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JAPP: Editorial

Volume 5, Number 1, Autumn 2007

Mary Stuart
University of Sussex

When New Labour came to power in 1997 interventions in education were a significant element of their approach to dealing with social inequalities. Initiatives to encourage more people to progress on to higher education abounded and have provided fertile land for researchers even since. As I write, a large study has been published indicating that the effectiveness of ‘Sure Start’, the British government’s programme for under-5s, is being questioned. The researchers conclude that the most important change that should be implemented is to evaluate each initiative in the programme to assess which ones are successful and which are not. JAPP has always provided space for evaluations of programmes to support under-represented groups get into and succeed in HE, and this edition is no exception.

We have articles from across the UK offering different perspectives on initiatives under way in Scotland, Wales and England. Harrison, Baxter and Hatt, old friends of JAPP, have returned following up earlier articles on opportunity bursaries, with a longitudinal study of the value of the bursaries. They suggest that there are lessons to be learned for the new policies on bursaries. Walker discusses a Scottish project to encourage students from lower socio-economic groups go onto HE. Following students from disadvantaged backgrounds into Glasgow University, she argues that these students, despite having equivalent qualifications and grades, were disadvantaged at university. She highlights their lack of confidence during their studies as a major factor in their poorer performance.

The issue of social and cultural capital is taken up by Holtom et al in their study of the ‘Progression through Partnership’ programme in Wales. They argue that working closely with the community to make HE seem ‘natural’ and developing close supportive relationships between tutors and learner is essential to success. May and Hill detail an institutional strategy to embed widening participation within practice. They detail how datasets can be used to develop practice. Finally, in our Debate and Discussion section Knox assesses the failure of the NHSU, arguing that policy is always mediated by gatekeepers and their role can have a significant role in the success or failure of an initiative.

As widening participation policy has evolved in the UK over time and with different approaches in the different countries across the nation it now offers real opportunities to evaluate success. I hope the valuable insights offered in JAPP will be useful to planners and policy makers.