Targets and Milestones. 6.1 The University notes the importance of monitoring success through achievements against the HESA Performance Indicators, supplemented by targets for the rates of application and offer to non-traditional learners, and overall student satisfaction ratings for those in receipt of support.
6.2 Whilst acknowledging the delay in publication of Performance Indicator data, we believe that it is preferable to monitor our performance through publicly available information where possible. We monitor these same indicators internally to ensure that we are well placed to understand the impact of our work. However, we are concerned that it is often difficult to identify a simple causal link between work which has been undertaken within the widening participation field, and achievement (whether improved or less strong). The fact that work to raise aspiration may well take place 3-4 years before prospective enrolment, which is then reported 18 months later, makes it extremely difficult to propose actions in direct response to performance. It is for this reason that some of our targets relate to activities, as well as achievement, although these activities are also strongly monitored for successful progression.
6.3 We were concerned that the new financial arrangements were poorly understood by many prospective students, and were likely to be a particular impediment to those from non-traditional backgrounds. However, we are reassured that the early signs indicate that there has been a less significant short-term impact on the recruitment of those from under-represented groups than had been anticipated, although we are not complacent and will continue to promote the value and benefits of higher education.
6.4 The targets set by the University reflect our current position, and our understanding of our own catchment area. Most applicants and enrolments are from those within 100 miles of the University, spread evenly across the south-east and south-west regions. This is not surprising, given our location on the boundary between these two regions, and the superior travel links to the south-east and London. In addition, we have not set targets in those areas where numbers are too small to be meaningful; or where our experience over the last ten years indicates that activity is unlikely to have significant impact (this applies, for instance, to mature learners from low participation neighbourhoods without previous experience of higher education).
6.5 Our targets are set over fiv...
Targets and Milestones. You may choose to develop specific additional targets and milestones which assess your performance in ITT over time – particularly if ITT trainees make up a significant proportion of your overall student body. Alternatively, you may have targets and milestones in your existing 2012-13 access agreement which you now also wish to apply to undergraduate and/or postgraduate ITT trainees. These targets may be statistical – based on how representative your entrants are and/or your retention performance – and might include annual or interim milestones to help you monitor whether you are making progress. You may wish to include criteria around the numbers of trainees in receipt of a full or partial maintenance grant, as financial data will need to be collected to determine bursary support and the data will also be accessible through the Student Loans Company for HEBSS subscribers. You may also wish to consider the TDA guidance at Annex C which gives information on specific groups that are underrepresented in the teaching profession.
Targets and Milestones. In line with our current position, we will maintain our current completion rate and, as a minimum, will aim to maintain our levels of mature and part time students as shown in Annex B. We will continue to review learner feedback and will monitor student profiles as at present.
Targets and Milestones. 2.4.1 The Director shall do all in his power to achieve the targets and milestones indicated in the municipal IDP and Performance Management System.
2.4.2 The Director undertakes to achieve the parent targets, which shall be directly related to the expected improvement in the level of services and therefore improvement in the quality of life within the municipality. The parent targets are those defined as performance requirements in Section 4 of this contract.
Targets and Milestones. The four key drivers of the College’s Access Agreement are measures and approaches which
Targets and Milestones. The University is setting itself challenging targets in terms of improving its widening participation and retention. It has also developed appropriate milestones for these targets. The milestones and targets are set out in tables 7a and 7b and are contextualised by the data related to our Access and Success record in section 3 of this agreement.
Targets and Milestones. 6.1 The University will continue to encourage applications from well-qualified applicants from groups that are currently under-represented and to admit a greater proportion of them within the framework of our admission policy and without compromising entry standards. Experience demonstrates that outreach activity (particularly that focussed on younger age groups, as advocated in OFFA guidance) will not be reflected in the composition of the student population for some years.
6.2 The University recognises the value of HESA performance indicators and benchmarks, but notes that the benchmarks have severe limitations in a Cambridge context in that they take insufficient account of the University’s entrance requirements, both in terms of subject combinations and levels of attainment.21
6.3 Guidance from the Office for Fair Access sets out three key areas to be addressed by Access Agreements. These are outreach, admissions and retention. Accordingly the University proposes to measure its progress against four corresponding targets: to increase the proportion of UK resident students admitted from UK state sector schools and colleges so that they fall within a range of 61-63%; to increase the proportion of UK resident students admitted from low participation neighbourhoods to approximately 4.0%; to meet XXXX benchmarks on retention; to offer a commitment to the minimum number of places available on summer schools at the University.
6.4 The University has selected the four targets described above because they are measurable, do not rely on information which is unavailable (or inconsistently available) at the point of application, and are possible to influence without compromising either the principle of needs-blind admissions, or entry standards. We will nonetheless continue to consider such other data as is made available by UCAS and HESA and its usefulness in measuring our progress.
Targets and Milestones. 2.4.1 The Municipal Manager shall do all in his power to achieve the targets and milestones indicated in the municipal IDP and Performance Management System.
2.4.2 The Municipal Manager undertakes to achieve the organisational targets, which shall be directly related to the expected improvement in the level of services and therefore improvement in the quality of life within the municipality. The organisational targets are those defined as performance requirements in the Performance Plan of this contract.
Targets and Milestones. Given our strong track record in widening participation, where we exceed by some distance the benchmarks for recruitment of students from low income families, and the obvious uncertainty in the way in which national policy may affect recruitment from these groups, we intend to maintain our current levels of performance. Our targets for the next 5 years are: Outreach activities: To complete the programme set out in Appendix A, including 770 events reaching 29,925 potential students and their advisers, at a cost of £1.2m. WP targets: We aim to remain within one standard deviation (or better) of our HESA benchmark. In practice this will mean we recruit no less than 41% of our students from NS-SEC 4,5,6 and 7, and no less than 15% from low participation neighbourhoods.
Targets and Milestones. 2.4.1 The Chief Financial Officer shall do all in his power to achieve the targets and milestones indicated in the municipal IDP and Performance Management System.
2.4.2 The Chief Financial Officer undertakes to achieve the parent targets, which shall be directly related to the expected improvement in the level of services and therefore improvement in the quality of life within the municipality. The parent targets are those defined as performance requirements in Section 4 of this contract.
