Publications – Practitioner Resources
Below you can explore a series of practitioner resources for use in schools, colleges and/or HEIs. These resources are collaborative outputs delivered through our Action Forums and Groups and other projects. If you have any questions, please contact us.
AccessHE-Queen Mary University of London evaluation resources (2023)
Together with colleagues at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), AccessHE has produced a literature review on the effectiveness of two commonplace widening participation interventions: general higher education information, advice and guidance (HE IAG) activities, and pre-access mentoring. The review summarises existing evidence on the impact of these interventions and will be of use to staff in higher education who are developing theories of change for new outreach activities.
At a time when new Access and Participation Plans are being written across London, it is crucial that higher education providers take an evidence-informed approach to their widening participation work. We hope that this literature review will complement other resources such as TASO’s recent report on the impact of face-to-face summer schools and add to our understanding of ‘what works’ in widening participation to higher education.
The literature review forms part of a wider collaborative project between AccessHE and QMUL to develop evaluation resources for our members. You can find more information about this in the menu tabs above.
Download: AccessHE-QMUL Literature Review (PDF, 0.3MB)
AccessHE-UKADIA Creative HE Apply Guide (2020)
AccessHE launches the second edition of the Creative HE Apply Guide (full press release here), a collaboration between higher education (HE) providers across England. Building on the success of the original guide released in 2018, this version – a collaboration between the AccessHE Creative Forum and the UK Art and Design Institutions Association (Ukadia) – showcases the breadth of creative HE study options available across England, and steers prospective students through the process of securing a place on those courses.
The decline in numbers of school pupils studying creative subjects at GCSE and A-Level in recent years has prompted concerns about access to creative HE study. However, as Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK and author of the foreword to this guide points out, it is precisely the skills gained and refined through creative study that will have a societal premium attached to them in years to come. One need only look at rising inequality or the climate crisis to see that ‘the world needs creative solutions to the problems we all face’. The guide highlights the societal value of creative HE study, but also illustrates how it can contribute to increased well-being and lead to a fulfilling, multi-faceted career in one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors. Just as importantly, it addresses some of the main myths and misconceptions linked to creative study to show that it is open to anyone, irrespective of age, background or skill level.
To complement the detailed information on the application process from the original guide that has been updated for the current and future application cycles, this version includes a range of worksheets, for use by prospective students and by HE providers as part of outreach activities focused on routes into the creative and performing arts.
Download: AccessHE-UKADIA Creative HE Apply Guide – double-page spread version (PDF, 5.5MB)
Download: AccessHE-UKADIA Creative HE Apply Guide – single-page version (PDF, 5.72MB)
Download: AccessHE-UKADIA Creative HE Apply Guide – worksheets pack (PDF, 239KB)
AccessHE Creative HE Apply Guide (2018)
The introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) in 2010, together with the 2015 decision to make EBacc subjects compulsory in secondary schools and ongoing funding pressures, has led to the prioritisation of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects at the expense of others – particularly the Creative Arts. Right now, young people in schools across the country are finding themselves unable to study arts subjects at GCSE and instead must fuel their passion outside of the classroom and often at great expense – placing those from low income backgrounds at a disadvantage.
If these young people are not being encouraged to study the arts at GCSE and/or cannot fund their passions, this will have (and is having) a knock-on effect in sixth forms and colleges: without having studied creative arts subjects at A Level or equivalent, students are struggling to demonstrate and evidence the right skills for studying these at higher education level. Moreover, there is a danger that those students applying for such courses are only those from certain backgrounds where there is a long-standing tradition and/or parental funding to support. Without a pipeline of suitable, trained talent, you can begin to appreciate the huge impact this change will have on the creative industries in London.
Launched in July 2018 as part of AccessHE Week 2018, the AccessHE Creative HE Apply Guide offers information and support for learners interested in applying to creative HE courses who are otherwise discouraged from pursuing their passions for the Creative Arts. You can download an electronic copy below. If you would like a physical copy, please contact us.
Download: AccessHE Creative HE Apply Guide (pdf, 1MB)
AccessHE Student Ambassador Forum Resources: Student Ambassador Handbook, Competency Tool, Employability Resources (2018 and earlier)
Members-only resources, accessible here.