Bridging the gap: Supporting students in the transition from BTEC to university

Unusually for a Russell Group business school, Queen Mary University of London’s School of Business and Management accepts entrants who only hold vocational qualifications, with BTEC students accounting for over a third of the undergraduate cohort.  

The institutional data shows that BTEC students perform markedly worse than other students, particularly in Year 1, and are less likely to successfully progress through university. This could be attributed to challenges they face in adapting to a university environment and altered academic support compared to Further Education, as well as their varying initial levels of academic readiness and grasp of assessment expectations and criteria in Higher Education (Office for Students, 2020).   

At our school, we introduced a ‘Step Ahead Plus’ university transition programme to bridge this gap and help incoming BTEC students in their learning and advancement before and during their first year of studies. This week-long programme is aimed at:   

• helping new BTEC students gain a positive early experience and realistic expectation of student life and a university environment;    

• helping BTEC students to be highly informed about learning and teaching approaches, and developing and improving their academic and other transferrable skills ahead of starting their studies;    

• facilitating a sense of belonging early on by introducing BTEC students to their peers, as well as key academic and professional services staff.   

The uniqueness of the programme lies in the fact that its workshops are co-created, led and delivered by a team of current, second and third-year students with a BTEC qualification, who act as student-mentors. The student-mentors are motivated by their own experiences of transitioning to and studying at university, and driven by a desire to help incoming BTEC students gain confidence as they embark on their university journey. All workshops are highly engaging and interactive and cover key academic (e.g. reading and note-taking, assessments, academic writing and numerical skills) and transferrable skills (e.g. team working and public speaking). Not only do new BTEC students actively participate in these workshops, but they also have opportunities to engage with both staff and students through informal activities such as ‘Games Night’, ‘Meet Your Staff’ sessions and a ‘BBQ Social’, which help build connections and support networks. Beyond the week-long programme in September, new BTEC students are then supported by their student-mentors through regular check-in sessions during their first semester.   

Positive outcomes, reflected in both quantitative data and qualitative feedback, highlight the programme's efficacy in improving students' university experience and academic engagement. The programme enhances students' readiness and confidence while fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. In terms of the short-term impact, the data collected at the start and end of the programme shows an increase in knowledge about the university amongst participating BTEC students from 30% to 92% and confidence about starting the university from 60% to 84%. The qualitative feedback is overwhelmingly positive with all participants recommending the programme to future students and describing it as ‘inspirational’ and ‘valuable’. Participants also mention that the programme has improved their academic and transferrable skills. Moreover, the mid-term impact evaluation suggests a higher level of academic engagement (e.g. class attendance) and involvement in extra-curricular activities among BTEC students who took part in the programme.  

Additionally, the benefits extend beyond the new students to the student-mentors, who gain valuable skills and leadership experience. The student-mentors report developing key attributes, namely effective team-working, leadership, communication, presentation and organisational skills.  

The 'Step Ahead Plus' university transition programme exemplifies our proactive and innovative approach to addressing the unique challenges faced by BTEC students. By acknowledging and actively supporting the diverse needs of students from vocational backgrounds, we demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and student success. Thus, 'Step Ahead Plus' serves as a model for other institutions aiming to support underrepresented student groups and enhance overall educational outcomes.

Reference: 

Office for Students (2020) Transforming Transitions: Addressing barriers to student success. Final Report. November. Bristol: Office for Students.