Preparing to Succeed: The Impact of an Access Module at the Open University

Bhandari, Renu; Butcher, John; Foley, Karen and Mccormick, Mick (2024). Preparing to Succeed: The Impact of an Access Module at the Open University. In: The European Conference on Education (ECE2024), 15 Jul 2024, London, UK (Online).

URL: https://ece.iafor.org/presentation/submission81800...

Abstract

The Office for Students (OfS, 2022) highlighted a critical level of attrition affecting the continuation and progression of higher education students in England, particularly affecting learners from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. This threatens sector efforts to widen Higher Education (HE) participation to a more diverse, under-represented population. However, with open access comes a responsibility to prepare students with the skills to succeed and offer support necessary to overcome barriers. In 2012, the OU developed a part-time 30-week distance learning preparatory Access programme (30 credits at Level 0), responding to concerns that tripled HE tuition fees in England would prevent students from the poorest backgrounds accessing HE. The study explored institutional, dispositional, and situational barriers that students faced in their transition from Access to level 1 modules, focussing on “Access impact” in preparing them for this transition. The results highlight ‘supported aspirations’ link to personal passions and may help address institutional barriers and acknowledge the sustained impact of such preparatory curriculum, alongside pro-active empathetic 1-1 support, may offer some ideas to address sector concerns about attrition.

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