VIEWS & OPINION


Giving disadvantaged pupils a break Comment by SIR PETER LAMPL, Founder and Chairman of the Sutton Trust and Chairman of the


Education Endowment Foundation


This month, the Director for Fair Access to Higher Education called for fundamental changes to widening participation at universities. Progress with encouraging more young people from low and moderate income backgrounds into higher education has been slowing. While the number of disadvantaged pupils going to university has increased over the past decade, the access gap at our most selective institutions remains stubborn and wide. Getting a degree from a top university is one of the surest routes to a good job, but those from less privileged homes are substantially underrepresented in the best universities. We need radical change to shift this, and a central element must include a greater use of contextual admissions.


Contextual admissions, where the social background of a university applicant is taken into account in the application process, leading to a reduced grade offer or other forms of priority, is a crucial tool in the battle to widen access to higher education. Our research has shown that giving poorer pupils a two-grade


break – so that they need to get BBC instead of ABB – could lead to a 50% increase in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals admitted to top universities.


Reflecting the difficulty of the journey taken by those from disadvantaged backgrounds should be a common sense principle in university admissions. We know that many of the UK’s most selective universities do recognise this necessity too. However more needs to be done to ensure that contextual data can deliver on the promise of transforming access to higher education.


Universities need to focus more on information that reflects the individual circumstances of the applicant, and there needs to be greater transparency and consistency. Those from less well-off backgrounds are less likely to have access to the information and networks that can help them navigate complicated admissions processes. We need to make sure candidates are aware when and how they may benefit from contextualisation. As the research highlights, outreach


programmes play a crucial role in improving access to the best universities. The Sutton Trust plays its part, supporting over 4,000 young people a year on our Summer Schools and Pathways programmes, and helping 12-15-year- olds through Sutton Scholars.


But a more joined-up approach to outreach programmes and admissions across the country is needed, with greater information sharing across universities. It’s also important that we get a better idea of what works when it comes to widening participation. We want to see much better evaluation of programmes and are working with the Office for Fair Access to ensure that access initiatives are cost effective. Going to university from a low or moderate income background is a major step towards social mobility. But what is worrying is that these students are much less likely to go to the most selective institutions or study the most competitive subjects. It is vital to improve access to these universities and subjects if we are to improve social mobility. Putting admissions in context will play a central role in that.


How a skills audit will secure the governors you need


Comment by IAN ARMITAGE, chairman, SGOSS – Governors for Schools


SGOSS - a not for profit enterprise - is in business to support the work of senior leadership teams in improving the education of the next generation. We believe that the main driver of educational outcomes is the quality of the leadership throughout a school. As the appointment of the leader is the responsibility of the Board of Governors or Trustees, it follows that where governance is effective, the pupils in these schools have better life chances.


We serve schools who recruit governors with reference to the motivation, skills and experience and behaviours they bring to the table.


How might a board improve? It starts by asking what are the vital health indicators of any enterprise? What are the determinants of success or failure? Research into business suggests we look at seven areas of skills, experience, motivation and behaviour.


People


Nothing much can be achieved without the support of teachers and support staff. The quality of the head, the class teacher and support staff determine outcomes and social impact. Schools are in a race for talent, competing against other schools and employers outside education.


November 2017 Customers or Stakeholders


Always close to the top of a pyramid is the ‘customer’ – there are three for a school; students and pupils who are in school to learn and acquire the ability and motivation to learn; parents, who influence the behaviour of pupils; and “the paymaster" - the DFE either via regional schools’ commissioners (RSCs) or Ofsted.


Strategy


Organisations can only deliver if their goals are well-chosen, understood by staff, customers (and suppliers), accepted and with agreed interim performance measures.


Risks


Every enterprise faces risks; the ones that hurt are those where we underestimate -probability and/or impact. Moreover I find that people frequently ignore what I call “upside risks - things can happen that are better than you expect. When this happens the goal is to take advantage of your good fortune.


Finances


The real issue is not to run out of cash. Once a school receives a financial notice to improve the probability that it will deliver on its core purpose - to educate children - becomes vanishingly small. A board member who has experience in


financial control, accounting, budgeting and forecasting and operating improvement will provide the financial foundation for the school to deliver.


Motivation


Successful boards look for congruence and typically the chair and head set the tone. They start by making sure all members know “why are we here? “And “what we believe in”. Only then can the board progress to objectives it wishes the school to pursue.


Behaviours


If schools are to be successful we need governors to place a high degree of trust in the head and vice versa. Boards only work if individual members do their work diligently, focus on understanding and then, when appropriate have the courage or independence of mind to make an effective constructive challenge.


Gap analysis


Once you have set out what you think the school actually needs over, say, the next three years it is important to identify any gaps in the skill set. From this work the recruiter can understand the school’s priorities and begin the journey of mapping the school’s needs against the bank of available candidates.


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