The Access to Higher Education diploma, known more casually as ‘the access course’ is a level 3 diploma that allows those who’ve spent time away from education to retool and learn new skills that can eventually allow them to access higher education, such as at university. It’s an incredible opportunity, one that has allowed many individuals to seek new prospects and change their lives for the better.
It is also, according to a former course leader from a large West Yorkshire college, “The best-kept secret in education”. They feel that access courses can be under-publicised, and that potential access course students are more likely to hear about the course after initially applying for A-levels, or by way of word of mouth from friends and family.
This is a problem, as while access courses can provide excellent opportunities for growth, they can’t be taken advantage of by people that don’t know about them. Furthermore, the lack of proper communication means that some things might not be apparent even when potential students are aware of access courses.
For example, the systems that are in place to assist students with their studies. This could be monetary, as is the case with the Advanced Learner Loan, or with more direct on-campus study support.
The impact of Access courses
The impact of an Access to Higher Education diploma can’t be understated – it can greatly improve not only a person’s prospects, but their overall confidence as well. It’s no secret that succeeding in education can be challenging, and there are many among us who feel negatively about their time spent at school. This negative experience can lead some to avoid considering higher education for themselves, have a poor view of education overall, and even influence the view they have of their own intelligence.
Of course, no system is perfect, and it would be a mistake to dismiss what could very well be entirely valid criticisms. With that said, working to overcome the impact of these experiences, whatever they might be, can lead to some incredible opportunities.
For Connor Mulley, who previously undertook an Access to Higher Education course at New College Durham, the opportunity in question was to study a degree in Classics at the University of Oxford.
Connor admits that he, “wasn’t very good at school,” and that whilst he did well when he was there, he would frequently miss full days of classes. He eventually dropped out completely shortly after starting his A-levels, saying: “It just didn’t work for me.”
It wasn’t until much later that he would begin to reconsider his options while working in the fast-food industry, ultimately deciding on the access course after finding reference to it online. According to Connor: “It seemed like the most sensible option for someone like me,” he says. “It was quite a broad range of subjects, which was perfect for me because I didn’t know what I wanted to do.”
When asked about the course itself, he admits that he was, “anxious about returning to education.” as, whilst he felt like a more well-rounded person, it took him back to a place where he wasn’t good at something. However, he also says that while he was nervous, he appreciates that, “teachers could treat us as a group of adults,” and, “because it’s for adults, it makes the return easier.”
This isn’t to say that a negative experience of education is the only reason for undertaking an access course, far from it. As Connor mentioned, the course is aimed at adults returning to education after time away. This is an incredibly broad range and can include anyone from those in their early twenties to those over retirement age. As a result, groups of students can often come from a variety of backgrounds, each with their own experiences and prior knowledge.
The Access to Higher Education diploma really does offer an incredible opportunity for those looking to make a change, whatever the reason might be, and the opportunities that come from it can be potentially life changing. As such, while the Access to Higher Education diploma might be the best kept secret in education, it certainly shouldn’t be.
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