Foundation Learning Quality Assurance

Self Review Guide

Practice Four: Learner access and entry

Learner access and entry to foundation learning programmes is facilitated effectively.

What this means

Learner access and entry to foundation learning programmes is facilitated effectively when programme information and recruitment materials are presented in ways that are clear and easy to understand for the target learners. The recruitment and enrolment process results in learners being placed in a programme that best suits their needs.

How does this help foundation learners?

Learners are better able to meet their literacy, numeracy and language needs in programmes that are specifically designed and structured to address those needs. Learners who enrol in programmes that proactively manage barriers to access are more likely to persist in their literacy, numeracy and language learning (Benseman et al, 2005; MSD, 2006).

Possible sources of evidence

Providers may demonstrate that they effectively facilitate access and entry to their foundation learning programmes through:

recruitment and enrolment procedures, strategies and forms
targeted recruitment material, such as newspaper advertisements, radio advertisements and course brochures
enrolment criteria
marketing and communications plans and strategies
stakeholder, including learner, feedback
interviews with staff
pre-entry or screening assessments
records of placement interviews and discussions with interviewers
correspondence with other providers
information for learners identifying local and regional learning pathways

Requirement 4.1

The provider identifies barriers to access, including information, language and mode, and ensures foundation learning programme recruitment and enrolment processes are adjusted in response to foundation learners’ needs.

Key questions

How aware are all the relevant staff of the potential barriers and issues that foundation learners may experience in recruitment and enrolment?
How do the recruitment and enrolment processes take account of the literacy, numeracy and language level, confidence and skill level of targeted learner groups?
How does the provider evaluate the recruitment and enrolment activities and processes to ensure they are effective for the targeted learner groups?
How has the provider analysed and recorded the potential barriers and issues that learners may experience in recruitment and enrolment?

Example

A large provider delivering specialist literacy programmes has front-line staff members who are able to refer potential students quickly and sensitively to the appropriate administrator or section in the institution. Administrative staff have been trained to address the literacy and interpersonal needs that learners may present in the enrolment process, which may otherwise require a significant degree of literacy to complete forms.

Requirement 4.2

Placement within the organisation, or referral to suitable alternative programmes, meets learners’ foundation learning needs.

Key questions

How does the provider analyse who will benefit from their programmes and how is this analysis incorporated into their recruitment and enrolment procedures?
Does the provider have appropriate procedures to ensure correct placement or referral of the full range of learners who apply to the programme?
How does the provider use networks to assist learners’ access?

Examples

A workplace literacy programme

Employees who participate in a provider’s workplace literacy programmes all volunteer for the programme. They are selected based on some evidence of need. Either the employee took part in a literacy needs analysis and was identified as having literacy needs, or they were identified by networks within the company e.g. management, union personnel, team leaders or supervisors, kaumātua or matai. All employees are approached on a one-to-one confidential basis and offered the opportunity to participate in the programme. If they decide not to participate, this is not reported to the company.

An ESOL programme

A large specialist ESOL provider offers programmes ranging from beginner ESOL to advanced preparation for further study. The ESOL tutors have developed a pre-entry placement assessment that determines the prospective learners’ language level and which ESOL programme they should enrol in. The placement assessment tasks cover specific ESOL skills and are graded according to level of difficulty. Placement identifies groups of learners who have common learning needs as well as identifying the needs of individual learners. The assessment helps tutors and learners judge whether learners will benefit from enrolling in an ESOL programme, as well as the level they should enrol in.

Page updated: 20 February 2007