Progression

Progression Agreement for Work Based Learners

The Lifelong Learning Network worked with work-based training providers in Shropshire to develop a range of progression agreements for learners progressing from Advanced Apprenticeships and Level 3 NVQ programmes. The agreement drawn up in partnership with Shropshire Council County Training, SBC Training, Walford and North Shropshire College and Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology provided a range of progression routes for learners onto Foundation degrees and HNCs offered through Staffordshire University.

Clare Schafer, Director of SBC Training said of the agreement, "We are delighted to have achieved an agreement which gives our work based learners an entitlement to progress to higher education. It acknowledges the value which is now placed on the work based learning route and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in particular. Learners on programmes covered by the agreement have the assurance that they have a clear route to progress to part or full time degree level courses, many of which are available in Shropshire. The agreement covers young people following advanced apprenticeships and adult learners following NVQ level 3 programmes. We will now begin to cascade the information to our learners and employers and to provide support to those who are considering taking advantage of this exciting opportunity."

What are Progression Agreements?

They are agreements that enable vocational learners to progress into and through a range of vocational higher education based on a set of agreed criteria and, in some cases activities. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) views them as being an integral part of the work of Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs).

What do they entail?

They involve the agreement of partners (e.g. a College and University, or Work Based Learning Provider and College) to undertake a number of activities to make progression for learners a possibility, including:

Agreeing curriculum match, skills and prior knowledge requirements
Agreeing any other conditions for guaranteed progression
Communication between partners to enhance progression opportunities
Communicating progression opportunities to learners e.g. IAG

Where can Progression Agreements be developed and what can they offer?

A good Progression Agreement is one that opens up opportunities for progression by offering a guarantee of a place to a learner. Some examples:

From existing qualifications into HE – especially where there is little history of certain types of learner progressing e.g. NVQ, Advanced Apprentices
Through HE – from shorter CPD into larger HE awards
Between HE - e.g. from a Foundation Degree to a range of Honours top-ups
Giving adult returning learners with certain skills and experience a Progression Agreement to assist them in entering HE
Developing Progression Agreements from in-house company training
Developing Progression Agreements from professional qualifications

Our team worked to get an overview from the colleges in our region of their vocational level 3 provision and the numbers progressing in HE. The aim was to pass this data on to the LLN Discipline Groups in the first instance so they could identify possible Progression Agreements that may be productive and meaningful for learners in those priority sectors.

Universities fully endorse level 3 diplomas

One of the first important areas of work for the Network was in ensuring that the new 14–19 diplomas have the full endorsement of the universities within the Network area. Keele, Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Universities, and Harper Adams University College are all able to announce their endorsement of diplomas. From 2008, learners undertaking Level 3 diploma pathways will have the same progression opportunities as learners undertaking other types of level 3 provision.

As a further development of this endorsement the universities within the LLN worked to define more clearly for learners (and their teachers and parents advising and supporting them) what specific additional/specialist learning may be required to fulfil the entry requirements to certain awards and courses.

Projects and Progression Agreements included:

Skills for HE Foundation module with progression research

14 - 19 Diploma Pathways mapping project

HE Card

Research into Vocational Level 3 Progression Routes

Severn Hospice Progression Agreement with the Open university

Construction Progression Agreement with Wolverhampton University

LLN Principles of Progression Agreements (PAs)

Below are set out the Progression Agreement principles and a very simple description of a progression framework which outlines the two broad categories LLN agreements will fall into.

Promote clear routes for student progression and support marketing and recruitment
Provide important messages for students about the value of their current learning
Increase learner confidence and raise students’ aspirations about higher level learning
Require closer inter-institutional working arrangements
Promote increased levels of understanding about ‘feeder’ and ‘receiving’ courses
Assist the task of curriculum planning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Further Education Colleges (FECs)
‘Guarantees’ of progression to students will be conditional upon clearly defined and explained criteria
‘Firm’ guarantees will entail an offer of a place to a student in relation to a specified HE course at a particular institution
‘Soft’ guarantees will entail an offer of an interview to a student in relation to a specified HE course at a particular institution
Wherever possible, ‘firm’ guarantees are preferable to ‘soft’ ones as they signify more positive messages to students
Targeted progression agreements within the LLN will focus on feeder courses from which there are currently low levels of student progression into HE
Targeted progression agreements will provide ‘firm’ guarantees to students wherever possible
Progression Agreement ‘champions’ within HEIs and FECs will be important to promoting institutional and student awareness
Effective PAs require admissions tutors to understand and fully endorse them
The LLN will need to maintain an oversight of PAs and promote wider understanding of them amongst institutions and practitioners
The possibility should be explored of PAs being integrated within the Aimhigher Learning Pathways System (ALPS)
PAs should support the process of recognising the experiential learning of students for the purposes of admission to higher level courses
PAs should not constrain student choice and should therefore be underpinned by Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) which supports student choice between a range of higher level courses
PAs should be established in relation to undergraduate courses such as foundation degrees, honours degrees and also postgraduate awards