What defines a widening access student? 

According to UCAS, students from widening access backgrounds can include, but are not limited to, those who: 

• Live in a target postcode area. For example, in a low participation area as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 
• Attend a target school or college where attainment is typically below average 
• Have experience of being in care 
• Are estranged from their family (not supported by their family) 
• Have refugee status or are an asylum seeker 
• Are responsible for the unpaid care and wellbeing of a dependant (e.g. a relative, partner or friend). 

Widening access in Scotland 

By 2030, Scotland’s Education Minister, Jamie Hepburn, wants ‘20% of students entering higher education to come from Scotland’s most deprived backgrounds’, which is set to be achieved according to recently released data from the Scottish Funding Council. 

The data collected based on 2020-21 applicants showed 16.7% of those from Scotland beginning their first, full-time degree were from the 20% most deprived areas, an increase of 545 students from the academic year prior. 

It was also reported that in the 2020-21 academic year there were 1,065 Scottish full-time first-year entrants combining their studies with caring responsibilities, with 52.2% aged 25 and over.  

What do these figures mean?

These figures represent the growing and shifting nature of higher education in Scotland, so the way that students are catered for must also change to suit their needs. It also leaves room to highlight the needs of widening access students who, for example, may lack access to the resources needed to study effectively. Furthermore, students from widening access backgrounds may also have other challenges in their way which can affect their ability to access higher education, such as being a carer or facing poverty, which is set to be a greater challenge because of the cost-of-living crisis. 

How can you support widening access students?  

Accessibility

Be knowledgeable about all aspects of widening access and within that remit is understanding students with additional needs. A simple way to support your students would be to ensure all content you provide is accessible to all, as well as available on all devices so no student is left behind. 

Content 

We recently explored decolonisation of the curriculum and how important it is to ensure your students feel represented in the content they’re consuming. To explore this topic, hit the link below. 

Decolonising the curriculum 

As well as ensuring your students feel represented, you should also ensure your students can access their content easily, and this might mean going digital. 

Given the number of students with caring responsibilities, having digital content readily available will give them the freedom to access learning content when it’s convenient for them – anywhere, anytime. 

Kortext, the UK’s number one student learning experience and engagement platform, has recently been named as the first ranked supplier on Lot 5 of the Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC) Framework Agreement LIB1016 AP for eBooks, eBook Collections and eTextbooks. 

This ranking confirms our commitment to delivering the content that universities, their academics and their students want to support their studies and the universities’ teaching mission, and at the same time, on a platform that provides a best-in-class, connected digital learning experience for students and helping you in your mission to support widening access students. 

To find out more about how Kortext can help you to support your students, follow the link.