Access and opportunity: Student perceptions of dual and early enrolment at university

Successful early or dual-enrolled students demonstrating competence in their university studies have not necessarily demonstrated strong performance in their high school studies. Some students report feeling bored in high school, identifying the importance of curricula meeting perceived academic needs. Following an exploratory study (n=90) which investigated perceptions of New Zealand students with experience in either dual enrolment at school and university, or early enrolment at university, many questions for teachers and school policy makers emerged. These relate to decisions about what constitutes appropriate content for high-ability students, whether all teachers are able to deliver such content, and whether school policies and procedures enable these students to access curriculum commensurate with their ability.