What motivated you to write the Access to HE Handbook, and did you always have provider staff in mind as well as students?

Well, I was motivated by the lack of tailored resources that were (or weren’t!) available for learners on the Access to HE Diploma. Tutors do an amazing job of creating their own when they can, but are often needing to use resources designed for qualifications that aren’t Access to HE. For example, sometimes A-Level resources might be used, or even first year degree resources, but ultimately, they’re just not designed for Access to HE learners and I wanted to create something that would fill that gap. When I first started writing, the focus was entirely on the students, but as I was developing the ideas, I realised that there was the potential to support provider staff too. I didn’t actually write anything differently with the aim to support provider staff explicitly, but using my experience as a tutor and running an Access to HE provision in the past meant that I was aware of things such as the questions that students would ask each year, tasks students had commonly struggled with, and activities that I used every year too so I thought if I were to embed some of those into the book, this might be helpful to staff as well as students!

How can tutors and staff use the handbook to enhance their teaching and support of Access to HE students?

The book was written intentionally as being part information and guidance, but also part journal, and the latter is a real opportunity for interactivity and engagement with the tasks, checklists, activities, case studies and templates for learners to practice their skills. Having that space to practice and the guidance written already means that tutors don’t have to spend time creating their own or trawling the internet for resources to use. The book’s content focusses on the study skills/development units within and throughout the Access to HE Diploma which means that it can help students/staff no matter what subject they are teaching too. This allows tutors to focus on subject-specific teaching which is generally what I’ve found that a lot of tutors have more of a passion to do. I also wanted to make sure that staff had a place to guide students to for basic information which I hope will save them a little bit of time as often explaining how the diploma works can be a little repetitive!

How does the handbook address the unique challenges faced by tutors working with adult learners who are pursuing Access to HE diplomas?

I think that Chapter 9 (Planning for HE) and 10 (Transitioning to HE) are the very relevant here. Adult learners often have different priorities, considerations and circumstances to manage and this book addresses some of these. One small example is that adult learners may not know that they could be eligible for a council tax discount if they are a full-time student – a consideration that very few 18-year-olds might think about – or that they could be eligible for a student bank account too. So, when discussing financial considerations of moving into then HE (amongst plenty of other considerations explored in those chapters!), I’ve been mindful to prioritise information that is more unique to adult learners. Also, the book is written from the perspective of an adult learner – I was an Access to HE Diploma student too, and I think that this gives the book a unique perspective. I write as someone who knows the subject, sure, but I mainly write as a former student wanting to help current students and that means that the language I use, the way in which the topics are explored, and the advice and guidance, are all tailored to a specifically adult-learner audience. I think having a resource written in this way makes it as accessible as possible and speaks more directly to adult learners. Lastly on this, I think that as adults, we are less confident to ask what we perceive to be a ‘silly question’. By including information that goes towards answering all those ‘silly questions’ (which aren’t silly at all might I add!) that I’ve either had myself as a student, or been asked over the years, it takes pressure off learners feeling obligated to speak out if they don’t feel comfortable to and they can just flick to the relevant page to understand what they need.

In what ways does the handbook promote a supportive and collaborative learning environment for Access to HE students?

When I was looking at doing the Access to HE Diploma myself, I went as far as to question the legitimacy of the course because I couldn’t find anything that would normally be associated with studying, including written resources. There was so much about A-Levels for example, loads of books and revision guides being sold to support learning but there was nothing for Access to HE which made me, first question the course itself, but as a learner, left me feeling a little isolated in my studies. Community and a sense of belonging has been shown time and time again to improve student outcomes, encourage collaborative learning and support success. If my book can help just one learner realise that they are part of a huge community of like-minded learners, then I’d be very happy indeed!

How does the handbook help students understand and navigate the expectations of Access to HE programmes and beyond?

I think that there are still a few misconceptions about what the Access to HE Diploma is all about. An example I think many tutors will have seen is having students coming in thinking it’s an easy route when actually, it can be very intense! There’s a lot to do, and for many students, there’s also a brand-new way of doing things too. Anyone coming to the Access to HE Diploma thinking it will be an easy alternative to A-Levels, or another Level 3 option then, could read that book and realise there’s a lot more to it! That’s not to say it’s too difficult, but it’s important to manage expectations and make sure students fully understand what is required of them. In terms of navigating the Access to HE Diploma, I was quite intentional about structuring the book in a semi-chronological manner. It starts with understanding the fundamentals of the course, and then explores the skills needed to achieve, before rounding off with planning for HE and then transitioning to HE. Hopefully then, learners recognise that they can follow the book from start to finish and it can be sort of like a helpful friend guiding them through. Having said that, the chapters are all standalone so readers could dip into any chapter without needing the ones before it which I think makes it a little less overwhelming!

What role does the handbook play in helping students develop the confidence and resilience needed to succeed at university?

I dropped out of university four times before I found the Access to HE Diploma and eventually graduated – fifth time lucky! I was recently asked “what made it stick that fifth time?” and the answer was two-fold. Firstly, I went to university on my own terms, for me, because I wanted to – not because I felt pressured into it which I had done the first four times.

A couple of other chapters were based on skills that I felt were a huge focus in university that I didn’t fully grasp in my Access to HE Diploma such as Chapter 4 (Referencing) and Chapter 7 (Critical Thinking). One chapter in particular – Chapter 9 (Planning for HE) – was written based on the mistakes I made when it came to choosing an HEI that I really hope other learners don’t make too! I was very narrow minded and that compromised my options after I’d graduated but by that time, it was too late to reconsider my degree choice. I included quite a few considerations in the book that I didn’t think about myself in the hope that others do think about them and make a more informed choice about their next steps! By reading the book then, my hope is that students recognise that by learning, practicing and honing these skills throughout their Access to HE Diploma, it can boost their confidence knowing that they have a strong foundation in the fundamental academic skills needed to succeed in HE.

While primarily designed for Access to HE, what other applications does the handbook have for education and training providers? 

The book is written across 10 chapters, but I’d say only really Chapter 1 is completely bespoke to the Access to HE Diploma. Of course, the other 9 chapters are very much written for Access to HE students still, but the information itself I think can be used much more broadly such as for Level 3 students in other qualifications, but also for Level 4 too. I’ve spoken to someone who actually referred to the book as being ‘Level 3.5’ which I thought was quite a good description! Not only can the book overlap levels of learning then, but I wrote the book intentionally to overlap pathways of learning too. Often when we talk about the Access to HE Diploma, the ‘HE’ bit is assumed to just be university but actually, it’s broader than that. In fact, I was very intentional about the language I used throughout the whole book that when referring to higher education, I didn’t actually use the word ‘university’ unless I was very explicitly talking about it within the context of understanding entry requirements etc. Generally, though, I refer to options beyond the Access to HE diploma either as being ‘higher education’ or ‘HEPs’ which stands for Higher Education Providers because this is much broader and includes options such as apprenticeships. There’s actually quite a few references throughout the book about apprenticeships, and there’s even a section in and of itself about apprenticeships in Chapter 9 (Planning for HE) too! I was also intentional what when creating many of the activities or tasks throughout the book, that they included HE routes that weren’t just university. For example, Appendix 8 (Top 10 Tips for HE Interviews) could be used for university, apprenticeships, or even a job interview so there are many elements in there that transcend the Access to HE Diploma – albeit with the core content of the book contextualised within the Diploma.

Are there any other unexpected or innovative ways you’ve seen the handbook being used? 

So, I had a very surprisingly discussion with a university who have started to use my book to support their first-year students! Their feedback was mainly based in the way in which I’d written the book and the language and style in which I’d framed concepts and ideas. I was particularly thrilled at this as I did actually have some concerns early on when I was writing that I wasn’t “academic” enough in my tone or style. My editors were amazing though and so supportive, and I also got some great feedback from the critical reviewers that read the chapters as they were being developed too. To know then that not only has the book been received well in colleges (and with AVAs) but that it’s being used at university level study – well, that was a really brilliant! I think it goes to show that there isn’t just one way to write academically, and that accessibility is important for success at any level.

What are some key takeaways you hope readers will gain from the handbook?

I hope that readers will enjoy how the book has been put together and that they will enjoy the tone, flow and style of it which I think is different to a lot of academic books. I also hope that students are able to do what the book intended and that is to support them with developing their skills and maximising their time and efforts on their Access to HE Diploma. I hope tutors will find the resources and activities helpful and supportive to their teaching, and that staff new to teaching Access to HE will be able to better understand the qualification as they start their journey with the Diploma. I’d also really like for more higher education providers to read the book and recognise just how much goes into the Access to HE Diploma and how much skill, experience and resilience our learner alumni can bring to the HE programmes they deliver as not all HEPs know enough about this! I think another takeaway for the book though, is that readers have a resource that they can adapt to make their own. I’ve tried, wherever my publishers would allow me, to give as much space in the book for readers to annotate, highlight, scribble, scrawl and practice what they are reading about so they can turn the book into something bespoke and more meaningful to them!

What advice would you give to providers who are considering adopting the handbook?

Consistently throughout the book, I refer students back to their tutor because, as anyone already immersed in Access to HE will know already, providers have a flexibility in their delivery and there are some questions and guidance that can only be given by the provider themselves, and I’ve been mindful to not overstep that boundary. The information in the book was designed to support teaching, not replace it or profess any authority over the providers themselves which I hope will be reassuring. I’d also say that if you get familiar with the book, you’ll see opportunities to support your students already written into the text which you could use in your teaching, dedicating the time you might have spent planning for such an activity, on something else – we all know time is precious and there’s never enough of it! Providers can also get a free inspection copy of the book directly from the publisher’s website too so if you’re thinking about it, why not have a read for free first?!

We hope that Zoë’s insights highlight the handbook’s dual function as a guide for students and a practical tool for tutors. By addressing common challenges and providing practical resources, the handbook stands as a testament to Zoë’s commitment to empowering adult learners and supporting the dedicated educators who guide them.

Visit the website for The Access to HE Handbook.