Over a quarter of English students accepted to higher education in 2015 held at least one vocational qualification in their set of qualifications according to recent research from UCAS.

While the traditional set of 3 A Levels currently remains the most successful route onto the most competitive academic courses, the research signals a growing trend for the popularity of alternative qualifications as progression to HE.

UCAS’ Progression Pathways project gives a picture of the skills and knowledge offered by different qualifications and examines the extent to which they can prepare students for higher education.

It also looks at how schools, colleges and universities can help young people choose between an academic, vocational or mixed portfolio of qualifications. The research calls on schools and universities to:

• Develop a complete understanding of the difference between the various qualification pathways and the implications for HE progression
• Set clearer higher education entry requirements to secure the right match between student and course
• Build partnerships between higher education and key feeder schools and colleges to develop a shared understanding of the qualification pathways
• Develop more transition programmes in HE as the number of students from less traditional routes increases.