The Proposed Model for 2014 ImplementationSandra Stalker

8 November 2012

Jan – March 2012: consultation

May: Findings and Recommendations Report – further dialogue

needed

June: applicant survey

14 June: policy announcement by Westminster Government

June – July: visits to School Direct providers

6 September: meeting of GTTR Advisory Board, to agree on model

to be submitted to the UCAS Board for approval

17 September: meeting with members and other stakeholders

21 September: UCAS Board endorsed proposals

The story so far

Strong support for a single application system

For applicants a single process would:

Be more transparent and less confusing

Negate the need to familiarise themselves with, or complete,

multiple applications

Give them more control over the process

Give them a more positive experience

Strong support for a single application system

For providers a centralised process would:

Provide better data on applications and applications; better

market intelligence

Enable them to manage tightly regulated numbers in a more

efficient way

Improve information and guidance for applicants leading to

more appropriate applications

Provider greater certainties

Different routes would have equal profile and status

A shared service for the UK

England

Introduction and planned expansion of School Direct

Replacement of GTP with School Direct salaried

Change to allocations for HE/SCITT-based providers

Wales

HE-based as part of GTTR

GTP with direct admissions

A shared service for the UK

Scotland

PGDE the sole route

Northern Ireland

No current providers are members of GTTR

Problems to solve

Initial choices across all routes at the same time through

one system

Reduction of time delay resulting from sequential

applications; 50% of rejected first choice applicants to GTTR

are not getting the chance to be considered by their second

choice provider

Challenges to face

To meet the needs of a diverse range of applicants

To be manageable and cost effective for providers of all

types

To meet the needs of different policy environments in

England, Wales, Scotland and potentially Northern Ireland

To incorporate effectively School Direct providers in England

whose context is different from larger HE/SCITT-based

providers

Meet the policy imperative from Westminster Government

and the drive from applicant surveys to allow some

applications to be made in parallel

Implications of no change

For applicants:

Continued issues with multiple systems and processes

Flexibility to hold multiple offers from various ITT routes

Implications of no change

For providers:

Worsening data on applicants and applications as School

Direct increases in scale

Worsening market intelligence

An increase in the challenge of managing tightly regulated

numbers

Different routes would continue to be promoted through

different sites which do not communicate with each other

The plan

To introduce for the 2013-2014 cycle a single admissions

system for HE/SCITT-based postgraduate ITT, School Direct

and School Direct (Salaried), which allows applicants three

parallel choices in the first instance followed, if necessary, by

an unlimited number of sequential choices.

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP/OCT

APPLICATION POST RESULTS

Enrol

RESULTS

EnrolmentStart of term – varies by course and provider

EXAMS END

RESEARCH PHASE

Apply 2

Single Online Information Portal to provide information to applicants about the routes into teaching including student support information to allow them to make informed decisions.Applicants to sit literacy and numeracy tests where applicable, passing prior to starting the course in England and during the course in Scotland.Applicants can search for course information online to check course availability, new courses, entry requirements, partner schools etc.Development of personal statements and references.

Apply 1 is open from 1 November and allows applicants to apply in parallel through a common application portal and single online application. There is no set deadline which allows providers to advertise places as they are made aware of their allocations. Providers will need to take into account the strict deadlines for decisions and applicant replies when deciding the dates to open their courses for applications. Providers will be able to open and close courses throughout the year to control the number of applications they receive and this flexibility will assist in recruitment for multiple start dates.

Apply 1

Apply 2 opens at the start of January and allows candidates who have not secured a place using Apply 1 to apply, sequentially, to any course that has vacancies. Entry into Apply 2 is dependent on individual circumstances so applicants would enter this at different times.

DRAFT VERSION – High Level View

2014

Apply 1 Timescales - Main Cycle40 working day decision SLA (to be consulted on)10 working days for Applicants

Apply 2 Timescales - Main Cycle40 working day decision SLA (to be consulted on)10 working days for Applicants

2013

Allocations Announced (England)

Allocations Announced

(Wales)

Allocations Announced (Scotland)

Features of the model

A single, comprehensive and comprehensible information

portal, giving applicants all the information they require to

make informed applications

Two Apply windows: Apply 1 and Apply 2

Apply 1 - parallel choices: Apply 2 - sequential choices

Apply 1 proposed to open 1 November; providers decide

when to open courses

Courses to remain open for an essential SLA period and

closed at the provider’s discretion

Features of the model

40 working day turnaround period proposed for responses; there will

be no stops

10 working day response time for applicants to start from when they

have decisions form all three initial choices

Applicants to accept one place only; the others must be rejected

Applicants holding a place who wish to make a new application

must first secure release from provider

Apply 2 to open early January: applicant to enter when rejected by

initial choices

Apply 2 remains open until September of year of entry

Three parallel choices: benefits

Is straightforward and easy for applicants to understand and

providers to administer

Allows eligible applicants to apply for one-each of HE/SCITT-

based, School Direct and School Direct (salaried)

Gives applicants sufficient choice: this is particularly relevant

for School Direct choices where the number of available

places may be small

Addresses the current unfairness of failed first-choice

applicants in the GTTR system not getting a chance to be

considered by their second choice

Three parallel choices: benefits

Gives equal status to all available routes; there is no bias in

selection options for applicants

Avoids the need to specify different arrangements in Wales,

Scotland and potentially N. Ireland, where the policy issues

are different

Should be agile enough to accommodate any future changes

in policy

Providers will have access to more applicants in the first

instance so should be able to fill their places more quickly

Some providers will have better quality applicants in the first

instance so will be able to fill their places more effectively

Three parallel choices: concerns

Increased workload for providers; however although this will be

true in the early part of the cycle, it may not increase overall (and

may decrease) because of places being filled earlier in the cycle

Greater complexity in managing numbers; however this will be

offset by:

− the commitment of the TA to make allocations to all

routes available at the same time

− the removal of the facility for applicants holding a place

in one route to make applications to another route later

in the cycle.

1 November opening date: is this the date that is fairest to

applicants and most manageable for providers?

The 40 working-day turnaround period for providers: will this

be acceptable for applicants and doable for providers?

An SLA for the amount of time courses must be kept open:

is the concept workable and if so how long should it be?

The start date for Apply 2: does early January give the right

amount of distance between the opening of Apply 1 and Apply 2?

Parallel applications: what provider issues should UCAS be

mindful of when setting up the systems?

Issues for discussion

Questions