SPA has taken this forward working with a range of stakeholders, including UCAS. Work around the enhancement of fair admissions and holistic assessment (contextual data) has been one of SPA’s main themes for the last two years with the team making significant contributions to the national debates.
4. To create and develop a SPA website and an information and communication strategy to disseminate good practice and information and build links.
Many pages are now available to stakeholders on this website covering a variety of good practice and professionalism issues and forming an authoritative source of advice and guidance on HE admissions. Our communications and dissemination strategy includes organising SPA conferences in the different administrations of the UK as well as attending national conferences such as those organised by UCAS, Neil Stewart Associates, the Association of Colleges, UUK, and the Guardian Future of Higher Education Conference. Other events around the UK include conferences organised by the Higher Education Academy, the Learning for All conference in Scotland, the HEFCW improving retention and success conference, the UCAS Northern Ireland Standing Group and many others.
5. To raise awareness in HEIs of what makes a good applicant experience - the start of the 'student journey' - and its strategic importance to the institution, to start the debate in this area. The applicant experience covers Pre-application; Application; Post-application (the admissions decision-making process) and Transition. This links with encouraging all HE providers to develop transparent admissions policies and development of WP Strategic Assessments in England.
There has been considerable interest in SPA's work on the applicant experience, one of our main themes, particularly in relation to tracking progress and integrating good practice throughout an institution across all the stages of the experience.
Information on the pre-application and application stage, including recommendations of good practice, has been published and circulated to all HEIs; work on the post application stage has been drafted and circulated to HEIs for comment. Interest in the Applicant Experience continues to grow in view of its close relationship with the student experience and with retention.
An Association of University Administrators/SPA Special Interest Group in the Applicant Experience has met once to date, coordinated by the Director. About 50 administrators from around the UK, many from areas in HEIs SPA has not yet worked with, are interested in the work of this SIG.
6. To identify and raise issues with regard to the impact of initiatives implemented by the separate administrations of the UK on cross border applications relating to fairness and good practice in admissions.
SPA's UK-wide approach continues, with established links in all parts of the UK being used to understand the priorities and needs of governments, funders, education bodies and other organisations. Issues are still being explored, including: the impact of the different tuition fee policies on potential applicants, raising awareness of the variety of qualifications available in the different parts of the UK, understanding the policy emphasis and priorities in each administration with regard to qualifications, widening participation or access and other areas.
7. To continue to work with the Delivery Partnership (DP) established by UUK and GuildHE giving the HE sector the lead in taking forward the changes to the HE applications process arising from the recommendations in the Governments' response to the consultation 'Improving the Higher Education Applications Process' published in May 2006. The Director of SPA is a member of the Delivery Partnership.
SPA has been involved with the background and discussions on all the areas under consideration including the consultation with regard to a gathered field for the initial decision making on applicants and focused on different methods and dates that might be implemented. SPA has had input into reviewing the impact of the changes on good practice and fairness and our biggest contributions have been with regard to good practice in feedback to unsuccessful applicants and in encouraging the development of Entry Profiles (EPs).
8. To initiate the investigation, development and analysis of an evidence base of practice for part-time students applying to HE providers and to examine the issues and the linkages with the role of changes in school/college curricula, vocational qualifications, work-based learning, skills and employer engagement.
The SPA Programme takes account of both equal opportunities legislation and the drive to widen participation and access.
More details are available in the SPA Annual Review Report
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back to About SPA main pageReviewed and update: October 2010