The Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey is a coastal community school and has issues that are typical of other similar areas, such as trying to raise the aspirations of some of our students and their families. More...

The Office for Students should represent the interests of higher education students in every type of institution, not just universities. This means helping students understand all their options, allowing them to weigh up meaningful differences in potential routes so that they can make truly informed decisions. More...

While many assume universities are friendly environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people, we know that LGBT students still face worrying levels of bullying, harassment and social exclusion, with trans students at particular risk. All institutions should take a proactive role in addressing harmful culture and behaviours. More...

The Government should ensure no asylum-seeking young person wishing to study at university is excluded by insurmountable financial barriers. These include tuition fees charged at a higher ‘overseas’ rate and an inability to access student finance. Legislation regarding fee status and eligibility for student finance should be amended to address this, ensuring that talented young asylum seekers are not prevented from continuing their education. More...

Fairness should be at the heart of the Director of Fair Access and Participation’s agenda. That means making the admissions process fairer and ensuring outreach and access funds are spent effectively. More...

Effective programmes change young people’s lives. This is magical, but building a programme is not magic. You pilot, then if this appears to work you develop and improve through evaluation and specific annual refinements. More...

The digital age should make this state of affairs needless. The internet can connect young people with role models who can provide the personal insights and encouragement they need. In 2018, there are no longer any social or geographical barriers to providing one-to-one support to any young person. More...

It is essential to allocate care leavers a Designated Member of Staff who is not having to balance this role alongside another. This will enable practitioners to focus on the transition and on-course support for students, so that provision and policy can be developed effectively (and by the experts) and meaningful relationships can be built between the Designated Member of Staff and students. More...

The old Office for Fair Access (OFFA) regime and the intended Access and Participation Plans work at an institutional level, but beneath institutional averages there are massive differences between subjects. Where, for example, providers deliver Nursing and Midwifery, that provision usually means a significant proportion of that provider’s mature recruits are enrolled on health courses. More...

Even with the massive increase in student numbers the most selective institutions have not diversified sufficiently on issues of race, gender or socio-economic background. Ensuring that students from all backgrounds have an equal chance to attend the same universities and can progress into equally successful careers must be a key goal. More...