Access and Participation Statement

Bath Spa University's APP places emphasis on widening participation, removing barriers to opportunity, supporting student success and promoting student engagement and student voice.

William College contributes to these objectives by:

• Providing flexible study options designed to support mature learners and students balancing study with employment or caring responsibilities.

• Supporting access through non-standard entry routes and recognition of prior learning and experience.

• Delivering comprehensive induction, academic skills development and digital literacy support.

• Providing academic, wellbeing and pastoral support designed to improve continuation and student success.

• Promoting student engagement through elected student representatives, student committees and student feedback mechanisms.

BBK’s APP focuses on ensuring equality of opportunity through improvements in continuation, completion, attainment and progression, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including students with vocational qualifications, Black and Asian students, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and students with mental health conditions.

William College contributes to these objectives by:

• Monitoring student engagement and participation throughout the student lifecycle.

• Providing targeted support through the Student Success Team (SST) and Wellbeing Teams to support continuation and completion.

• Delivering English language, academic skills and digital learning support to assist students in achieving positive academic outcomes.

• Monitoring student outcomes and identifying opportunities to address differential outcomes as institutional data become available.

• Providing employability support, employer engagement opportunities and careers guidance to support progression into graduate employment or further study.

Alongside supporting the strategic objectives of its partner universities, William College’s contribution is shaped by the characteristics of its student population, which includes a high proportion of mature learners, students entering through non-standard routes and students balancing study with employment and family commitments.

The College's distinctive contribution is therefore centred on flexible and accessible delivery, personalised student support, proactive engagement monitoring, and practical interventions that enable students from diverse backgrounds to access higher education, succeed in their studies and progress towards their personal and professional goals.

The College reduces barriers to entry, particularly for its primary target groups, through the following:

• Providing non-standard entry routes to all our programmes. In the 2024-25 HESA return, 73% of students were admitted through ‘non-standard’ entry, reflecting the diverse educational and professional backgrounds of the College's predominantly mature student population.

• Providing clear and accessible information about courses, entry requirements and study expectations through the prospectus, website and direct enquiry channels.

• Offering pre-application guidance to help prospective students, particularly mature learners, assess whether a programme is suited to their qualifications, experience and career goals.

• Providing feedback to unsuccessful applicants who fall short of entry requirements, so they understand what steps might support a future application.

• Considering applicants’ prior learning and work experience in line with the Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) policies of the relevant awarding institutions, ensuring that mature applicants are not disadvantaged by a lack of traditional qualifications.

• Engaging with external partners, including community organisations, local employers and further education providers, to raise awareness of higher education opportunities among underrepresented groups.

• Organising Open Days to enable prospective students to meet staff, ask questions and make informed decisions about higher education.

• Providing accessible pre-admission information on support for students with disabilities, long term health conditions, and Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLDs), including information about the support and adjustments available at the College, so that applicants can make an informed choice before enrolling.

• Advertising clearly the delivery model: 1 day in person and 1 day online as a key benefit to enable access for students with caring or existing employment commitments.

• Providing extensive course information to all students clearly outlining financial implications (loans/grants) as well as academic and code of conduct expectations, and professional services available.

• Providing an accessible and free-to-use in-house English Language assessment with preparation support videos and guidance showing best practice for students to maximise their opportunities. Outcomes are ordinarily communicated within 48 hours.

The College supports students in settling into their higher education journey and remaining engaged with their studies through:

• Delivering an induction that promotes student engagement and belonging and introduces academic expectations, support services, key policies and available resources. Induction is spread over the first few weeks of the students’ study and is designed to enable students to discover information progressively rather than receive it all at once.

• Providing academic and pastoral support through appropriately qualified staff, responsive to the needs of the student body and recognising that students entering through non-traditional pathways may require additional support during their transition to higher education.

• Ensuring that students are aware of, and can access, available support mechanisms throughout their studies, including signposting to wellbeing services where relevant.

• Making reasonable adjustments for students with identified needs, in line with legal requirements and College best practice policies.

• Providing access to, and support with, digital learning tools and platforms that support students with a range of learning needs.

• Signposting students experiencing financial difficulty to appropriate internal and external sources of support.

• Delivering the 40-credit Foundation Year module ‘BSU Digital Essentials’ across all foundation programmes.

• Adopting a comprehensive holistic approach to risk tracking and interventions through a single data sheet that pulls together data from all engagement points: VLE, attendance, assignment submissions and assignment success.

• Focused and dedicated support from SST with a proactive approach dedicated to supporting students with submissions and resubmissions, ensuring students do not drop out due to one missed deadline.

• SSTs working collaboratively with our Wellbeing Team to ensure all students who need reasonable adjustments such as extra time for submissions can access this quickly and effectively.

The College supports students to achieve their academic potential. Actions supporting this aim include:

• Offering a variety of teaching and learning approaches appropriate to the programme, with the aim of supporting different learning preferences and circumstances.

• Encouraging inclusive teaching practices informed by sector good practice, including blended delivery.

• Reviewing curriculum delivery periodically to ensure it remains accessible and responsive to the evolving profile of the student body.

• Providing access to, and support in using, digital and physical learning resources aligned to programme requirements, including via the Virtual Learning Environment.

• Offering additional support to students who face barriers to digital learning, including guidance on available tools and platforms.

• Offering English Language Support embedded throughout Levels 3 and 4.

• Scheduling a reading and enrichment week with a wide range of key skills, workshops, academic foundations, wellbeing workshops, and CV workshops. In addition, during reading and enrichment week), students are encouraged to participate in a range of workshops linked to academic and wellbeing support services. These sessions include activities such as stress management workshops, English language support workshops, academic writing and referencing workshops, and other study skills sessions designed to enhance student confidence and success.

• Organising talks and guest speaker sessions through CareerQuest featuring professionals from industries including property and business, such as First Tribunal Property and Women in Business sessions, designed to motivate students and provide insight into future career opportunities.

• Develops reasonable adjustment plans to support students with additional needs, ensuring they have tailored academic, wellbeing, and accessibility support to help them fully engage in their learning environment and achieve their potential.

The College recognises that completing a qualification is a meaningful achievement, particularly for students who face additional challenges during their studies. To ensure that students achieve their study goals, William College:

• Monitors student engagement and progression at key points in the academic year, using available data to identify students who may benefit from additional support.

• Provides a range of mechanisms for students to raise concerns about their studies or personal circumstances, with appropriate referral pathways in place.

• Ensures that any disruption to study, including for personal, financial or health-related reasons, is handled sensitively and in a way that supports students in continuing where possible.

• Provides 1-to-1 CV and LinkedIn support, online and in-person.

• Organises and delivers a range of student engagement events, including initiatives such as “Dragon’s Den” and careers fairs, at which businesses relevant to the current academic portfolio speak with students about industry pathways, career opportunities and employer expectations.

The College supports students in making a successful transition from study into employment, further study or professional development by:

• Providing access to careers and employability support, including guidance on CV development, career planning and professional skills development, delivered through workshops or available resources.

• Creating opportunities for students to engage with employers, professionals or sector organisations relevant to their area of study.

• Supporting students in identifying postgraduate routes and professional qualifications where relevant to their career aims.

• Setting up an alumni network for our first set of graduates.

• Building relationships with businesses and industry professionals through networking, outreach, and guest speaker engagement aimed at supporting university students.

• Provides access to professionals connected with organisations such as Clifford Chance and CareerQuest, allowing students to gain insight into graduate careers. While these relationships are currently informal rather than formal partnerships, they provide valuable opportunities for students to expand their professional networks and career awareness.

Operational responsibility for the delivery of this Access and Participation Statement rests with the Senior Leadership and Management Team (SLMT), which monitors the implementation of activities and interventions designed to support access, continuation, success, completion and progression.

The Academic Board provides institutional oversight of student outcomes and receives regular reports on continuation, student success, progression and student experience. Academic Board monitors the effectiveness of interventions and considers areas requiring further action or enhancement.

The Board of Governors receives assurance regarding the effectiveness of the College's approach to access and participation through established governance reporting arrangements and annual review processes.

Student feedback forms an important part of the College's monitoring and enhancement activities. Feedback is gathered through elected Student Representatives and Vice Representatives, student forums, surveys, module evaluations and other formal and informal channels. The Student Engagement Officer coordinates student representation activities and supports elected representatives through training and structured engagement opportunities. The College is also establishing a Student Representative Panel as a sub-group of Academic Board to strengthen student involvement in institutional decision-making.

The College is committed to developing a robust evidence base to inform access and participation activity. A Data Management Group reports to SLMT and supports the development, accuracy and quality of institutional data. This supports the College's ability to monitor student outcomes, identify emerging risks and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions over time.

William College delivers its access and participation activities through dedicated academic and professional service teams. Key resources include the Student Success Team, Wellbeing teams located at both campuses, the Student Voice Officer, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) support, and employability and careers support provided through the Student Employment Officer.

The College incorporates access and participation activities within its annual planning, staffing and operational processes. This approach helps ensure that support for students is embedded within the College's ongoing provision and remains sustainable as the College grows and develops. Resource requirements and priorities are reviewed through established management and governance arrangements to ensure continued alignment with student needs and institutional objectives.