IFNTF - Supporting student transition and induction to University: a four-part project

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly affected educational experiences at all levels from March 2020 onwards. In September 2021, incoming students from ‘traditional’ backgrounds had received very little in the way of formal education between March and September 2020 and then returned to a more blended learning environment for their Year 13 (2020-21). During that year, they were only in school or college for a maximum of 15 weeks before the UK December lockdown and only began to return to classrooms in early March ‘21. Experiences and return dates will have differed across the nations of the UK. In both 2020 and 2021 formal exams (as are part of the modular approach to A-Levels) were cancelled for this cohort, covering the whole of their Level 3 educational experience. ‘Non-traditional’ and overseas entrants will have arrived with a further range of experiences. Students will have utilised parental and other support structures during this time, which would likely not be present for their first year at university. This induction and transitions project aimed to ensure that we fully understood the challenges presented to, and anxieties experienced by, these students and were able to tailor our support to ensure a smooth transition to university and maximise success through Year 1 and beyond. This was achieved using a tripartite approach: understanding and responding to students’ experiences and concerns; supporting the learner journey through a pre-arrival and extended induction; and ensuring adequate student preparation for assessment by examination.