Common use of Assessment of Access Record Clause in Contracts

Assessment of Access Record. The University has a robust track record in Widening Participation which is a central plank of the University’s mission and which we intend to maintain. This has involved many years of deliberate activity, working with schools and colleges in the region to raise aspiration. Our success is borne out by all the HESA Performance Indicators where we perform above both the sector average and our benchmark on every indicator except for students in receipt of DSA where we show slightly below the national average despite providing support to an increasing number of students with specific learning needs. The University has made concerted efforts to improve information and support to students who may be entitled to DSA and internal statistics indicate that the next set of published data will show performance above benchmark for this group. A selection of other access indicators is given below: Category Characteristic Actual % Benchmark % National Average % Young FT NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 42.2 40.0 32.3 Young FT Low participation neighbourhoods 21.8 14.4 10.9 All Mature FT No previous HE qualification and LPN 15.1 12.9 11.7 Data from HESA Performance Indicators published 2014 Whilst the University’s performance on Access measures is strong, the infrastructure support necessary to achieve this is high and will need to continue if our success in this area is to be maintained. The loss of the Aimhigher programme continues to be addressed through our work with schools and we believe this to be central to raising aspiration in low-participation and deprived neighbourhoods. Discussions are taking place with other NW universities in terms of collaborative approaches but these remain at an early stage. In addition, whilst we have improved the representation of black and minority ethnic students in recent years, we believe there is more we can do in this area. We are also concerned to address the growing under-representation of young men in higher education which is particularly apparent in the professional areas of teaching and pre-registration nursing but is also affecting many of the traditional arts and humanities subject disciplines. Tracking and monitoring the effectiveness of our activities in these areas is further discussed in the section on Outreach. Enrolling more than 20 new students this year, the University is proud of its record in raising aspiration amongst Care Leavers and our collaborative work with other universities through the Xxxxx Xxxxxx Trust to reach this group. We remain committed to this work for the future. As a University with a strong tradition of mature student recruitment, we have noted the national reduction in applications from this group in recent years and we intend to expand our Access provision through specific programmes such as Fastrack and FastForward to address this. We are actively promoting this as an alternative route for those who are unsuccessful in seeking direct access into other Programmes. Over the last 2 years we have identified a growing number of students, predominantly from non-traditional HE backgrounds, who, despite securing a place on a programme, fail to enrol. For 2014 entrants, we are piloting a new mentoring scheme for students we have identified as potentially vulnerable to support them between the period of acceptance on a Programme and formal enrolment. Further details are provided below under ‘Retention’.

Assessment of Access Record. The University has a robust track record in Widening Participation which is a central plank of the University’s to our mission and which we intend to maintain. This Despite Government policy militating against access for some categories of students, we continue to attract high numbers of students from our target groups. Category Characteristic Actual% (2013/14) Actual% (2014/15) Benchmark% (2014/15) Young FT 1st Degree NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 40.3 39.1 41.0 Young FT 1st Degree Low participation neighbourhoods 20.8 21.5 15.1 Mature FT 1st Degree No previous HE qualification 18.7 21.7 15.1 Data from HESA PIs published February 2015 Achieving the above position has involved many years of sustained, deliberate activity, working in partnership with schools and colleges in the region to raise aspiration. Our success is borne out by all the HESA Performance Indicators where we perform above both the sector average and our benchmark on every indicator except for students in receipt of DSA where we show slightly below the national average despite providing support The infrastructure required to an increasing number of students with specific learning needs. The University has made concerted efforts to improve information and support to students who may be entitled to DSA and internal statistics indicate that the next set of published data will show performance above benchmark for maintain this group. A selection of other access indicators is given below: Category Characteristic Actual % Benchmark % National Average % Young FT NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 42.2 40.0 32.3 Young FT Low participation neighbourhoods 21.8 14.4 10.9 All Mature FT No previous HE qualification and LPN 15.1 12.9 11.7 Data from HESA Performance Indicators published 2014 Whilst the University’s performance on Access measures is strongintensive, the infrastructure support necessary to achieve this partnership approach is high and will need to continue if our success in this area is to be maintained. The loss of the Aimhigher programme continues to be addressed through our work with schools and but we believe this it to be central to raising aspiration aspirations in low-low participation and deprived neighbourhoods. Discussions are taking place with other NW universities in terms of collaborative approaches but these remain at an early stage. In addition, whilst we have improved addition to the representation of black and minority ethnic students in recent years, we believe there is more we can do in this area. We are also concerned to address the growing under-representation of young men in higher education which is particularly apparent in the professional areas of teaching and pre-registration nursing but is also affecting many of the traditional arts and humanities subject disciplines. Tracking and monitoring the effectiveness of our activities in these areas is further discussed in the section on Outreach. Enrolling more than 20 new students this yearabove, the University is proud of its record in raising aspiration aspirations amongst Care Leavers and our collaborative work with other universities through the Xxxxx Xxxxxx Trust to reach this group. We Care Leavers are offered a wide variety of support including targeted pastoral and financial assistance by the University. Potential students who are identified as Care Leavers have access to a dedicated point of contact who will support them through their student journey and we remain committed to this work for the future. As a University with a strong tradition of mature student recruitment, we have noted the national reduction in applications from this group in recent years and we intend to expand years. We have expanded our Access provision through specific programmes such as Fastrack and FastForward to seek to address thisthis and we remain committed to reaching out to this group. We are actively promoting this as conscious however that changes in fees and funding have had and are likely to continue to have a particularly negative impact on such students. We consider more concerted policy changes are required to avoid an alternative route for those who are unsuccessful ongoing decline in seeking direct access into other Programmesthe attraction of such students to HE. Over the last 2 In recent years we have identified a growing number of students, predominantly from non-non- traditional HE backgrounds, who, despite securing a place on a programmeProgramme, fail failed to enrol. For 2014 entrants, working in partnership with the Brightside Trust we are piloting piloted a new mentoring scheme for students we have identified as potentially vulnerable vulnerable, to support them between the period of acceptance on a Programme and formal enrolment. Further details are provided This pilot was extended for 2015 and we plan to further expand this: see section 4.1 below under ‘Retention’for further details.

Assessment of Access Record. The University has a robust track record in Widening Participation which is a central plank of the University’s to our mission and which we intend to maintain. This Despite Government policy militating against access for some categories of students, our success in continuing to attract students from our target groups is borne out by the HESA Performance Indicators where we perform above benchmark: Category Characteristic Actual % (2013/14) Benchmark % Young FT 1st Degree NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 40.3 40.1 Young FT 1st Degree Low participation neighbourhoods 20.8 14.3 Mature FT 1st Degree No previous HE qualification 18.7 12.8 Data from HESA Performance Indicators published 2014 (Participation Data) Achieving this position has involved many years of sustained, deliberate activity, working in partnership with schools and colleges in the region to raise aspiration. Our success is borne out by all the HESA Performance Indicators where we perform above both the sector average and our benchmark on every indicator except for students in receipt of DSA where we show slightly below the national average despite providing support The infrastructure required to an increasing number of students with specific learning needs. The University has made concerted efforts to improve information and support to students who may be entitled to DSA and internal statistics indicate that the next set of published data will show performance above benchmark for maintain this group. A selection of other access indicators is given below: Category Characteristic Actual % Benchmark % National Average % Young FT NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 42.2 40.0 32.3 Young FT Low participation neighbourhoods 21.8 14.4 10.9 All Mature FT No previous HE qualification and LPN 15.1 12.9 11.7 Data from HESA Performance Indicators published 2014 Whilst the University’s performance on Access measures is strongintensive, the infrastructure support necessary to achieve this partnership approach is high and will need to continue if our success in this area is to be maintained. The loss of the Aimhigher programme continues to be addressed through our work with schools and but we believe this it to be central to raising aspiration aspirations in low-low participation and deprived neighbourhoods. Discussions are taking place with other NW universities in terms of collaborative approaches but these remain at an early stage. In addition, whilst we have improved addition to the representation of black and minority ethnic students in recent years, we believe there is more we can do in this area. We are also concerned to address the growing under-representation of young men in higher education which is particularly apparent in the professional areas of teaching and pre-registration nursing but is also affecting many of the traditional arts and humanities subject disciplines. Tracking and monitoring the effectiveness of our activities in these areas is further discussed in the section on Outreach. Enrolling more than 20 new students this yearabove, the University is proud of its record in raising aspiration amongst Care Leavers and our collaborative work with other universities through the Xxxxx Xxxxxx Trust to reach this group. We This has resulted in the recruitment of 36 Care Leavers in 2014/15 and we remain committed to this work for the future. As a University with a strong tradition of mature student recruitment, we have noted the national reduction in applications from this group in recent years and we intend to expand years. We have expanded our Access provision through specific programmes such as Fastrack and FastForward to seek to address thisthis and we remain committed to reaching out to this group. We are actively promoting this as conscious however that changes in fees and funding have had a particularly negative impact on such students and consider that more concerted policy changes are required to avoid an alternative route for those who are unsuccessful ongoing decline in seeking direct access into other Programmesthe attraction of such students to HE. Over the last 2 years we have identified a growing number of students, predominantly from non-traditional HE backgrounds, who, despite securing a place on a programmeProgramme, fail failed to enrol. For 2014 entrants, working in partnership with the Brightside Trust we are piloting piloted a new mentoring scheme for students we have identified as potentially vulnerable vulnerable, to support them between the period of acceptance on a Programme and formal enrolment. Further details are provided below under ‘Retention’4.1 below.

Assessment of Access Record. The University has a robust track record in Widening Participation which is a central plank of the University’s mission and which we intend to maintain. This has involved many years of deliberate activity, working with schools and colleges in the region to raise aspiration. Our success is borne out by all the HESA Performance Indicators where we perform above both the sector average and our benchmark on every indicator except for students in receipt of DSA where we show slightly below the national average despite providing support to an increasing number of students with specific learning needs. The University has made concerted efforts to improve information and support to students who may be entitled to DSA and internal statistics indicate that the next set of published data will show performance above benchmark for this group. A selection of other access indicators is given below: Category Characteristic Actual % Benchmark % National Average % Young FT NS SEC classes 4/5/6/7 42.2 40.0 32.3 40.5 38.3 30.7 Young FT Low participation neighbourhoods 21.8 14.4 10.9 21.6 13.9 10.2 All Mature FT No previous HE qualification and LPN 15.1 12.9 11.7 17.9 12.5 11.0 Data from HESA Performance Indicators published 2014 2013 Whilst the University’s performance on Access measures is strong, strong the infrastructure support necessary to achieve this is high and will need to continue if our success in this area is to be maintained. The loss of the Aimhigher Aim Higher programme continues to be is being addressed through our work with schools and we believe this to be central to raising aspiration in low-participation and deprived neighbourhoods. Discussions are taking place with other NW universities in terms of collaborative approaches but these remain are at an early stage. In addition, whilst we have improved the representation of black and minority ethnic students in recent years, we believe there is more we can do in this area. We are also concerned to address the growing under-representation of young men in higher education which is particularly apparent in the professional areas of teaching and pre-registration nursing but is also affecting many of the traditional arts and humanities subject disciplines. Tracking and monitoring the effectiveness of our activities in The University has targeted projects for both these areas is further discussed in the section on Outreachgroups. Enrolling more than 20 new students this year, the University is proud of its record in raising aspiration amongst Care Leavers and our collaborative work with other universities through the Xxxxx Xxxxxx Trust to reach this group. We remain committed to this work for the future. As a University with a strong tradition of mature student recruitment, we have noted the national reduction in applications from this group for 2012 and 2013 entry and we recognise the need for more targeted information to better explain the continuing benefits of higher education in recent years and the new financial environment. This is an area we intend to expand our Access provision through specific programmes such as Fastrack and FastForward to address this. We are actively promoting this as an alternative route for those who are unsuccessful in seeking direct access into other Programmes. Over develop during the last 2 years we have identified a growing number of students, predominantly from non-traditional HE backgrounds, who, despite securing a place on a programme, fail to enrol. For 2014 entrants, we are piloting a new mentoring scheme for students we have identified as potentially vulnerable to support them between the period of acceptance on a Programme and formal enrolment. Further details are provided below under ‘Retention’14/15 application cycle.