The changing strategic environment in UK higher education: challenges and opportunities

Jim Coleman, The Open University

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Schools: Primary (England)• National Curriculum Review under way• ‘Entitlement’ continues, but National Languages Strategy

and CILT (National Centre for Languages) are no more• recommended mandatory language at KS2, ages 7-11

(Rose Report) dropped• Uncoordinated enthusiasm; 92% of primaries have

timetabled language study, but less than 60 minutes a week; loss of momentum

• Research shows ‘earlier the better’ simplistic: KS3 better for grammar

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Secondary (England)• National Curriculum Review• KS3 (ages 11-14) foreign language still mandatory in

National Curriculum – but timetable reducing (CILT 2011)

• KS4 (ages 14-16) removal of foreign language from core curriculum announced 2002, implemented 2004

• Heads fear school rankings are jeopardised by lower grades in languages than other subjects

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Secondary (England)• Drop in numbers of state schools where half of all KS4

pupils study a language: from 48% in 2005 to 36% in 2010

• Drop in proportion taking language GCSEs: from 71% in 1997 to 43% in 2010

• Decrease especially marked in North of England, in less privileged areas and in lower performing schools

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Secondary (England)• 2011 GCSE entries down 13.2% in French, 13.2% in

German, 2.5% in Spanish• Robust evidence of continuing severe grading of modern

languages

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Secondary (England)• E-Bacc introduction harshly criticised by Select

Committee• But demonstrable change in GCSE choices• 22% of GCSE-stage pupils in 2010 were doing a

combination of subjects that could lead to an E-Bacc• 33% of pupils in 2012 • 47% of pupils in 2013• By 2013, 52% of pupils taking GCSEs will be doing a

language

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Post-compulsory (ages 16-18)• Across all subjects, AS and A level numbers have

been increasing consistently: A levels up 20%, AS levels up 25% since 1997

• French AS down 26.8% since 2002 peak• German AS down 35.5% since 2002 peak• Spanish AS up to 2010 peak, up 46% since 2001• Overall AS languages down 9.3% since 2007

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Post-compulsory (ages 16-18)• At A level, French represented 3.66% of entries in 1996,

just 1.5% in 2011• In actual numbers at A level, French and German falling

slightly, Spanish steady after increasing consistently, Other Modern Languages increasing fast

• Overall, language A levels fell steeply 1996-2004 (down 31.6%) then recovered to 2011 (up 19.8%), giving overall drop of 18.1% over 15 years

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Post-compulsory (ages 16-18)• 2010-2011, A level• All UK: French down 4.7%, German down 6.9%,

Spanish down 0.2%, Other Modern Languages up 21.5%. Overall up 1.5%

• England: French down 3.6%, German down 6.1%, Spanish 0.9%, Other Modern Languages up 21.5%

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Post-compulsory (ages 16-18)• A level grades in languages improving every year• Independent schools have a disproportionate impact:

– 8% of UK school pupils, 20% of post-16– 29.7%, 27.2% and 34.2% of A level entries in French,

German and Spanish respectively in 2010– 42.9%, 42.5% and 48.5% of top A level grades

• Throughout secondary, languages are apparently becoming the preserve of a social and intellectual elite

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Language students  2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 %change

TOTAL 60,505 60,430 63,630 62,350 60,240 58,105 61,395 1.5%

Of which:                

Postgraduate 5,120 5,085 5,050 5,025 5,245 6,250 6,455 26.1%

PGCE 2,100 2,005 1,935 1,910 1,735 1,695 1,950 -7.1%

1st degree 28,815 28,880 29,310 29,370 30,400 30,985 31,550 9.5%

Other Undergraduate 24,475 24,460 27,340 26,045 22,860 19,175 21,445 -12.4%

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University specialist linguists• Recruitment peaked 1992• Decade of falling enrolments, departmental closures• Since 2004 small but consistent increase in numbers of

students on language degrees• Likely impact of Routes into Languages and other

initiatives• But departments still closing: increasing concentration in

research-elite Russell Group universities• Of all university disciplines, languages has the highest

proportion of students from independent schools (25%)

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Current context• Resources/toolkit online at

http://www.ucml.ac.uk/shapingthefuture • Higher Education White Paper (June 2011)

http://www.bis.gov.uk/Consultations/he-white-paper-students-at-the-heart (consult by 20 September)

• HEFCE consultation on Teaching funding and student number controls (June 2011: SIVs, year abroad fees) http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2011/11_20/

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UK nations: fees from 2012 entry• England up to £9,000 p.a.• NI fees £3,465 p.a., Rest of UK £6,000-£9,000• Scotland zero for Scottish or EU students, £21,000-

£36,000 for Rest of UK students – legal challenge• Wales £8,800 p.a. average, but Welsh students

maximum £3,465 p.a. anywhere in UK• Already for 2011 entry, English applicants to Scotland

down 14.9% (Edinburgh down 35.6%)

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AAB+• 65,000 ‘contestable’ (uncapped) places for AAB+ at A

level• Higher proportion of AAB+ in HSS• HSS cheaper to teach than Band A and B• 20,000 contestable places where fees average below

£7,500• > proliferation of HSS courses?

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UCML response to HEFCE• 3 x £9,000 plus year 4 accommodation, subsistence• Competition for language students from EU HEIs (e.g.

Maastricht)• SIV status: strategically important (British Academy,

CBI, Labour Market Intelligence, Languages for Jobs, FCO £1m boost, Foreign Office Language Centre)

• Vulnerable: GCSE, A level, Glasgow, Swansea, UWE, Westminster interpreting, posts at Russell Group HEIs >

• Loss of geographical availability, diversity of provision and delivery

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UCML response to HEFCE• Threat to postgraduate courses when graduates have

£50,000 debt (echoed by 1994 Group)• Threat to language teacher training from 2.2 threshold• All languages are strategic – economy, defence, politics• Strong European language base essential to underpin

other languages• Government has recognised value of SIVs

– HEFCE grant letter 20/12/10– HEFCE letter 29/6/11

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UCML response to HEFCE• HEFCE SIVs evaluation report (May 2011)

– SIVs intervention cost-effective in stimulating demand, protecting provision

– SIVs created networks for sustainability– SIVs more crucial to languages than other subjects

• Renewed Routes Into Languages welcomed• Need to renew SIVs funding (echoed by 1994 Group:

‘We would encourage redirection of funding towards Band C SIVs to ensure their survival’)

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UCML response to HEFCEYear abroad• Old-regime fee compensation to continue to 2013-14• But skewed towards safer Erasmus programmes• Should be extended to all whole-year-abroad work and

study programmes

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UCML response to HEFCEYear abroad• New regime• Analysis of OFFA agreements = uncertainty• Essex zero, handful £4,500, most £500-£2,000• No provision in HEFCE budget for continuing fee

compensation – disincentive for universities (1994 Group also concerned)

• But will market bear £4,500?• Discourage students from disaggregating costs

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UCML proposals• All languages continue to be designated as SIVS and to

receive additional affordable resources to stimulate demand and maintain provision which offers geographical spread, diversity of provision, and alternative models of delivery

• HEFCE should extend old-regime support beyond Erasmus to all full-year-abroad programmes

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UCML proposals• In order to encourage HEIs to continue to support, for

new-regime students, the year abroad which is such a crucial part of language and other degrees, HEFCE must secure funding to provide continuing fee compensation, at least at approximately the level foreseen for 2012-13

• Targeted action should be taken in order to support Widening Participation in languages

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UCML proposals• In order to encourage further networking of relevant

bodies, associations, and Government Departments, HEFCE should support, and participate in, a relaunch of the Languages Forum which arose from Professor Worton’s 'Review of Modern Foreign Languages provision in higher education in England'

• ELQ SIVS transitional funding should exceptionally continue to 2012-13 and beyond for full-time and part-time (25% and above) first degree and other undergraduate students

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UCML proposals HEFCE should work with UCML and other bodies to

monitor (1) the impact of the new funding regime on recruitment to language degrees (2) the impact of the continuation, on reduced funding, of Routes Into Languages in 2011-12, in order to inform subsequent national and institutional initiatives to stimulate demand and maintain adequate provision.

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Other factors• OCR engagement – future of A levels• Employability – quantitative 3.5-year data (HESA

longitudinal DLHE 2006-07) do not favour language graduates > use qualitative data and year-abroad data (Shaping the Future)

• Willetts asked UCAS to award higher points to ‘traditional’ (i.e. ‘facilitating’) A levels such as languages, but UCAS declined

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Future of modern languages?• Elite recruitment• Wealthier than students in other disciplines• Less debt-averse• Modern Languages may thrive, for the wrong reasons