College diploma boosts access

The Quality Assurance Agency has revised its Access to Higher Education certificate qualification in a bid to attract more people to consider returning to university - even if they left school with no qualifications.

The nationally-recognised diploma will be available to all who successfully complete an Access to Higher Education course at the Waterfront based organisation.

Doncaster College spokesman Matt Needham said: “We are delighted to be the first college in the area to offer the new diploma. It’s a great way to get back into education and go onto bigger things at university.”

QAA chief executive Peter Williams said: “Access to Higher Education has been a splendid, but largely unsung, success. QAA has been pleased to be associated with that success over the last 10 years and I am delighted to introduce the new diploma.

“The Access to Higher Education diploma is a qualification preparing students for study at university. It is designed for people who would like to study in higher education but who left school without the usual qualifications, such as A levels or GNVQs.

“We hope the diploma will boost awareness of Access to Higher Education as a quality-assured route to higher education and that more people take advantage of this opportunity to benefit from a university education.”