Progression of BTEC students

to HEDavid MacKay

2 March 2015

UCAS data on entry to HE

• 23.4% of students entered university in 2014-15 with a BTEC compared with just 13.5% in 2008

• Only 26 large providers took fewer than 5% of their intake from BTEC holders in 2014-15 compared with almost double that number (47) in 2008

• Disadvantaged young people over 10% more likely to enter HE than they were a year ago

• Entry rates for young people from all ethnic groups increased

• The proportion of students entering HE with a BTEC is higher in areas with a low rate of entry

BTEC and social mobility 2008/09• 40% of BTEC students, compared to 20%

of A level students, come from the bottom 4 socio economic groups ( 5 to 8 in table)

• For black students this rises to 45% of students

Socio Economic Status of Learner's Parents A Level Only BTEC Only A level/BTEC Total1: Higher managerial & professional occupations 29% 12% 16% 23%2: Lower managerial & professional occupations 31% 25% 27% 29%3: Intermediate occupations 13% 12% 12% 12%4: Small employers & own account workers 7% 10% 10% 8%5: Lower supervisory & technical occupations 4% 6% 6% 5%6: Semi-routine occupations 11% 21% 18% 14%7: Routine occupations 5% 12% 10% 7%8: Never worked & long-term unemployed 0% 1% 1% 1%

Grand Total 100% 100% 100% 100%Number of classified students 71,859 28,811 12,612 113,282

Data reference

Data used in the rest of this presentation is HESA data taken from the report:

Vocational Progression to Selecting Universities Comparisons and Trends 2010 – 2013

by Alison Rouncefield-Swailes Western Vocational Progression ConsortiumSeptember 2014

Retention and withdrawal – HE degree programmes (HESA data)

Year Completion rate from BTEC Nationals

Completion rate from traditional

route

2010/2011 57.0%

2011/2012 59.1%

2012/2013 67.9% 92.3%

Reasons for withdrawal

Reason for withdrawal

BTEC students

2010/2011

BTEC students

2012/2013

Traditional route

2012/2013

Academic failure/ not permitted to progress

17.4% 11.6% 2.4%

Other personal

11.3% 8.4% 2.5%

Degree classification of students completing degree programmes

Degree classification

BTEC students

Traditional entry

Good honours 54.4% 71.6%

Unclassified 1.0% 4.5%

Discussion questions

1. Do BTEC students have the right skills for progression to HE? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

2. Does the background of many BTEC students make them vulnerable to withdrawal?

3. What can be done to support the transition of BTEC students to HE to improve their retention?