GHWY submits response to Government’s PQA consultation

GHWY has submitted a collaborative response to a recent government consultation on Post-Qualification Admissions (PQA) Reform with support from the Access and Participation Strategy Group. 

The consultation explored how the system of university admissions might be reformed so that learners complete the application process for Higher Education (HE) once they have received their Level 3 results. Unlike the current system, predicted grades would not be taken into account. 

One of the key points from our collaborative response was that tariffs are only one of a multitude of factors in a decision about where to study, particularly for students with protected characteristics (e.g. disabilities or caring responsibilities).  

In addition, evidence from across the partnership indicated that the models proposed could compound further inequalities without addressing the key issues identified. Students most at risk are those from backgrounds under-represented in HE, particularly those without good support and guidance at the application stage.  

The lack of consistent, quality IAG – which currently can be affected by where someone lives or where they study – has not been addressed in the proposals. Go Higher West Yorkshire and other such organasations, which have a focus on providing impartial information about HE options across a broad range of providers and work through Uni Connect to support people to make informed choices about their next steps, can help to meet this need. 

The Government will now analyse all consultation responses – including evidence on the impact on schools, colleges, providers and other organisations – before taking final decisions on whether and how to introduce a PQA system.