Our Access and Participation Plan (APP) sets out our approach to addressing gaps in student success for Undergraduate, full-time, home fee status students at the University.
I’m delighted to share that our APP has been approved by the Office for Students for a period of 4 years, starting from October 2025.
This blog outlines the purpose of our APP, our approach to monitoring and our agreed next steps. If you’re short of time or reading this blog as a personal favour, then short version introductions are included at the beginning of each section.
Why do we need an APP?
The short version
Having an approved APP is an OfS condition of registration (A1). Both the APP and the University’s Strategic plan (KPI 6) hold us accountable for reducing any gaps in measures of student success.
The detail
Nationally, there are significant risks to equality of opportunity in student success for some groups of students. These risks can be apparent at several of the student life cycle stages (Access, Continuation, Completion, Attainment and Progression). These risks are outlined in a national Equality of Opportunity Risk Register and may impact certain groups of students more than others. Some examples are:
- Male students, particularly those from lower socio-economic groups may be less likely to apply for a programme of study in Health-related programmes related to information and guidance and cost pressures.
- Students holding BTECs may receive academic and personal support which does not meet their needs, and this can have an impact on their rate of continuation on their course.
- Young students in non-STEM subjects may have lower rates of progression to graduate roles due to a range of factors including guidance, support and knowledge and skills.
For each significant risk, we developed a range of intervention strategies, designed to address gaps in student success. Examples from our plan are:
- An access focus on Healthcare Science Centre Activities for male students from lower socio-economic groups.
- Specific BTEC pre-course support and study skills training to address lower rates of continuation within this group.
- Further development of personal tutoring for students who have completed a BTEC; and for Black students. This is based on sector research that demonstrates having the same tutor for a sustained period is disproportionally beneficial for these groups.
- A campaign to address imposter syndrome; aimed at increasing attainment rates amongst black students, which will be delivered in conjunction with our SU and based on learning from our Transitions and Transformations project.
How will we know if these strategies work?
The short version
We’re responsible for our own monitoring and the APP work will be overseen by Education Committee. If we are not making significant progress, we should inform the OfS but they won’t require an annual monitoring return.
The detail
Robust evaluation is one of the key requirements of the OfS. Universities are asked to pilot ‘higher risk’ activities in addition to those with an established evidence base to deepen sector understanding of what works, and what doesn’t, in closing gaps in student success.
To enable us to do this, we have supported a PhD to ensure that we design evaluation into our intervention strategies and that we can evaluate the impact of them throughout the four-year period.
Our targets are broken down into annual progress measures so we will monitor these via Education Data Insight Action Group and Education Committee. If we are concerned that an intervention strategy is not yielding results, we can choose to adjust the strategy accordingly, or submit a variation request to the OfS or continue with it as a contribution to the evidence base.
Collaboration is also key. We have agreed to share our findings with networks including Nerupi, TASO and our Uni Connect Partnership. From 2029/30 APP’s will need to include shared regional targets so this work will prepare us to find out what works and share it; benefitting students wherever they undertake their studies.
What happens next?
The short version
We will continue embedding strategies into our operational plans for 2025/26 and these will then be monitored by Education Committee.
The detail
Colleagues from across the University (Finance, Planning and Data Insight; Outreach, Student Development, Academic Departments, and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and the Students Union amongst others) will address the integration of the proposed intervention strategies. The APP is designed to engage with other institutional workstreams (for example the OfS funded Transitions and Transformations Project; the Race Equality Charter; the SU Big Plan; and the Education Action Plan). Drawing these teams together will mean that we can commence the agreed strategies in 2025/26.
Some planned interventions may be affected by our work to ensure the financial stability of the University. If this becomes the case, we will revisit the plan to ensure that any adjustments we make will still enable us to meet the targets we have committed to.
Education Committee will discuss and agree a reporting schedule this year. From mid-2026; EDIAG and Education Committee will oversee progress against our agreed targets. Evaluation findings will become available later during the later stages of the APP and will be shared within the institution and with our national networks.
Can you summarise the approach?
The short version
A massive thanks to colleagues across the institution for their hard work, skill, and commitment to addressing inequalities in student success.
The detail
In a world of AI, WhatsApp messages and a distinct lack of congratulatory bottles of champagne from the OfS, thank you for investing in this blog and reading the detail. The work undertaken by a cross-university team to identify the groups whose success is most at risk at each stage of the student lifecycle; and our commitment to address this speaks to the Education vision of the University of Essex to support ‘every student from every background to achieve outstanding outcomes’.
You can enjoy the full plan here and contact me directly with any further questions.
