A validated toolkit for access and participation evaluation (TAPE).
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| Title: | A validated toolkit for access and participation evaluation (TAPE). |
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| Authors: | Horton, Matt (AUTHOR), Perry, Thomas (AUTHOR), Whatmore, Tracy (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Educational Review. Jul2026, Vol. 78 Issue 5, p742-778. 37p. |
| Abstract: | Over recent decades, governments in England have set out to address gaps in social mobility. In part, this has been supported through widening participation (WP) regulation, policy and programmes aiming to increase the proportions of under-represented groups entering higher education (HE). Evidence of "what works" in closing gaps in HE participation remains limited. We argue that progress has been hampered by the lack of a consistent and validated toolkit to measure the extent to which programmes improve pupils' non-cognitive outcomes. Our study aims to address this gap with the validation of the Toolkit for Access and Participation Evaluation (TAPE). TAPE consists of five constructs relating to HE knowledge, HE attitudes/aspirations, academic confidence, and motivation (AABs). These are the constructs that WP programmes often aim to improve, to increase disadvantaged pupils' likelihood of entering HE. We conduct a multi-validation on this instrument, covering its content, face, predictive validity and reliability. We administered the toolkit to 1,036 pupils (year groups 9-13) in seven secondary schools participating in a WP programme in the West Midlands, England. We address a number of significant gaps within the academic literature, as we provide (i) statistical evidence of an association between pupil AABs and their future HE entry behaviours (predictive validity); (ii) A diagnostic approach for WP programmes to identify and target pupils most in need of support (e.g. those with low AABs) and; (iii) a robust toolkit to evaluate the effectiveness of WP programmes on improving pupil AABs. Wider adoption of the toolkit provides an opportunity for WP programmes to more effectively target resource, supporting faster progress in understanding "what works" and wider government goals to improve social mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Over recent decades, governments in England have set out to address gaps in social mobility. In part, this has been supported through widening participation (WP) regulation, policy and programmes aiming to increase the proportions of under-represented groups entering higher education (HE). Evidence of "what works" in closing gaps in HE participation remains limited. We argue that progress has been hampered by the lack of a consistent and validated toolkit to measure the extent to which programmes improve pupils' non-cognitive outcomes. Our study aims to address this gap with the validation of the Toolkit for Access and Participation Evaluation (TAPE). TAPE consists of five constructs relating to HE knowledge, HE attitudes/aspirations, academic confidence, and motivation (AABs). These are the constructs that WP programmes often aim to improve, to increase disadvantaged pupils' likelihood of entering HE. We conduct a multi-validation on this instrument, covering its content, face, predictive validity and reliability. We administered the toolkit to 1,036 pupils (year groups 9-13) in seven secondary schools participating in a WP programme in the West Midlands, England. We address a number of significant gaps within the academic literature, as we provide (i) statistical evidence of an association between pupil AABs and their future HE entry behaviours (predictive validity); (ii) A diagnostic approach for WP programmes to identify and target pupils most in need of support (e.g. those with low AABs) and; (iii) a robust toolkit to evaluate the effectiveness of WP programmes on improving pupil AABs. Wider adoption of the toolkit provides an opportunity for WP programmes to more effectively target resource, supporting faster progress in understanding "what works" and wider government goals to improve social mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00131911 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/00131911.2025.2489504 |
