The University has been ranked 1st in the English Russell Group for its proportion of students from low participation neighbourhoods and intake from state schools and colleges, following the annual publication of performance indicators by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
The performance indicators cover Widening Participation, non-continuation of studies and projected degree outcomes.
The proportion of students at the University from low participation neighbourhoods is 9.1%, above a benchmark of 8.7%, with greater numbers of these students entering the University than in 2014-15.
Widening Participation and Outreach Manager, Pete Doyle said: ‘We are very pleased with these results, and the knowledge that the hard work put in by the WP Team, Faculty staff and University academics continues to have a positive impact on the young people we work with. We are proud of our record regarding Widening Participation and recognise that while more work still needs to be done, we are having a lasting impact on local disadvantaged students, whose success remains a University priority’
The proportion of young new entrants from state schools at the University is 88.8% – compared to a benchmark of 86.2%.
Full results are available on the HESA website: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/.