Access to HE grading implementation: end of year student survey

A new national system of grading for the Access to HE Diploma was introduced in 2009-10. The aim of this survey is to gather information from students about their experiences of the first year of the implementation of grading, so that we can assess how well the grading system works. We will use this information to consider the need to provide further guidance or to make adjustments to the grading model or process: it won’t be used to assess individual tutors or groups of tutors. Your name may be used to confirm your status as a student with the college you have been attending, and for no other purpose.

Thank you for your assistance.

Please provide the following information:

Your name
Name of college or centre
Title of the Access to HE Diploma that you are registered for
Name of Access Validating Agency (if known)

Section A
Please indicate your view about each of the following statements, based on your experience of grading.

	In all cases	In most cases	In some cases	Not at all	Don't know
1 The information I was given with assignments about the grade descriptors that were being used helped me to know what I had to do to achieve Merits or Distinctions.
2 I understood how the final grades for units were decided.
3 The feedback I received on my graded work made it clear why I had achieved the particular grades I had been given.
4 The grades I was given for different units and in different subjects seemed comparable in terms of the standard of work required.
5 The grades I was given at the beginning and end of the course seemed comparable in terms of the standard of work required.
6 I achieved higher grades at the end of the course than at the beginning.
7 Feedback about grades gave me useful information about the areas I needed to work on to improve my work and reach higher standards.
8 Feedback about grades gave me useful information about my progress in different areas of the course.
9 Knowing that my work would be graded motivated me to work hard in order to achieve higher grades.
10 The rules about extensions and late submissions were clear to me.
11 I thought the rules about extensions and late submissions were reasonable.
12 The rules about resubmissions were clear to me.
13 I thought the rules about resubmissions were reasonable.
If you want to explain your responses or make any other comments, including suggestions for improvement, please add them here:

Section B

Applications to HE

1 During 2009-10, did you apply for a place on an HE course?	(check one)
Yes
No
(If no, you have now completed the survey.)

2 Did you make your application(s) through UCAS	(check one)
Yes
No

3 How many HE courses did you apply for?	(check one)
a One
b Two
c Three
d Four
e Five

4 How many offers did you receive?	(check one)
a One
b Two
c Three
d Four
e Five
f None

5 What kinds of offers did you receive? (tick all that apply) Please note: HE institutions make different kinds of offers, according to their own admissions policies and entry requirements. If they require applicants to achieve grades, the way in which they ask for this can also differ. Some may refer to specific units; some may ask for certain numbers of credits. Please indicate if you received one or more offers which required achievement of:	Tick
a the particular named Access to HE Diploma you are registered on (whether or not grades were also asked for)
b an Access to HE Diploma in a general subject area (whether or not grades were also asked for)
c a certain number or percentage of credits from any units at a particular grade(s)
d particular grades for certain individually named unit(s)
e particular grades for units (or a set number of credits) in certain named subject(s)
f more than 45 credits at level 3

6 What graded offers did you receive? (indicate the number of each kind of offer you received)
* Please note: in this section, 'all level 3 achievement’ means all the units that you needed to complete successfully at level 3 on your course, in order to gain the 45 credits required for the award of the Access to HE Diploma. Universities may express this as a number of units or credits in their offers. Please indicate the number of offers you received with grade requirements that are closest to the categories described below.	Number of offers of each type received
	1	2	3	4	5
a all level 3 achievement* required at Distinction
b some, but not all, level 3 achievement* required at Distinction and some at Merit
c some, but not all, level 3 achievement* required at Distinction, but no Merits required
d all level 3 achievement* required at least at Merit, but no Distinctions required
e some, but not all, level 3 achievement* required at Merit, but no Distinctions required
f the Access to HE Diploma to be achieved at Pass, with no Merits or Distinctions required
g other (please give details)

7 Are you planning to take up a place on an HE course in 2010-11?	(check one)
a Yes
b No

Access to HE grading implementation: end of year student survey

Section A Please indicate your view about each of the following statements, based on your experience of grading.

Section B

Applications to HE

Section A
Please indicate your view about each of the following statements, based on your experience of grading.