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Aimhigher Evidence
Robust evidence of impact and effectiveness is a major requirement for Aimhigher partnerships. In 2008 DIUS (now BIS) and HEFCE established with Aimhigher a methodology for developing evidence which could indicate a discrete Aimhigher effect. This methodology asked for a data collection regime for targeted learners on intensive programmes which included details of parental occupation and enabled the tracking of those learners through to university, collecting a profile of their engagement with Aimhigher events on the way. The regime also included an analysis of attainment data and qualitative evidence derived from professionals, parents and carers and the learners themselves. Guidance has been published on the HEFCE website on how to target outreach activities at people from groups under-represented in higher education. Targeting Disadvantaged Learners
 2009 has seen the first cycle of this evaluation model. Partnerships have prepared evaluation plans, adjusted them as necessary in the light of experience, with reports submitted on 30th September, along with the 2008/9 monitoring reports. However, much of 2009 has been focussed on the issue of data rather than evaluation. In its first phase the NFER research project on the evaluation of the impact of Aimhigher looked at the ways partnerships were collecting data, using six partnerships as exemplars, and widening the debate out at a national conference in May 2009.
It became clear very quickly that partnerships were collecting data in different formats, had different kinds of agreement on data sharing with local authorities, and were experiencing a range of difficulties particularly in relation to the NSSEC data which is not collected by local authorities. Some partnerships were working together on a regional basis, some were remitting the storage of data to Local Authorities and some were going it alone. Given the diversity of arrangements the issue of consistent data collection for national purposes has become of considerable significance and is still under consideration by HEFCE.
In view of this, the reporting mechanism for evaluation plans takes account of the issues of methodology and data collection as well as any outcomes partnerships may have been able to derive from the year’s work. See further guidance. The mechanism also is sensitive to the fact that partnerships have focused on different aspects of the Aimhigher repertoire in their evaluation plans and so will probably not be in a position to respond to all the questions asked. HEFCE have asked for 2008/09 report to focus on targeting, the health care strand and mentoring and will add in other topics in subsequent years. However, a common area of work is the Learner Progression Framework and it is hoped that partnerships will be able to say something about progress on this relatively new area of work.
When HEFCE has assimilated the information from the evaluation reports, we shall update partnerships on the national picture. Hopefully we shall also be able to produce a publication on the Aimhigher picture and achievements for 2008/9 next year. In addition, because evaluation covers a number of projects – healthcare strand, associates, summer schools, LLNs, VFM, and so forth – HEFCE is developing an evaluation framework within which all these different areas of work can sit and which can relate to the widening participation research strategy.
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