Lifelong learning week was Monday 6 November – Friday 10 November, and here at CAVA we wanted to highlight the learning each CAVA staff member does.
We shared each individual post on LinkedIn throughout the week. Below is a copy of all of our learning experiences.
Emily Ross – Playing in a brass band
Jacky Kelly – Birdwatching and Photography
Last week many people around the country celebrated Green Careers Week, a noteworthy event spanning from 6 to 11 November 2023. This initiative sheds light on emerging technologies and careers with the potential to positively transform our world.
At CAVA, we are passionate about enabling adults to achieve their aspirations through education. We recognise the importance of education for sustainable development and the vital role education has to play in the successful achievement for the
The Access to HE Diploma aligns with several key SDGs, contributing to global progress in tangible ways:
The Access to HE Diploma serves as a pathway for lifelong learning, designed for adults and to fit around adult’s other commitments. The qualification is regulated by the QAA to ensure it is high quality and provides opportunities for adults to progress to higher education. Through CAVA’s collaborative work with subject experts, we ensure the quality and enhancement of Diplomas via rigorous validation and moderation processes.
Gender equality and empowerment through education is exemplified by the Access to HE Diplomas. More than 68% of our CAVA students identify as women, who progress to impactful careers and foster positive societal change.
Designed to align with career pathways, Access to HE Diplomas encompass diverse sectors, such as Creative Industries; Engineering; Health and Social Care; Land-based Studies; Maritime; and Science. In 2022-23, 90% of our students progressed to employment or further education after completing their studies.
The Access to HE Diploma is aimed at breaking down barriers and reducing inequality in education access. In 2022-23, 15% of our students reported living with a learning difficulty and/or disability; 17% were from ethnic minority backgrounds; and 16% were from an area of disadvantage.
At CAVA we have been exploring how to best integrate sustainability and green skills into all of our Access to HE Diplomas. In the previous academic year, we consulted with our providers to understand the status of each of their sustainability journeys and how we can best support their efforts.
Based on their feedback, this academic year we will be mapping all of our Diplomas and subject areas against the UN SDGs, following the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development framework. We will also provide enriching resources relevant to each subject area for our course teams to integrate discussions about sustainability and green skills development in their lessons. We will share an update about our progress in early 2024, so watch this space.
Due to the cost of living crisis, retention is an ongoing issue across the country. CAVA members continue to implement a range of support for their students to counteract these issues and ensure their students can achieve to the best of their ability.
Over the past five years, Truro and Penwith College has supported their Access to HE students to have a high retention rate and strong grade outcomes. Recently, their Access to HE Coordinator met with Georgia Green, CAVA’s Communication and Events Officer, to discuss their effective practices.
Truro and Penwith College begin their support for students before they are accepted onto one of their Access to HE courses, by engaging with students via a phone call during the application stage. Within this discussion, students are encouraged to look into career exploration and consider different higher education (HE) progression routes which they may be interested in. This focuses students on the reasons why they are studying and serves as a key motivator throughout their course.
Additionally, Truro and Penwith College encourages students to explore the UCAS website, to gain a thorough understanding of the requirements of their preferred HE options, such as specific GCSE grades in particular subjects. This comprehensive approach ensures that students are well-prepared for their interviews, the course, and their chosen progression route.
To enable student success, it is important that the right support is in place from the start. At the application stage, college staff review each students’ application form to identify any additional needs of the student. This may include; exam concessions, coloured paper, a quiet room, or medical conditions which may impact their ability to attend college or submit assignments. Staff focus on both the physical and mental needs of the student.
During the interview, the students have an opportunity to disclose any information they would like the college to be aware of and contribute to their picture of need. If needed, the exams office will follow this up by sending the picture of need to tutors and lecturers, so that they gain a wider understanding of the student to further support them throughout the course.
There is also a chance to discuss the course, explaining the structure of the units alongside the method of assessments. The college expectations are also clearly outlined, including coursework which will take place outside of the classroom, the different deadliness and the attendance expectations. This supports the students by ensuring they fully understand how rigorous the course will be before they begin.
The college also uses this opportunity to share the variety of additional support for the students including literacy, numeracy and finances. Different bursaries including the adult learner bursary is also explained during the interview stage, to remove any barriers for the students around payment. This support is emphasised throughout the year to ensure all students are aware of it and understand how to access it.
During induction, students have a chance to meet other students as well as lecturers who they will be working closely with during the course. A team of learning mentors are also accessible at this time for students to understand what they offer. During the course, students can arrange meetings as often as they need to, to discuss academic support or strengthening study skills such as time management or organisation. A student can self refer at any point; a lecturer or tutor can also refer them if they feel it would be helpful.
Truro and Penwith College also offer tutorials and have a personal tutor for their students. The tutorials focus on a range of topics including health and safety, wellbeing and prevention. These are often given by local university lecturers as well as internal tutors. The students also have one and a half hours each week with their personal tutor to ensure a strong relationship is built.
Truro and Penwith College credits their students doing so well due to the structure of their units. Within their Access to HE Diploma (Science) course, students receive weekly homework which gives them an opportunity to practise the skills they will be graded on at a later date. Due to this, the students develop skills such as how to research, write reports and reference assignments before they have to demonstrate it on a graded unit. They also have ungraded lab skills where they secure their knowledge around practical skills and vocabulary to support their graded units later in the year.
Personal tutors also work with the student to monitor their learning throughout the year, using an ongoing review document which is created at the start of the course. This is used to support students with topics such as their assignments, writing personal statements and applying to UCAS. After the UCAS deadline, these tutor sessions focus on a range of study skills which are beneficial for the course, HE, and post-education.
During induction, students are given a wide range of information about enrichment opportunities, student services, UCAS and their safeguarding officers. This information is revisited throughout the course, to ensure nothing is misunderstood or forgotten.
Throughout the course, students are encouraged to work towards their career progression and have the opportunity to have conversations with different career advisors and visit both the FE and HE careers zone where they can gain more information and support. This year, Truro and Penwith College have also introduced an online employment platform called Careers Connect. This supports and offers advice to Access to HE Diploma students around different career and progression routes.
Truro and Penwith College also offer ‘Mature Access Pathway’ which is a course run by Exeter University which includes multiple university visits, a chance to talk to mature students and an opportunity to break down misconceptions and increase their confidence around progressing to HE.
The CAVA team would like to congratulate Truro and Penwith College for their hard work and thank them for sharing their good practice.
Since ChatGPT was released in November 2022, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword throughout not only education, but the world. It appears each week different tools are being released or improved and it is almost impossible to keep up. Due to the amount of tools and sites available, we find it can be overwhelming to know which ones are useful and specifically how you can use them.
Below we share a few of our favourite tools which we have identified to be useful to educators, especially those who work in further or higher education.
AI can be an incredible tool which supports educators in creating content, reducing how long it takes them to complete a task and creating personalised resources easily. Like anything, AI should be used carefully and always requires a human to sense-check what has been made.
If you are an Access to HE provider, check out our CAVA AI guidance for more information about how to use it with the qualification.
This year the CAVA annual conference, ‘EdTech Opportunities for Access to HE’ will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and online delivery and their impact on Access to HE.
It will be a virtual conference, taking place on Google Meet on Friday 1 December 2023, starting at 09:30 and finishing at 15:45.
We are excited that Ben Whitaker from EduFuturist and Rachel Whitton, a Research Further scholar with AoC will be joining us as our keynote speakers.
We also have a panel of experts from both FE and HE, and a chance for you to network with FE and HE colleagues around the country whilst discussing the relevant topics.
During our AI focus, there will be opportunities to discuss:
During our online delivery focus, there will be opportunities to discuss:
You can find the programme and registration here.
We look forward to seeing you there.
This year we are pleased to have two universities sign progression agreements with us for the benefit of all CAVA Access to HE students. The University of Suffolk (UoS) has renewed their agreement which is currently in place for entry in the academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
We are also excited to announce that Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) have also signed a progression agreement with CAVA, which is in place for the academic years 2023-24 (for January 2024 entry); 2024-25; and 2025-26.
Please see the details below for each progression agreement.
ARU guarantees an offer of admission for students who have achieved, or are predicted to achieve a CAVA Access to HE Diploma with 45 level 3 credits at Pass grades. Under this progression agreement, some courses will require students to have taken either a subject specific Access to HE course or specific units at level 3 within the Access to HE course to be successful in gaining an offer or interview.
This progression agreement is applicable for entry onto all ARU degree courses, with the exception of MOptom Optometry and MBChB Primary Medical Qualification.
UoS guarantees an offer of admission for students who successfully complete a CAVA Access to HE Diploma. The progression agreement is applicable for entry onto all UoS degree courses, with the exception of Professional Health degrees, Degree Apprenticeships, Work-Based Learning, employer-sponsored study, or for courses that require a portfolio or audition as part of admission.
If part of the admissions process includes an interview, students will be guaranteed one if they meet the above entry requirements. If the interview is successful, students will be made an offer, depending on places being available. Students must attend the interview, if they are unable to attend, they will not be made an offer of admission.
If students are required to attend a physical or virtual interview (including audition or portfolio review) as part of the Admissions process, students will still be expected to attend this interview. Students unable to attend an interview will not be made an offer of admission.
For both universities, students must submit a full UCAS application, including Personal Statement and References, and any other information required
by the University admissions team in line with any deadlines set for submission to be eligible for entry to the University.
We are pleased this will expand the progression opportunities for our CAVA Access to HE students. If you are a student, please get in touch with your CAVA college to find out more about the progression statement and how it can best benefit you.
All CAVA colleges can access the full terms and conditions of the progression agreements in the CAVA Members Area.
We welcome the opportunity to explore further progression agreements with universities. If your institution would like to widen participation for adult learners, please contact CAVA via admin@cava.ac.uk.
Analysis of student outcomes across the CAVA membership has shown exceptionally high pass rates on Access to HE Diplomas. This demonstrates a close relationship between retention and achievement – if students stay until the end of their course, they tend to achieve their full Diploma. We have been exploring retention good practice with our CAVA members. Loughborough College has a wide variety of ways in which they support their students. The Curriculum Manager for Access to HE sat down with Georgia Green, CAVA’s Communication and Events Officer, to share their good practice and give an insight into some of the ways they are supporting their students.
Loughborough College starts to support their students before they are accepted onto the Access to HE Diploma. During the application process, a member of staff conducts a phone call with each student where they discuss topics such as why they have taken a break from education, their family structure, and whether they have a reliable support system in place. Given the intense nature of the Access to HE Diplomas offered, Loughborough College is keen on identifying students who possess the necessary skills and behaviours to thrive in the academic environment.
This call aims to provide preparatory support and ease any apprehensions and uncertainties that students may have, ensuring that they can demonstrate their potential during the interview. Students are also encouraged to bring examples of their experiences that demonstrate qualities like resilience, collaboration, teamwork, or problem-solving skills – traits highly valued by the college.
If successful, students are then given the opportunity to participate in taster mornings which are conducted in small groups. During these sessions, students get the chance to connect with peers, socialise, explore the campus, meet the faculty, and address any queries they may have. These events also provide a platform to discuss available financial and mental health support, demonstrating the college’s commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Once a student accepts their place, they sit down with a dedicated member of the learner services team to discuss any perceived barriers or indicators that may impact their learning. These discussions serve as an initial understanding of the individual’s needs. The college conducts assessments based on these conversations, enabling them to tailor support mechanisms to suit each student’s unique requirements.
In cases where it is thought beneficial, the college extends an invitation for an additional taster day. These extra taster days not only provide students with an opportunity to become more familiar with the college environment but also help in establishing a sense of security and belonging before the official induction week begins.
Induction week at Loughborough College is a structured, comprehensive process designed to ensure students feel comfortable, informed, and supported from the very beginning. The Access to HE Diploma timetable runs over three days. However, for induction, students are invited in for the full week so they can start to foster strong relationships with staff, have an excellent experience, access the whole campus, meet students from other courses, and receive information, advice and guidance regarding topics such as finance and childcare.
The week also contains a range of informative lectures, ice breakers, socialising activities and a comprehensive skills audit which lasts 45 minutes. During the audit, the students are asked to rate themselves on essential skills such as digital proficiency, confidence levels in both group and independent work, and research skills – fundamental skills for their courses. For those who self-assess lower in any area, additional support is immediately put in place.
The audit provides a platform for students to share personal aspects of their lives, including mental health and personal challenges. Any overlooked issues are brought to light during this process, enabling the college to connect students with external support resources when needed.
Students are also asked to write five hundred words about themselves including where they have come from, why they want to study on the Access to HE Diploma, their preferred learning methods and what they are interested in doing after the course. Staff use this information to support students further throughout their studies.
Loughborough College have thoroughly thought through their timetable, ensuring it is created to support students academically and personally. There are designated slots specifically allocated for essential support, and while attendance is not mandatory, appointments are scheduled to match students with the assistance they require. Some students may need extra guidance, and in such cases, staff members accompany them, offering introductions and gradually transitioning to independent support. This approach is crucial as it helps students overcome any fears or hesitations they may have about seeking help.
A dedicated counsellor and wellbeing coordinator is available on-site during the days students are required on campus days. Students can book an appointment to see either one within a day’s notice.
Access to HE students are grouped with Loughborough College’s HE students, which gives them access to the HE facilities including study rooms with stronger wifi and access to different degree areas.
The Access to HE students also have two workshop slots within their timetable. During these students can talk to their tutors to gain more feedback, discuss upcoming assignments or review research they have found. Another way they can spend it is by furthering their study skills such as confidence, resilience or interview skills. There are also chances for students to listen to lecturers and presentations, either virtually or in person, around financial or wellbeing advice.
In addition to traditional first-aiders, Loughborough College also has mental health first-aiders on campus. Each student has a lanyard with contact numbers on the back and if they call the mental health first-aiders, one can be with them within five minutes. They would then go to a designated quiet room to decide what they needed. There are a range of options including laying down with a weighted blanket, mindful colouring or walking the therapy dog.
The college also offers LGBTQ+ support, financial advice, budgeting support, and access to a food bank within the HE common room which any student can benefit from. Every day students can have a free breakfast, but twice a week there are additional social events – ‘Breakfast and Chats’ and ‘Coffee and Cake’ where students are encouraged to come together to talk and enjoy free food.
This year Loughborough College has implemented a social action project for all Access to HE students, working alongside ‘PACE UK’ where students carry out charitable actions for their community. This was triallied last year with a small group and the results were beneficial so it has been extended to all Access to HE students. This also offers students an additional action to discuss during university interviews which has proved useful.
Students also have access to a 24-hour confidential helpline called ‘Health Assured’. This is a student assistant programme where they can access professional advice regarding stress & anxiety, debt management, relationships, legal advice, lifestyle addictions or they can self-refer to a counsellor. They can access the programme by telephone or through a ‘My Healthy Advantage’ smartphone app. The App also has online personalised wellbeing content, including videos, webinars, mini health checks and health coaching.
Loughborough College has found that by making these changes they have had an increase on their retention rates and a significant increase in the Access to HE Diploma students attendance.
The CAVA team would like to congratulate Loughborough College for their hard work and thank them for sharing their good practice.
Black History Month celebrates the countless achievements and contributions from the black community throughout history. By honouring the legacy of influential black scholars, activists, artists and leaders, we recognise how black culture has shaped and enriched our society.
Gus John was the first black Director of Education Services in Britain. He worked in multiple universities around the UK and later served as Associate Professor of Education at the London Centre for Leadership in Learning. He was a key figure in the development of education policies.
Yvonne Conolly was the first female black headteacher in 1969. She also joined a multi-ethnic team of inspectors assembled by the Inner London Education Authority. During her time there, she took an active role in helping schools reduce racism by looking at resources and policymaking. Later in life she was made a Commander of the British Empire for her services to education.
Lavinya Stennett is the Founder and CEO of The Black Curriculum, set up in 2019. The enterprise has worked with thousands of students and schools with the mission of teaching accessible and engaging black histories all year round. She was also awarded the Limitless Black Influence Award by Limitless Live and won in the Changemaker 2023 category for her work on the black curriculum.
These three leaders, among countless others, have made a profound impact on education and opportunities for all students. Their advocacy and innovations have helped transform schools into more diverse, supportive environments. They provide inspiration and are role models for creating positive change in education.
Educate yourself by reading books, watching films and listening to podcasts created by Black authors that provide perspectives on Black culture and experiences.Some examples include: 1000 Voices: Black British Changemakers (podcast), Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race (book), Black Joy (book), Hidden Figures (film), Race (film).
Have thoughtful conversations with friends and family about racial justice issues and ways to promote equality. Discussing these topics thoughtfully can inspire action. Here is a useful guide on how to talk to children about racism and here is an article promoting anti-racism practice to support those conversations.
Amplify Black voices and stories by promoting Black artists, writers, business owners, and speakers on your social media platforms. Sharing their work and achievements helps increase visibility and opportunities for the Black community. 56 black men is an example of a platform which promotes black stories. This article also mentions 35 black impactful creators to follow on social media.
Our Access to HE Diploma (Humanities) has a range of units where students can further their understanding and knowledge around the history of the black community, including History (Black civil rights in USA) and Sociology (Civil Rights, the Individual and the Law.) If you are interested and would like to know more, enquire on our website to see if any colleges near you offer this course.
The QAA has made changes to the Access to HE Diploma qualification which will be implemented from 1 August 2024.
The key changes are:
Diploma Specification changes
Grading Scheme changes
The requirements of the revised Specification and Grading Scheme will mean that CAVA and our providers will need to review and, where necessary, make changes to the design of Access to HE Diploma course structures, units and assessments.
When reviewing any type of educational programme, it is important to keep in mind, and protect, the intended purposes of the overall assessment. We are committed to ensuring that the design of each Diploma is, and continues to be, appropriate to the purpose of providing good quality progression opportunities for our adult students.
Through providing individualised support for our providers, we will ensure that we develop assessments for compliance in a way that preserves the existing validated overall learning opportunities available to students, and the key knowledge and skills identified as essential to prepare students for HE study.
To support this aim, CAVA has designed a comprehensive guide which will support our providers to understand the impact of the changes on their courses, and to identify the most efficient and effective developments where these are necessary.
In all areas of our quality assurance activities, we avoid the ‘one size fits all’ approach, which can result in disproportionate and burdensome requirements for minor changes for development. We also encourage providers to consider the smallest appropriate changes to their programmes first, to minimise the burden of assessment review, and to introduce the least potential consequences for the overall design and purpose of the Diploma. Included in the guide are four different ways in which we will quality assure course developments, to ensure activity is appropriate for the scale of changes required.
The CAVA guide also clearly summarises the key elements of the Grading Scheme and provides guidance on how best to plan efficient and valid assessment, provide effective marking and feedback to students, as well as good quality and straightforward internal quality assurance of assessment decisions.
In creating this guide, CAVA has built on the requirements, guidance and recommendations included within the QAA Access to Higher Education Diploma Specification; QAA Grade Scheme Handbook Section A, Section B, Section C, Section D, and Section E.
We hope the guide gives clear and comprehensive guidance for providers as they complete their reviews of their programmes and assessments. Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, we will be working closely with our course teams to guide and facilitate the creation of programmes which not only comply with the national requirements, but also continue to provide high quality learning opportunities for our mature students to progress into higher education.
Welcome to the 2023-24 academic year. I hope you had a pleasant and restful summer break.
Celebrating 2022-23 outcomes
As we step into this new academic year, let us take a moment to reflect on the previous year. Thank you to all members of our CAVA community for your continued hard work and tireless dedication to Access to HE Diplomas. The positive impact of your caring support for students and timely engagement in our quality assurance activities shines through in the feedback we received from students. We also received a record low number of appeals this summer – a testament to the high quality of your provision.
Students gave their experience of their Access to HE course an average 5.3 out of 6 in our end of year student satisfaction survey and 97% commented that it met their educational goals. My favourite comment from a student was: “The best things about my course is the unparalleled level of attention from my teachers, that I didn’t get in normal education, and the wider range of sectors the course covered to prepare me for any which way I choose to go.”
A year of milestones and enhancements
In 2022-23, we were pleased to roll out several new and improved services based on our consultations in 2021-22. We launched our new student and grade database with improved accessibility and functionality. We implemented our new external moderation model, expanding the breadth of subject experts supporting each of our providers. We validated new centralised Diplomas in Creative Arts; Engineering; Land-based Studies; Law and Criminology; and Music Technology. We also updated and revalidated our suite of HE Study Skills units shared across all Diplomas. A total of 592 attendees joined us for a series of 11 events, training sessions, and briefings across the year. Finally, we were delighted to welcome Boston College as the newest member of the CAVA community.
Building on success: 2023-24 initiatives
2023-24 will likewise involve lots of exciting activities. The main focus of the year will be implementing QAA’s revisions to the Diploma Specification and Grading Scheme. We will be contacting each of our providers in September to share our assessment of the impact of these changes on your courses and agree action plans for the year.
Drawing on our community’s input and research this last year, we are pleased to be moving forward with our sustainability initiative. Embedding sustainability across our Access to HE Diplomas is our vision, and this year, we will be mapping our courses against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We will also prepare enriching resources to enable a holistic exploration of the SDGs with students.
To reduce CAVA’s environmental impact, we will be piloting electronic certification with two of our providers. It is our aim to have fully electronic certification by 2025-26 the latest to reduce emissions, whilst also improving certificate accessibility and verification.
Exploring the future
This year we will also be looking forward and planning for the future. We will be exploring the role of AI and online delivery in Access to HE Diplomas. We have released our guidance on AI this summer and we will build on this at our conference in December 2023. We will also be consulting with our CAVA community to prepare our 2024-27 strategic plan.
Alongside all of this, we will be carrying on with our usual levels of support and guidance during this year. I would like to once again say a huge thank you to everyone in our CAVA community: our Access to HE course teams; all of our members’ staff; our external moderators; validation panel members; our QuAD, HEI Forum, PRWG committee representatives; our Council of Members representatives; our Board Directors; and the CAVA Team for making 2022-23 a success. I look forward to working with you all to build on our achievements in 2023-24.
Thank you,
Flóra Raffai
CAVA Chief Executive Officer
