Progression into Higher Education
(National Collaborative Outreach Programme - NCOP)

Higher Education - Understanding the Bigger Picture

By answering this questionnaire you are helping us to understand the bigger picture behind progression rates into higher education of former students who attended Bexhill Academy (formerly Bexhill High). We are really interested to find out what influenced the decisions you made about higher education and university, and to learn what school based activities, if any, supported the decisions you made and what activities you think would encourage current students to consider university as an option.

Question Title

* 1. Which year did you leave school? (age 16)

Question Title

* 2. Where did you go when you left Bexhill Academy/High?

Bexhill College

Sussex Coast College (Hastings)

Sussex Downs College (Eastbourne or Lewes)

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. Please tick the statement that you think most closely reflects your current attitude to university education.

I think a university education is an expensive luxury

I think university is for a certain type of person

I think a university education is a waste of time

I think a university education does not represent value for money

I think a university education is really important to get a good job

I think going to university is a right of passage

I think going to university is important for developing a broad set of skills.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. Which university are you attending/did you attend?

Question Title

* 5. What degree are you taking/did you take?

Question Title

* 6. Were you the first person in your family to attend university?

Yes

First generation (other siblings went to university)

Question Title

* 7. Do you think that you fulfilled your academic potential at school?

Yes

Don't know

Any further comments on this question?

Question Title

* 8. Did you visit a university whilst at school (Year 7-11)

Yes

Don't remember

Question Title

* 9. Do you remember taking part in any activity that encouraged you to consider university as an option whilst you were at school?

Yes

Can't remember

Question Title

* 10. What was your attitude to school/education when you were a student? Select the statement that most closely represents you.

I worked hard and wanted to do well

I was an average students and generally completed work

I tried hard but just didn't get it

I didn't like school and didn't put much effort in

I hated school and didn't always attend

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Has your attitude towards school/education changed?

I think school/education is more important now than when I was a student.

My attitude towards school/education hasn't changed since I was a student.

I think school/education is less important now than when I was a student.

Question Title

* 12. Who influenced your decisions about university? Tick all that apply

One or more parent/carer actively encouraged me to go to university

School and/or a teacher encouraged me to go to university

College/Sixth Form encouraged me to go to university

It was something that I wanted to do and no one actively encouraged me

It was just expected that I would go to university

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. Did you apply to university but then not attend?

Yes

If Yes - Why did you change your mind?

Question Title

* 14. Did you start university and then drop out?

Yes

If Yes - What influenced your decision to leave university?

Question Title

* 15. How do you feel about your time at university?

Not applicable

Going to university was the best decision I could have made - I love/d it.

Going to university was a necessity for my chosen career.

Going to university will offer me the opportunity to get a better job and earn more.

Going to university is helping me to develop a broad set of life skills and experience.

Other

Question Title

* 16. When making your decision to go to university please rate how each of the following influenced your decision.

	Negative Influence (made me question decision)		Had no influence		Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Cost / Debt	Cost / Debt Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Cost / Debt	Cost / Debt Had no influence	Cost / Debt	Cost / Debt Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Potential future earnings	Potential future earnings Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Potential future earnings	Potential future earnings Had no influence	Potential future earnings	Potential future earnings Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Need degree for career choice	Need degree for career choice Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Need degree for career choice	Need degree for career choice Had no influence	Need degree for career choice	Need degree for career choice Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Pursuit of knowledge	Pursuit of knowledge Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Pursuit of knowledge	Pursuit of knowledge Had no influence	Pursuit of knowledge	Pursuit of knowledge Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Confidence/Self Belief	Confidence/Self Belief Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Confidence/Self Belief	Confidence/Self Belief Had no influence	Confidence/Self Belief	Confidence/Self Belief Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Understanding of what university involved	Understanding of what university involved Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Understanding of what university involved	Understanding of what university involved Had no influence	Understanding of what university involved	Understanding of what university involved Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Living away from home	Living away from home Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Living away from home	Living away from home Had no influence	Living away from home	Living away from home Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Develop a broad set of life skills	Develop a broad set of life skills Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Develop a broad set of life skills	Develop a broad set of life skills Had no influence	Develop a broad set of life skills	Develop a broad set of life skills Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Develop your employability	Develop your employability Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Develop your employability	Develop your employability Had no influence	Develop your employability	Develop your employability Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)
Parental expectations	Parental expectations Negative Influence (made me question decision)	Parental expectations	Parental expectations Had no influence	Parental expectations	Parental expectations Positive Influence (strong motivator to go)

Please add anything else that had a significant influence, either negative or positive

Question Title

* 17. Was there any information that you would have liked made available to you about university/higher education whilst at school (Years 7-11)

Question Title

* 18. What age would you say you were when you first considered that you would go to university?

Whilst at primary school (before age 11)

During Key Stage 3 (age 11-14)

During Key Stage 4 (age 15-16)

Whilst at college/sixth form (age 17-18)

After leaving full time education (age 19+)

Question Title

* 19. Please rate how successful you think the following activities would be in encouraging students to consider university/higher education as an option.

	I don't think this would be useful at all		I think this might be useful for some		I think this would be really useful
Speakers in assemblies from universities	Speakers in assemblies from universities I don't think this would be useful at all	Speakers in assemblies from universities	Speakers in assemblies from universities I think this might be useful for some	Speakers in assemblies from universities	Speakers in assemblies from universities I think this would be really useful
Visits to university campuses	Visits to university campuses I don't think this would be useful at all	Visits to university campuses	Visits to university campuses I think this might be useful for some	Visits to university campuses	Visits to university campuses I think this would be really useful
Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11	Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11 I don't think this would be useful at all	Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11	Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11 I think this might be useful for some	Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11	Attendance at university summer schools in Year 10 or Year 11 I think this would be really useful
Information evenings for parents and students	Information evenings for parents and students I don't think this would be useful at all	Information evenings for parents and students	Information evenings for parents and students I think this might be useful for some	Information evenings for parents and students	Information evenings for parents and students I think this would be really useful
Participating in subject specific activities at a university	Participating in subject specific activities at a university I don't think this would be useful at all	Participating in subject specific activities at a university	Participating in subject specific activities at a university I think this might be useful for some	Participating in subject specific activities at a university	Participating in subject specific activities at a university I think this would be really useful
Speakers in GCSE option classes	Speakers in GCSE option classes I don't think this would be useful at all	Speakers in GCSE option classes	Speakers in GCSE option classes I think this might be useful for some	Speakers in GCSE option classes	Speakers in GCSE option classes I think this would be really useful

Question Title

* 20. If you have any comments on how you think we should promote higher education and university to current students please comment here.

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. If you would be interested in coming in to school to support activities aimed at encouraging students to consider university as an option and answering questions that students or parents may have about going to university, please complete your contact details below. If you haven't already done so we would be really pleased if you would join our school alumni. www.futurefirst.org.uk

Question Title

* 21. If you are happy for us to get in touch with you about future activities please complete the contact information below.

Name

Email Address

Phone Number