Quality, community and access: an examination of student decision-making to study undergraduate degrees in two further education colleges

ABSTRACT

Over the course of the previous two decades, successive governments have attempted to attract students from diverse backgrounds as part of an overarching ambition to widen participation in Higher Education (HE). As part of those efforts, there has been a proliferation of Further Education Colleges (FECs) utilised to meet those ends. In 2021, approximately 10% of – or c.137,000 – Higher Education (HE) students were enrolled at FECs which represents an important research area under the broad umbrella of UK HE. Based on semi-structured interviews with prospective first year student-participants, this paper sought to examine the reasons behind students’ decisions to study College Based Higher Education (CBHE) so as to better-understand and inform student recruitment, retention and success in this area. Twelve participants were selected from two FECs where those students were intent on studying for their HE. The findings revealed that students place substantial value in teaching standards and in the lecturers with whom they build relationships. These features are inextricably linked with broader feelings of community, belongingness and accessibility on the part of students which attracts them to study CBHE.

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• further education
• transition
• Decision-making
• teaching
• community
• access

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jack Bullock

Jack Bullock is an experienced Course Leader in the Department of Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University. His main professional remit involves the management and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the field of sport and exercise. Jack is also responsible for academic partnerships, working alongside academic link tutors and FE course leaders to develop and quality assure sport and exercise programmes delivered by FE partner institutions of Staffordshire University. Jack is currently a Doctoral student in Education, focusing his research on the field of student transitions into Higher Education, while his broader research interests relate to physical education, sport coaching, the football industry, teaching and learning pedagogy, and student experience.

Gareth Henry

Gareth Henry is Curriculum Leader for Higher Education at Nelson and Colne College Group.