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The federal government’s proposed plan to cap pupil numbers would “flip again the clock on social mobility” and show “counterproductive” because the nation seeks to extend the variety of adults with high-level abilities, Universities UK (UUK) has warned.
UUK represents 140 establishments – most in England, the place the proposed reforms would influence – and right this moment printed its response to a authorities session on sweeping increased schooling reforms, which closed on Friday, 6 Could.
UUK stated it opposed a pupil quantity cap, arguing the UK already confronted a rising graduate abilities hole predicted to develop to over 15% by 2030. Graduate shortages have an effect on some topic areas greater than others – and the federal government says it’s contemplating a cap on some topics “in order that suppliers can refocus on high-quality provision and topics which ship the most effective outcomes, for college students, society and the financial system”. UUK warned it was not possible for ministers to foretell future abilities wants.
“We perceive the federal government is worried whether or not taxpayers’ cash is being spent effectively on high-quality programs aligned with the abilities wants of the financial system,” UUK stated in its session response, including it was eager “to discover alternate options” to satisfy the federal government’s financial objectives.
The mission group additionally warned {that a} cap would most adversely have an effect on college students from deprived backgrounds and areas of the nation – and injury experience and information in fields “that can’t merely be re-established” if want arises. It pointed to a cap on nursing locations, the legacy of which continues to be felt within the sector’s wrestle to broaden the variety of coaching locations.
UUK additionally disagreed with plans for minimal entry necessities to entry pupil finance, claiming it will frustrate efforts to extend the variety of college students from non-traditional and deprived backgrounds in increased schooling.
Knowledge from the Workplace for College students (OfS) reveals that college students with the bottom reported A-level outcomes had higher-than-average continuation charges, demonstrating “prior attainment knowledge doesn’t decide” success in HE, UUK stated.
College students from deprived backgrounds are statistically extra prone to underperform at GCSE and A-level “as a result of alternative by way of education just isn’t evenly unfold” and subsequently extra prone to be barred from HE, UUK predicted.
The implementation of minimal entry necessities could be in breach of the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Obligation
– Sally Burtonshaw, London Greater
Stated Prof Steve West, president of UUK: “All reforms to increased schooling must be in the most effective pursuits of scholars in addition to universities, enterprise and society. We stay dedicated to working along with authorities to make sure future coverage choices cut back inequalities and wholeheartedly help the levelling up agenda.”
GuildHE joined UUK in condemning the plans. A spokesperson for the organisation, which represents small specialist HE suppliers, warned pupil quantity controls had been “extremely complicated to ship centrally” and “a really blunt instrument”. The OfS already has measures to limit failing HE suppliers from recruiting college students, the GuildHE spokesperson continued, including: “Something greater than this dangers destabilising the sector and massively limiting pupil selection and equality of alternatives.”
Earlier this yr, the federal government launched three consultations that have an effect on universities: the lifelong studying entitlement, increased schooling reform and the UK analysis evaluation. All three closed on 6 Could, and final week, a number of college mission teams – together with Universities Alliance, MillionPlus and the Russell Group – provided suggestions. Final week, UUK warned that sustainable state funding, higher steerage for college students and extra versatile guidelines are wanted if the proposed lifelong studying entitlement is to work.
London Greater, which represents establishments within the capital, stated minimal entry necessities and pupil quantity controls “symbolize a breach of the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Obligation” because it known as for the federal government to scrap the plans. The mission group stated its analysis steered that the proposed minimal entry necessities at GCSE – of at the least a grade 4, traditionally a C grade, in English and Maths – would “lockout” 49.4% of Free College Meal and 86.1% of particular instructional wants pupils in outer London.
Sally Burtonshaw, senior coverage and advocacy officer at London Greater, stated: “No supplier or authorities can exactly determine which people can be profitable inside increased schooling. The introduction of MERs [minimum entry requirements] would do little to scale back the burden to the taxpayer however would prohibit alternative for probably the most deprived, regardless of proof suggesting that these college students can and do profit from increased schooling.
“The implementation of MERs could be in breach of the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Obligation, exerting a disproportionate and unjustifiable influence on a number of teams of scholars whose traits are protected underneath equalities laws.”
Learn extra: Lifelong studying entitlement requires ‘sustainable’ college funding
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