Evaluation of Advancing Access

Project Evaluation

During 2020 and 2021 researchers at the Evidence, Development and Incubation Team at King’s College London carried out a rigorous evaluation of the Advancing Access project. This involved analysing data relating to the engagement of thousands of Advancing Access users over several years alongside data from the Department for Education on the characteristics of schools and colleges and data from UCAS on the application, offer and acceptance rates of different schools and colleges to Russell Group universities. The researchers also interviewed users of the service and tested them on their knowledge. The researchers concluded that:

> After engaging with Advancing Access CPD, teachers and advisers score higher in quizzes which test their knowledge of how best to support students to progress to competitive universities

> School and college staff who have engaged with Advancing Access report feeling more confident about disseminating information about universities to their students

> School or colleges which have engaged with Advancing Access have seen greater increases in application rates to Russell Group universities compared to schools or colleges which have not engaged. There was a greater than 90% likelihood that this finding could not be attributed to chance alone. Increased application rates did not result in any reduction in the likelihood of applications leading to an offer of a place.

You can download the full report from the link below. For further information you can also contact us.