Teaching the Rules of the Game
The Purposes and Principles of UK Foundation Programmes. An interview with Steve Leech
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58265/pulso.8346Keywords:
Foundation Programmes, Widening Participation, Access to Higher Education, Social Justice in EducationAbstract
This article examines the objectives and principles of UK university foundation programmes, with a particular focus on Durham University’s Foundation Programme. Through an in-depth interview with Steve Leech, Head of Academic Transitions at Durham, the article explores how foundation years provide a route into higher education for students from under-represented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds. It highlights the multiple roles of foundation programmes in promoting social justice while also meeting institutional and governmental goals for widening participation in higher education. Leech outlines four pillars – epistemological maturity, metacognition, self-regulation, and self-efficacy – which underpin the programme’s approach to preparing students to succeed at university. The article also discusses the challenges facing foundation programmes in a market-driven educational landscape, while reaffirming their transformative potential for students. Durham’s programme is presented as a case study of how foundation programmes can empower learners by explicitly teaching the “rules of the game” in higher education.
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