Hubble Bubble Some Qualifications Bring Trouble

June 2012

Debbie GrossmanEmma WilliamsPlanning and Statistics

Aim:

• To understand the way qualification data is collected, processed and used both within the University and by outside organisations.

Qualification Levels

1. GCSE grades G - D

2. GCSE grades A* - C

3. A Levels, BTECs, International Baccalaureate etc.

4. HNC

5. HND, Foundation Degree etc.

6. Honours degree

7. Masters Degree

8. PhD

Qualifications recorded

• Currently have 231 codes in BANNER

• 142 Level 3

• 126 sent to HESA

2010-11 UG New Entrants (Excluding Foundation Degrees)

Highest Qualification Full time Part timeLevel 4 and aboveA LevelsBTECsAccess Course (accredited)

Task

2010-11 New Entrants (Excluding Foundation Degrees)

Highest Qualification Full time Part timeLevel 4 and above 22.05% 67.74%A Levels 38.39% 5.97%BTECs 8.74% 1.83%Access Course (accredited) 3.94% 0.88%

Values

Applicant• Qualifications submitted as part of the

application process– L3 and/or above

– GCSEs & equivalents from 2012-13

– Professional qualifications/experience

– Foundation degrees studied at Greenwich

• UCAS– Electronic Applications System

– ABL

• Non UCAS Applicants– Entered manually by Admissions

Student

• OLR – Review of qualifications held in BANNER– Update or comment

• Qualifications checked at Stage 2 registration. – Original Certificates – SOATEST (BANNER) updated if required

ELQ

• Status determined by qualifications held prior to starting the new programme

• Generated within BANNER

• Rules updated by PAS

AAB+ and Equivalents• Unlimited recruitment for 2012-13• Not based on a tariff score• Determined by HEFCE

– Specific list of qualifications with certain grades

– Best 3 A Levels, BTECs, Best 5 Scottish Highers, 35 or more International Baccalaureate

• ABB for 2013-14

Tariff

• Tariffable Qualifications– Generally Level 3– Not all level 3 have tariff scores

• UCAS determine tariff scores– Currently based solely on GLH

Tariff Challenge 1

Place the qualifications in order (lowest to highest) according to their tariff score.

Tariff Challenge 1 Position Qualification & Grade Points

1 International Baccalaureate - 31 4132 BTEC Diploma QCF - D*D* 2803 CACHE Diploma in Childcare & Education - C 2404 GCE A Level with additional AS – AB 1705 AAT NVQ level 3 in Accounting - Pass 1606 GCE A Level – A* 1407 Cambridge Pre–U – D3 1308 Irish leaving Certificate – A1 909 Diploma in Fashion Retail – Pass 80

10 Sports Leaders UK - Pass 30

HESA Tariff

• Most qualifications that have UCAS tariff

• No qualifications that don’t have UCAS tariff

• Provided to institutions

• Provided to league table providers• Dependent on league tables request

Internal Tariff Score• HESA tariff methodology

• In session calculation

• Available for student and applicant

• Applicant – Predicted– Actual

• Student– Actual

Tariff Challenge 2

• Which of the qualifications listed have tariff points?– UCAS– HESA

Tariff Challenge 2Qualification UCAS HESAAccess course    British Horse Society Horse knowledge & care    BTEC: Subsidiary Diploma QCF    Foundation Degree    Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education    iMedia Diploma    International Baccalaureate Diploma or Certificate    Certificate in Mathematics for Engineers    Music Theory Examinations    Professional Qualifications at Level 3    Vocational (VCE) A-levels    City & Guilds Land Based Services Level 3 Qualification: Extended Diploma    Key Skills level 2    

Tariff Challenge 2 AnswersQualification UCAS HESAAccess course N NBritish Horse Society Horse knowledge & care Y YBTEC: Subsidiary Diploma QCF Y YFoundation Degree N NHong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Y YiMedia Diploma Y NInternational Baccalaureate Diploma or Certificate Y YCertificate in Mathematics for Engineers Y NMusic Theory Examinations Y YProfessional Qualifications at Level 3 N NVocational (VCE) A-levels Y YCity & Guilds Land Based Services Level 3 Qualification: Extended Diploma Y YKey Skills level 2 Y N

Four Main League Tables

• Times

• Complete Guide

• Guardian

• Sunday Times

Measures in League TablesTimes Complete Guardian Sunday

Times

Student satisfaction √ √ √ √

Research quality √ √

Student – staff ratio √ √ √

Spend per student on academic services and/or facilities

√ √

Tariff scores on entry √ √ √ √

Good honours (1st & 2:1) √ √

Completion rates √ √

Value added √

Dropout compared with benchmark √

Graduate prospects √ √ √ √

Peer assessments √

Tariff in League Tables

• Average tariff • First degree, new entrants • Level 3 Tariffable qualifications• Includes partner college students • Excludes those on year 0

Tariff on entry 2012 GuidesTimes Complete Guardian Sunday Times

First year, first degree

All modes Full-time & sandwich

Aged under 21 No age limit

Excluding those on foundation years

Excluding those with 0 tariff points

Based on those with A-levels or equivalent, SQA Higher or Advanced Higher, ONC and OND including BTEC, Baccalaureate

-----

Ceiling set at 500 points & %-age of available points calculated – scores then halved to give score out of 250

Data from 2009/10 HESA student return i.e. 2009 entrants

Tariff on entry 2012 Guide (2009/10 data)

Greenwich score Approx equivalent to

Greenwich rank

Times 215

CDD-CCD

109 of 114

Complete 215 111 of 116

Guardian 209 115 of 119

Sunday Times 104 (=208) 118 of 122

Times and Complete University Guide:Tariff on Entry Changes from 2013

Up to 2012 In 2013

First year, first degree, all modes First year, first degree, all modes

Aged under 21 Times: aged under 21Complete: dropped age cut-off

Excluding those with 0 tariff points Excluding those with 0 tariff points

Excluding those on foundation years Excluding those on foundation years

Based on those with A-levels or equivalent, SQA Higher or Advanced Higher, ONC and OND including BTEC, Baccalaureate

Based on wider group than previously: A-levels, Scottish & Welsh Baccalaureate, IB, various qualifications at level 3 and, crucially, ‘Level 3 qualifications of which some or all are subject to UCAS tariff’

Data from 2009/10 HESA student return i.e. 2009 entrants

Data from 2010/11 HESA student return, i.e. 2010 entrants

Expected values for 2013 Guides compared with 2012

Times Complete

2012 Greenwich score 215 215

A Level Grade equivalent CDD-CCD

Expected 2013 score including mixed qualifications 254 245

A Level Grade equivalent CCC-BCC CCC+

Expected 2013 score excluding mixed qualifications 257 251

A Level Grade equivalent Almost BCC CCC-BCC