Success in Higher Education for Service children through the Office for Students Equality of Opportunity Risk Register
When the the Office for Students changed its regulatory approach to higher education access and participation in England – through a new Equality of Opportunity Risk Register (EORR) – Service children needs were not as visible they were under the previous approach. We responded quickly to advocate for Service children and the SCiP Alliance Community by commissioning research and engaging with the Office for Students to enhance the policy, as well as the visibility of and support for Service children in the sector.
Aim: Maintain and enhance the engagement of higher education providers in England in supporting the educational success of the children of serving and ex-Armed Forces personnel (Service children) in light of changes in the Office for Students’ (OfS) regulatory approach.
Partners: The project is funded by the University of Winchester, and the SCiP Alliance is bringing higher education partners together with the Ministry of Defence, Department for Education and Office for Students to deliver this project.
Aims:
- Describe the nature of and rationale for higher education providers’ engagement with support for Service children.
- Establish Service children as a recognised group for support – including through APPs – in OfS access and widening participation policy.
- Develop practical examples of and proposals for enhancing higher education providers’ support for Service children.
Outputs:
- Research highlighting key challenges for Service children in relation to access and participation in higher education in England.
- A policy roundtable bringing together higher education partners in the Alliance community with the Ministry of Defence, Department for Education and Office for Students, to develop proposals for better policy and practice.
- A practitioner conference to enhance providers’ engagement with and support for Service children in higher education in England.
