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1661307

registered interest
date	18/09/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications were (a) received and (b) accepted for the Higher Education Short Courses trial in the (a) 2021-2022 and (b) 2022-23 academic years; and how many and what proportion of people with accepted applications applied for (i) fee and (ii) maintenance loans.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	199982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2023 answer text <p>The higher education short courses trial, which began roll-out over the course of the 2022/23 academic year, has seen 22 providers develop over 100 short courses.</p><p>As of June 2023, there have been 240 applications to providers for designated short courses, which have resulted in 126 enrolments. The Student Loans Company (SLC) has received 75 applications for HESC tuition-fee loans, of which 34 have resulted in payment. Maintenance loans are not available for higher education short courses.</p><p>This is the first time that a tuition fee loan from the SLC has been available to students applying for HESC. Although the department is only offering tuition fee loans for the courses within this trial, applying for tuition fee loans is not the only way to fund a HESC, with some students choosing to work with their employer to secure funding, some paying for it themselves, and some providers covering the costs of the course to test demand for short courses.</p><p>The numbers of applications for loans for the trial only test demand for loan funding and are nor the best or only indicator of demand. There is a wide range of evidence that individuals want to pursue technical and vocational education, sometimes modularly, at Levels 4 and 5 such as uptake of Advanced Learner Loans, uptake of Foundation Degrees, HNDs and HNCs, data from the In-Work Skills pilot and growing numbers of approved HTQs.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 20/10/2023 11:09:16 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1654217

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 2 of the Department for Education's consultation response entitled Higher Education Policy Statement and Reform: Government consultation response, published in July 2023, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposals to cap the numbers of students on low quality courses on (a) students and (b) providers in each English region; and whether she discussed the potential impact of those proposals on the levelling up agenda with the Secretary of State for Education before the publication of the Government consultation response.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	195021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/09/2023 answer text <p>As the independent regulator, it will be for the Office for Students (OfS) to determine whether Higher Education (HE) provision is in breach of condition of registration B3, which requires providers to deliver positive student outcomes, and whether a recruitment limit is an appropriate and proportionate response to any individual breach. Therefore, the department cannot predict which providers and provision might be subject to a recruitment limit in the future. OfS are currently investigating 18 of the total 421 registered HE providers, in relation to condition B3.</p><p>Further detail about condition of registration B3 can found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/registration-with-the-ofs-a-guide/conditions-of-registration/" target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/registration-with-the-ofs-a-guide/conditions-of-registration/</a>.</p><p>The department considered the potential impact of recruitment limits on students and providers in each English region, based on provision currently not meeting the minimum thresholds for one or more of the three B3 metrics, in its HE Reform consultation response impact assessment. This impact assessment can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170666/Higher_education_policy_statement_and_reform_-_government_consultation_response_-_impact_assessments_and_analysis.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170666/Higher_education_policy_statement_and_reform_-_government_consultation_response_-_impact_assessments_and_analysis.pdf</a>.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities considered and agreed all of the measures in the HE Reform Consultation Response.</p><p>The department wants to make sure that every student who goes into HE will be able to reap true benefits, regardless of where they are located. Supporting students across the UK onto HE which delivers good outcomes will support levelling up.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 04/09/2023 14:02:27 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

1653672

registered interest
date	17/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to widen access to higher education.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	194545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2023 answer text <p>An English 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background today is 86% more likely to go to university than in 2010, and the department wants this success to continue.</p><p>The Higher Education and Research Act (HERA) 2017 established the Office for Students (OfS) as the regulator for higher education (HE). It has a statutory duty to have regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the whole student lifecycle for disadvantaged and traditionally under-represented groups, not only access, but also student success and progression. The Director of Fair Access and Participation at the OfS has a specific role in overseeing this work and driving it forward.</p><p>In November 2021, the department issued guidance to the OfS, tasking it to refocus the entire access and participation regime to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The system should ensure students are able to make the right choices, accessing and succeeding on high-quality courses which are valued by employers and lead to good graduate employment.</p><p>This work aims to drive up standards in education and focus in on genuine social justice by making getting on at university as important as getting in.</p><p>Prior attainment is a key determinant of successful participation in HE. That is why the department has asked universities to take on a more direct role in driving up the standards in schools.</p><p>The department wants to see universities working with schools to drive up the standards and encourage aspiration and attainment, not for their own benefit by increasing numbers at their own institutions but to support students through paths that benefit them the most, including through apprenticeships, higher technical qualifications or vocational education.</p><p>Uni Connect, which the department is funding at £30 million for 2023/2024, brings together partnerships of universities, colleges, and other local partners to offer activities, advice and information on the benefits and realities of going to university or college.</p><p>The department knows that diversifying modes of study in HE can be an important method of broadening access and participation. We have tasked the OfS to strongly encourage providers to set themselves ambitious, measurable targets to significantly increase the proportion of students on higher and degree apprenticeships, Level 4 and 5 courses and part time study. Examples of this can be found at both universities in York as well as the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology.</p><p>All approved HE providers who are intending to charge fees above the basic amount are required to fully rewrite their access and participation plans to be in place for September 2025 to reflect government priorities. The OfS has identified approximately 40 HE providers who will be the first to complete this rewrite and have their new plans in place for September 2024.</p><p>In March 2023, the OfS launched its Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (EORR). This will empower providers to deliver interventions for groups of students least likely to experience equal opportunity in HE settings by highlighting 12 key sector risks and the groups most likely to experience these. The department welcomes the EORR as a key marker for social justice which will help ensure that no student groups are left behind.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 25/07/2023 15:55:37 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1581872

registered interest
date	30/01/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications there have been to date for places on the Higher Education Short Courses trial; how many and what proportion of those applications were accepted; and how many and what proportion of those that were accepted applied for (a) fee and (b) maintenance loans.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	135430
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2023 answer text <p>The Higher Education Short Courses trial, which will be rolling out over the course of the 2022/23 academic year, has seen 22 providers develop over 100 short courses. The department will be monitoring the overall number of students and number of applications for loans as part of the trial, which is due to run for three years in total.</p><p>The department is developing bespoke engagement activity to further engage trial providers. We are keen to explore how they can maximise their relationships with employers to ensure steady uptake of the new short courses opening throughout the year and beyond. We will continue to work closely with those providers to maximise the number of applications.</p><p>We are only offering tuition fee loans for the courses within this trial. This is the first time that a tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company has been available to students applying for Higher Education short courses. Those who need additional support may be eligible for a study-costs bursary which can be used towards study-related costs, such as childcare, books, and travel, and is distributed directly by their provider.</p><p>The department is gathering and evaluating data throughout the trial alongside the Student Loan Company, Office for Students and providers, and will use this to inform the development of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement. We currently have no plans to publish any specific data.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 07/02/2023 17:50:42 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

1581509

registered interest
date	27/01/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students who received free school meals in secondary school are at each registered higher education provider.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	134012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2023 answer text <p>The Office for Students (OfS) publishes counts and proportions of students that are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM)[1] as part of their ‘Size and shape of provision data dashboard’ which can be accessed here: <a href="https://officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/size-and-shape-of-provision-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/" target="_blank">https://officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/size-and-shape-of-provision-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/</a>.</p><p>In the 2020/21 academic year, 138,550 full-time undergraduate students were recorded as eligible for FSM.</p><p>[1] The FSM measure is restricted to undergraduate students under 21 years at age of entry, who were found in the National Pupil Database Key Stage 4 data in 2009/10 or later.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 06/02/2023 13:04:25 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1565473

registered interest
date	10/01/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to put in place safeguards to help ensure artificial intelligence software does not undermine the fairness of the application cycle for higher education courses.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	120029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2023 answer text <p>The government is mindful of the rapid technological change in this area. The Office for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing an agile and adaptable regulatory framework for AI, which will use a test-and-learn approach to ensure their regulatory approach remains flexible and relevant.</p><p>The department works with the Office for AI and all those involved in the higher education (HE) admissions system to ensure that it remains fair, as well as to build an understanding of the potential risks posed to admissions by assistive tools such as Chat GPT and other forms of AI software.</p><p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) maintains confidence in the HE admissions system. One element of this is the operation of a dedicated verification team tasked with the prevention and detection of fraud in applications and similarity in personal statements.</p><p>UCAS has a responsibility to applicants, HE providers, and stakeholders to screen applications for false, missing and/or misleading information, check personal statements for patterns of similarity, and to report their findings in accordance with established processes. UCAS’ aim is to avoid anyone gaining from an unfair advantage and securing a place in a HE by deception.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon grouped question UIN 120030 question first answered 17/01/2023 17:18:16 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1565474

registered interest
date	10/01/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to issue guidance to schools and sixth forms on the use of artificial intelligence software in admissions for higher education courses.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	120030
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/01/2023 answer text <p>The government is mindful of the rapid technological change in this area. The Office for Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing an agile and adaptable regulatory framework for AI, which will use a test-and-learn approach to ensure their regulatory approach remains flexible and relevant.</p><p>The department works with the Office for AI and all those involved in the higher education (HE) admissions system to ensure that it remains fair, as well as to build an understanding of the potential risks posed to admissions by assistive tools such as Chat GPT and other forms of AI software.</p><p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) maintains confidence in the HE admissions system. One element of this is the operation of a dedicated verification team tasked with the prevention and detection of fraud in applications and similarity in personal statements.</p><p>UCAS has a responsibility to applicants, HE providers, and stakeholders to screen applications for false, missing and/or misleading information, check personal statements for patterns of similarity, and to report their findings in accordance with established processes. UCAS’ aim is to avoid anyone gaining from an unfair advantage and securing a place in a HE by deception.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon grouped question UIN 120029 question first answered 17/01/2023 17:18:16 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1545894

registered interest
date	28/11/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has conducted a review of the potential changes required to the admissions system for higher education courses in advance of the delivery of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement in the academic year 2024-25.
tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
tabling member printed	Matt Western
uin	97674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2022 answer text <p>To support the design and delivery of the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) from 2025, the department will continue to engage with sector bodies across both further education and higher education, as well as the Student Loans Company and regulatory bodies.</p><p>On admissions, the department is continuing 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.</p><p>The LLE consultation and other ongoing engagements are an important part of delivering a transformation of student finance. The department is carefully considering the contributions and will publish a response in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon grouped question UIN 97672 question first answered 05/12/2022 13:43:57 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1523446

registered interest
date	18/10/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students were accepted onto higher education courses by each A-level grade combination in England in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	North West Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Richard Holden
uin	66047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2022 answer text <p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service publish data on acceptances to full-time undergraduate higher education by A level grade combination. It can be found here: <a href="https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2021" target="_blank">https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2021</a>.</p><p>The table below shows the number of acceptances by A level grade combinations for English 18-year-olds for the three most recent years.</p><p>Figures for 2022 are due to published in December.</p><p><strong>Table 1 – English 18-year-olds accepted to full-time undergraduate higher education by A level points:</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>A level points</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3 points (EEE)</p></td><td><p>305</p></td><td><p>105</p></td><td><p>145</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 points (DEE)</p></td><td><p>1,160</p></td><td><p>400</p></td><td><p>475</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>5 points (DDE)</p></td><td><p>2,625</p></td><td><p>945</p></td><td><p>1,015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6 points (DDD)</p></td><td><p>4,740</p></td><td><p>1,935</p></td><td><p>1,980</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>7 points (CDD)</p></td><td><p>7,100</p></td><td><p>3,585</p></td><td><p>3,380</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>8 points (CCD)</p></td><td><p>9,665</p></td><td><p>6,155</p></td><td><p>5,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>9 points (CCC)</p></td><td><p>11,895</p></td><td><p>9,170</p></td><td><p>7,650</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>10 points (BCC)</p></td><td><p>13,805</p></td><td><p>11,590</p></td><td><p>10,185</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>11 points (BBC)</p></td><td><p>14,390</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p>12,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12 points (BBB)</p></td><td><p>14,395</p></td><td><p>15,350</p></td><td><p>14,410</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>13 points (ABB)</p></td><td><p>13,800</p></td><td><p>15,540</p></td><td><p>15,665</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>14 points (AAB)</p></td><td><p>11,860</p></td><td><p>15,090</p></td><td><p>16,160</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>15 points (AAA)</p></td><td><p>10,690</p></td><td><p>14,555</p></td><td><p>16,555</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>16 points (A*AA)</p></td><td><p>8,365</p></td><td><p>12,755</p></td><td><p>14,905</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>17 points (A*A*A)</p></td><td><p>5,285</p></td><td><p>9,880</p></td><td><p>12,860</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>18 points (A*A*A*)</p></td><td><p>4,835</p></td><td><p>11,085</p></td><td><p>16,505</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>All</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>134,910</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>141,860</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>149,380</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 24/10/2022 16:20:41 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden

1519400

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) A level, (b) Applied General, and (c) T level students that began their course in the academic year 2020-21 (i) applied for and (ii) accepted a place in higher education.
tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
tabling member printed	Mr Toby Perkins
uin	59605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2022 answer text <p>The onward destinations of students will be published when the relevant data is available to enable destinations to be identified and reported. The statistical data for the number of A level and Applied General students who began their courses in academic year 2020/21 and who applied for and were accepted for a place in higher education (HE), are not yet available.</p><p> </p><p>In reference to T Level students only, UCAS have reported observing the first T level cohorts receive their results this summer, with 410 of the 510 applicants (80%) accepted onto HE courses. More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/first-exam-year-pandemic-sees-record-numbers-entering-higher-education" target="_blank">https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/first-exam-year-pandemic-sees-record-numbers-entering-higher-education</a>.</p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 13/10/2022 16:17:37 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins