FOREWORD1 SOCIAL MOBILITY IMPACT REPORT LEVELLING UP
FOREWORD 1. Foreword Rt Hon Justine Greening Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Northumbria University 2. Journey to the Levelling Up Goals 3. Northumbria University and the role of universities in social mobility and developing the Levelling Up Goals 4. Best practice 5. Case studies 6. Insights 7. Recommendations 8. Regional social mobility analysis 2421181710863 Contents CONTENTS2
Levelling up is a national challenge. It’s a challenge that should matter to us all, right across the country. It’s about making sure that opportunity is available to everyone so that no one is left behind. As the country emerges from the pandemic, the national economy is entering a crucial transition period where we need to ensure that the recovery works for everyone, whatever their background, wherever they are in Britain. We need to provide ambitious solutions that deliver tangible – and measurable – results.
Attracting students from the local area and beyond to come to the University, and then to remain in the region, will ensure a pool of graduates for new industries, particularly in the green, low carbon and cyber sectors. By delivering high-level research and innovation for places, sectors, and businesses across the North East and beyond, universities can support the levelling up of the economy leading to the creation of high-value new jobs and trading opportunities. The University can play a pivotal role in linking research, innovation and talent.
FOREWORD3 Foreword1.
In the North East, rates of participation in higher education are lower than other parts of the country (with only 33% of 18-year-olds entering higher education in 2020, compared to a national average of 38%1). Part of the solution here is to inspire those with little knowledge about going to university, or who may think that it is not for people like them, to consider it as an option. Northumbria University, under the leadership of its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Wathey and his team is working hard to attract and support students from all backgrounds and social groups. Crucially, it is also demonstrating how a university degree can translate into opportunity, with a high proportion of its graduates going into managerial and professional roles2
This report demonstrates the best practice that Northumbria University is already undertaking to level up the North East and considers how that work is meeting the Levelling Up Goals. It also proposes recommendations for future action that would further strengthen its position as a driver of significant, strategic and sustainable change in the region.
As a member of the Purpose Coalition, a group of the UK’s principal purpose-led policymakers, business leaders and university vice-chancellors, Northumbria University is helping to drive an ambitious, long-term agenda to ensure that opportunities are equally available to those who have talent but may not have the privilege or connections to access them. That includes being part of a working group of City law firms and universities that is looking specifically at levelling up law - one of the least diverse professional sectors - in the first sector-wide report the Coalition has produced.
The Coalition’s first major piece of work was the publication of 14 Levelling Up Goals. Based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which I helped develop as International Development Secretary, they focus on key life stages, from early years to adulthood, and areas of society to improve.
The University recognises that the supply of this talent pipeline will be fundamental to the success of the wider levelling up agenda in the North East and sees itself as a driver of higher-level skills provision for the region.
With a commitment from government to put levelling up at the very top of the political agenda, there is now a real momentum for change. For regions like the North East, where social inequality already varies from place to place, it is crucial that change brings identifiable opportunities for all its communities, for its cities, towns and its rural and coastal Universitiescommunities.haveaunique position as anchor institutions and can play a key role in levelling up in their communities.
Rt Hon Justine Greening, Founder of the Levelling Up Goals and Former Secretary of State for Education
The Goals provide a common architecture that will enable organisations to identify gaps in their social impact and develop solutions to close them. Crucially, they also provide a way to track and benchmark progress.
1 Bolton, P. ‘Briefing Paper 7857: Higher education student numbers’, House of Commons Library 2021 [Online] accessed via https:// commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7857/ 2 HESA Graduate Outcomes 2018/19 Open Data Table 22 https://www.hesa.ac.uk/ data-and-analysis/graduates/table-22
Measurement and performance management is integral to gauging how successful these solutions are. The Northumbria University ethos already subscribes to a robust approach to assessment and evaluation to fully understand existing or potential gaps in its social mobility work, and how it can drive the change required to address them.
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3 https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/research-impact-at-northumbria/political-impact/addressing-food-poverty-in-children-and-families/ 4 https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/
There is targeted and tailored support for them to complete their studies successfully and to plan for a successful career in a competitive graduate labour market or to progress to further study.
Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Northumbria University Northumbria University was proud to sign up, in early 2020, to the Social Mobility Pledge led by Justine Greening. It closely aligns with our aim to continue identifying and addressing socio-economic barriers to entering and succeeding in higher education, including meeting challenges which have been exacerbated by the impact of the global pandemic. Northumbria has joined more than 50 universities representing almost 2 million students, and 550 businesses globally, who are committed to putting social mobility at the heart of their purpose. Northumbria University is a research-intensive modern university. Our ambitious vision for 2030 puts academic excellence at the centre of everything we do, including research-rich education that transforms our students’ lives. We are constantly striving to grow our contribution to social mobility, enabling equality of access for students, supporting them to succeed in their studies and helping them plan for life post-graduation. Social mobility is a fundamental part of our role as an anchor institution in the North East. More than half of our students come from the North East and the majority of all students stay after graduation, with Northumbria graduates making up a quarter of all those employed in highly skilled roles in the North East. So an essential part of putting students at the heart of what we do is helping to grow the opportunities for them after they graduate. The support we provide starts well before prospective students start university. It inspires future generations to engage with higher education through outreach programmes involving nearly 20,000 pupils from 140 schools per year. Our IntoUniversity centre in east Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle University, connects 7–18-year-olds with higher education, many of whom may have backgrounds with little experience of it, and helps them to nurture their ambitions. And our NU Entry scheme supports sixth form students to explore their choices, to prepare for the transition to university and provides additional UCAS points for when they apply here. Our work has meant that our undergraduate population is evenly spread amongst those from different socio-economic backgrounds (as measured by HE participation rates).
Academic research is certainly a catalyst for economic development. But it also helps how we all think about social mobility. For example, Northumbria University is leading research into holiday hunger, the impact on academic attainment and the detrimental effect it can have on children’s future health3 and opportunities . More information on our research across a wide range of areas can be found here4
FOREWORD5
Foreword
This Social Mobility Impact Report sets these challenges and barriers in the context of the North East. Describing some of the best practices already underway at Northumbria University, the Plan further sets recommendations for future actions. The recommendations in this report align with many of our strategic ambitions. We welcome this challenge and look forward to working to put this plan into action.
Northumbria recognises that tackling barriers to social mobility must be done in partnership. Through the Collaborative Newcastle partnership we work closely with partners to understand and tackle the issues that create inequalities. Student outreach is a shared endeavour undertaken with the other universities and colleges through the NE Raising Aspiration Partnership and NE Collaborative Outreach Programme. We also work with a range of businesses and public organisations to develop economic opportunities and connect our students to them.
Once at Northumbria, students enjoy a research-rich, experiential and enquiry-based educational experience: they graduate as critical, reflective and challenging thinkers ready for opportunities beyond university.
As Secretary of State, Justine recognised how useful a common set of accessible but ambitious objectives could be in galvanising action to effect change. Since then, the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the problems relating to social inequality in the UK. The recovery is a chance for the United Kingdom to address these issues and level up but that requires updated and specific goals in order to outline, inspire and measure progress. The Purpose Coalition, of which Northumbria University is a key member, aims to improve social mobility in the UK and has responded to this challenge with the launch of their own Levelling Up Goals in February 2021.
2. THE JOURNEY TO THE LEVELLING UP GOALS 5 Resolution
JOURNEY6
In 2017, the SDGs were made more ‘actionable’ by a UN resolution adopted by the General Assembly which identified specific targets for each goal, along with indicators used to measure progress towards each target. These 17 interlinked, global goals were designed to be ‘a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all’.5 They marked a shift from the previously established Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000. In contrast to the MDGS, the SDGs were nationally owned, countryled and targeted wealthy, developed nations as well as developing countries. The SDGs emphasised the interdependent environment, and the social and economic aspects of development by centralising the role of sustainability.
Assembly, 6 July 2017
In 2015, as Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening MP led the UK delegation to the United Nations (UN). Along with 184 international partners, she helped to establish the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). adopted by the UN General
JOURNEY7 PostdestinationsPositive16+3 schoolSuccessfulyears2infoundationsStrongEarlyYears1 Right advice and experiences4 Fair progressioncareer6recruitmentOpen5 Good health and well-being8savingsaccessWideningto& credit 7 Closing the digital divide10enterpriseExtending9 Building homes & communitiessustainable12forInfrastructureopportunity11 Achieve equality, through diversity & inclusion 14transitiontheHarnessenergy13
Building on the foundations laid by the UN’s SDGs, the 14 clear Levelling Up Goals draw on expertise provided by academia, regulators and businesses which has been applied to the unique challenges facing the UK. The goals focus on key life stages and highlight the main issues that need to be resolved in order to create a level playing field for everyone in this country. The Levelling Up Goals are intended as a guide, demonstrating how the urgent ambition to level up the UK can actually be achieved. The impact of the work carried out to do this can, and should, be Sub-goalsmeasurable.withquantifiable targets against which progress can be charted within the 14 goals are being developed by the Purpose Coalition in partnership with the affiliated universities. Draft measurements have now been created for each of the 14 goals and are in the process of being validated. When complete, this will create a more transparent and measurable framework with which to monitor and subsequently address problems of social mobility and inequality.
The Levelling Up Goals are designed to look at the outcomes of Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies. Many organisations are doing outstanding work and making important contributions to society but are still measuring this via inputs – a measure that focuses on pounds, shillings and pence rather than on the real impact on human lives. Crucially, these Goals are a shared framework. Rt Hon Justine Greening and the wider Purpose Coalition believe that with a common understanding and objectives, there can be action that drives change on the ground. Distinct entities, including universities, businesses, policy-makers, communities and NGOs, can work together, with the shared Goals being a uniting and motivating foundation for progress. As the problems which cause social inequality in the UK are interlinked, the response to these problems must also be collaborative. The Purpose Coalition has encouraged businesses and universities to share their own best practice with others so they are not only demonstrating their own commitment, but also creating a shift towards being purpose-led organisations. The Goals can encourage an extension of this co-operative exchange of information which can be used to help level up Britain.
The importance of early engagement, and its impact, is highlighted in a report by UCAS, Where Next? What influences the choices school leavers make6 which recommends that students start thinking about degree options before choosing their GCSEs; the report also emphasises the importance of outreach into schools.
Levelling
The Levelling Up Goals provide an ambitious and strategic approach to address that challenge, setting out for the first time the gaps that need to be removed to successfully facilitate levelling up across the country. They offer a shared framework and common language within which organisations can collate information on what they are doing and how that is making a difference across all key life Thatstages.ambition should also apply to the higher education sector where universities often serve as anchor institutions in their region. Many institutions already have a principle focus on widening access and participation, reaching into communities that are often the furthest away. Without broad-based access as a gateway, it is likely that much of the talent pool that undoubtedly exists in those communities would be wasted, making poor social and economic sense.
Employability is one example: making connections to employers and industry through excellent creation and
Northumbria University and the role of universities in social mobility and developing the Up Goals
One in five students at university said they were unable to study the degree subject that interested them because they did not receive good advice at school on A Level and GCSE choices, and two in five admitted they would have made different choices if they had received better advice. Students from the wealthiest postcodes tended to start thinking about university earlier than those from the poorest, with 31% of the richest pupils considering higher education while at primary school compared with 27% of their most disadvantaged peers; and 37% were less likely to feel that they received insufficient information on their subject choices, compared to 43%.
However, a focus on the widening access and participation agenda offers only one perspective of higher education as a driver of levelling up. The influence of universities actually extends to many other areas, accompanied by innovative thinking towards wider impact on communities.
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It has been reported that with current levels of inequality and low intergenerational earnings mobility, it could take at least five generations – or 150 years – for the child of a poor family to reach the average income across OECD countries.
There are different rates in different countries – for example it can take just two to three generations to reach that average income in the Nordic countries but nine or more in some emerging economies. In the UK, levels of social mobility have been stagnant for some time and there has been a failure to keep up with other developed countries in addressing the issue.
6 2020-entry-ucas-undergraduate-report-where-nexthttps://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-end-cycle-data-resources-2020/
ROLE9 application of research or, with £11billion spent by the sector annually, improved procurement practices to deliver better social value.
It should also be recognised that the task of some higher education institutions to connect graduates with higher paid jobs is harder than for others, though it is often those institutions that have been the most innovative and developed the best practice. Some institutions are allowed to coast when in fact better outcomes should be demanded of them, whilst others are seen as less successful when in fact, they are the universities that hugely change life outcomes for the better, and at scale, for disadvantaged people and communities.
Northumbria University has acknowledged the important role that it can play as a higher education institution in the levelling up agenda. It has demonstrated best practice on delivering innovative and creative solutions to create more choices in higher education through studying at university. This work would meet Goal 2: Successful School Years, Goal 3: Positive destinations post-16, Goal 4: Right advice and experience and Goal 14: Achieve equality through diversity & inclusion. Its approach is all the more effective because it is part of a bigger effort on levelling up embedded into the University’s wider strategy for the long term, as part of its anchor institution role. This audit examines the University’s levelling up efforts in more detail, identifying areas of focus and how effectively it achieves the strategic aims.
There is a real opportunity for universities to be part of the solution to the levelling up agenda in this country. Northumbria University has already embarked on that journey and, as part of the Purpose Coalition, will be working towards more transparent and measurable outcomes.
There needs to be a new approach to higher education and levelling up which strategically assesses how universities are delivering across each of the 14 Levelling Up Goals, the best practice that already exists and the expectations they need to meet. The Goals framework will make it much easier to evaluate that and, as a result, compare it in a consistent way across organisations. This will also help meet society’s expectations, particularly following the pandemic, that universities should be working towards the public good. Students reflect that sentiment and expect their institutions to pursue positive policies of procurement and sustainability, for example, delivering positive social value.
accessed via https:// commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7857/
Increasing participation rates is a major goal for Northumbria University. In the last ten years the University has invested in further increasing the quality of its teaching and research, improving facilities and making admission more accessible for all. This has led to a stabilisation of student numbers and a far greater level of social diversity. The gap in participation between the bottom (POLAR4 Quintile 1) and top (POLAR4 Quintile 5) socioeconomic quintiles now stands at only 4% against a sector average of 18%.
Higher education participation rates have a direct impact on the local economy. The North East of England employment strategy is centred around the creation of more and better jobs which highlights the need for a greater proportion of qualified graduates. Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, an increase in higher education participation is important for the region to build its future workforce as it moves forward economically.
4.1 University participation in the North East of England
The North East of England has one of the lowest levels of university participation in the UK. The level of higher education participation in the region is around 33% compared to a national average of 38%. In London, the participation rate rises to nearly 50%, highlighting the regional disparities that still exist today.7
7 Bolton, P. ‘Briefing Paper
Also, growing up in areas of high deprivation traditionally makes it much harder for young people to progress to higher education, either due to financial or aspirational obstacles.
Barriers to higher education participation are often the result of a combination of complex factors. In certain areas of the North East, going to university is not considered a viable option for many young people. They may not know any family or friends who have attended, and feel it is unachievable for someone from their background. 7857: Higher education student numbers’, House of Commons Library [Online]
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Northumbria University’s outreach programmes include a range of interactive activities with hands-on learning and workshops for children, teachers, parents and carers.
Northumbria offers a range of different entry options with foundation year courses across the majority of its portfolio providing more flexibility for students from a range of backgrounds. Data shows that those taking foundation years enjoy both better retention and employment outcome once on full degree programmes8. With the disruption of education due to the pandemic, Northumbria expects to continue to see high demand for these routes.
The University has invested significantly in processes to capture and analyse data about equality, diversity and inclusion, providing the ability to spot trends, understand issues and drive change. Northumbria has targets to increase the proportion of students from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds – representation currently stands at around 12% which is indicative of the wider population of the North East of England. Outreach activity
The flexible nature of the admissions process gives more opportunities for applicants from a range of backgrounds.
Northumbria has signed the Care Leaver Covenant. The University has a particular aim to increase the number of care leavers accessing higher education in the North East – a group that is statistically lowest for participation - and to provide them with access to support around entry, admissions, finance and targeted advice.
A fair admissions policy is essential to encourage participation regardless of background. Northumbria supports all students through its admissions process with clear advice and guidance, as well as tailored support for applicants with additional requirements.
While outreach activity includes information about Northumbria University specifically, the wider benefits of higher education and general life skills are also communicated to students. Collaboration with the other regional universities (Newcastle University, Durham University, University of Sunderland and Teesside University), as well as schools and colleges, is a key part of activity.
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Moving forward, proposed changes to level 3 qualifications, foundation years and admissions reform could disadvantage those from widening participation backgrounds. Northumbria values students from all backgrounds who have the potential and ability to succeed.
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Latest data available 2017-18 and 2018-19 graduates who did a foundation year had better career outcomes (based on Times league table methodology for FT, First Degree UK population)
Northumbria is currently reviewing contextualised admissions options with a view to formalising the flexible approach that is already in place.
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While Covid-19 has impacted the programmes, they have continued to be delivered virtually.
The University works closely with all schools and colleges within the North East to support higher education aspirations and give students as many opportunities as possible for their future. Just under half of applicants to Northumbria are from the North East, showing the importance of outreach activity in the region.
From year 12 onwards the Evolve programme offers guidance, support and information to help prospective applicants, their teachers, parents and carers make informed decisions about higher education. The activity is nationwide but the majority of the work takes place in the North East, Yorkshire and the North West. The activity is delivered by Northumbria University’s team of graduate ambassadors who have first-hand experience of studying and everything that comes with it. Workshops are delivered on a range of topics, on general higher education life, study, and applications, and specific sessions on Northumbria. The programme is about helping pupils make an important life decision rather than encouraging them to attend a specific university. In 2019/20 the University engaged with nearly 20,000 post-16 Overstudents.anumber of years, the University has developed close relationships with teachers and schools based on in-person interaction and visits. Covid-19 has therefore presented some challenges on how to maintain and develop these relationships. In response, Northumbria has developed a virtual programme of activity to continue its various outreach programmes. It has also given the University a chance to step back and to analyse its outreach.
Outreach starts in year five with the Junior Evolve programme which focuses on raising awareness and aspiration to higher education. A range of events and activities are delivered at the correct level to support the development of key life and study skills. These sessions are delivered as fun workshops with the aim of making young children relaxed and comfortable with language associated with higher education.
From year 9 to year 11, students are given information about their options post-16, such as transitioning into college and independent study. The University collaborates closely with schools about the best activities for their specific students.
The University runs a supported entry scheme, NU Entry, to ensure a fair and transparent admissions process. NU Entry was launched to local schools in 2013 after feedback from teachers who wanted further support for certain students to help them progress.
4.2.1 Junior Evolve 4.2.3 NU Entry 4.2.2 Evolve
Last year the programme, which is now nationwide, engaged 905 students. Since its inception over 1,000 of those taking part in the scheme have gone on to study at Northumbria. NU Entry is a structured scheme for students in their first year of sixth form or college who meet specific criteria. Eligibility criteria includes the following: care leavers, those with care responsibilities, those entitled to free school meals or from an area with a low progression rate to university, as well as other specific detailed criteria. Students take part in a range of activities, from subject specific workshops to campus visits and e-mentoring. Students participating in the NU Entry scheme get the chance to earn 16 NU entry points, which are the equivalent to UCAS points when applying to Northumbria University. Programmes like NU Entry ensure that the University is reaching those from under-represented communities and giving them an equal opportunity to access higher education. Northumbria is committed to raising educational aspirations and recruiting high quality students regardless of background.
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In 2019/20 Northumbria University engaged with 17,869 pre-16 children and statistics show that those who have taken part in more than three sessions are more likely to progress to higher education than others.
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IntoUniversity centres provide academic support, motivation and encouragement to give deprived young people an equal chance of realising their full potential. Activity at the centre will include a combination of afterschool academic support, student mentors, study days or weeks, family learning and employability, and careers programmes. Northumbria is investing £500,000 in the project and if it goes well, more could open in the region.
The centre will work with around 1,000 children and young people between the ages of 7 and 18 each academic year, targeting those from under-represented groups in higher education who live close to the centre and meet the referral criteria. IntoUniversity does not use academic criteria; the charity works with all young people who meet the referral criteria regardless of their academic ability and learning needs. Primary referral criteria includes a young person eligible for free school meals, from a low socio-economic background or living in social housing.
4.2.4 IntoUniversity 4.2.6 4.2.5ApprenticeshipsDegreeOtherregionalpartnerships PRACTICEBEST
The availability of apprenticeship degrees, including the UK’s first ever Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship Scheme, has broadened Northumbria University’s academic offer to those starting, or already in, work.
Northumbria entered into a partnership with Newcastle University to open a local learning centre in Newcastle in September 2021. The two universities are partnering with IntoUniversity on the project – a charity that runs 31 centres in 13 locations across England to support young people and families in progression to higher education. IntoUniversity has a well-established evaluation model, which has demonstrated evidence of its impact with over 70% of participants progressing to university compared with 26% of other students from similar backgrounds.
Higher and Degree Apprenticeships offer the best of both worlds combining university study and workplace learning. Northumbria University is a leading Degree Apprenticeship provider and was one of the first UK universities to offer governmentsupported degree apprenticeships. With an evergrowing apprenticeship portfolio, Northumbria offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate apprenticeships across many sectors. Whether it is a new recruit or a current employee, the extensive apprenticeship portfolio provides opportunities for employers to develop their workforce whilst employees gain qualifications. As well as IntoUniversity, Northumbria collaborates with regional partners on a number of other outreach projects. Collaboration with other providers is a positive way of reaching a greater number of young people. The Office for Students (OfS)-funded UniConnect programme in the North East is one of the largest in the country with five higher education institutions and 15 colleges involved. Alongside the other North East universities (Newcastle University, University of Sunderland, Durham University and Teesside University), Northumbria is also a part of the North East Raising Aspiration Partnership (NERAP). The aim of the programme is to improve higher education progression in the region and to ensure that young people are fully supported to make informed decisions about their future. Working alongside other key regional stakeholders, there is a particular focus on care leavers and those with caring responsibilities which are both under-represented groups within higher education.
The University works holistically with students and staff to recognise the support that is needed at a specific time. For example, Covid-19 has put a spotlight on digital poverty and the inequalities that remain within society. Northumbria’s Digital Inclusion Scheme has distributed £200,000 worth of funding to students during the pandemic, helping the University develop a deeper understanding of the issues that students face. Moving forward, this will allow for a sustainable model of digital inclusion.
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Work is underway to centralise the good practice throughout the University. In large institutions, it can often be difficult to promote the work done to increase social mobility but Northumbria understands the importance of sharing and building on the work that is already underway.
Analysing how students from under-represented groups are progressing at Northumbria isn’t just about education, it’s about health and wider wellbeing. Counselling and mental health support services are available, with engagement often higher for online services. The University invests in several digital platforms to help with student interaction, including the mental health and wellbeing platform, Kooth. This blended approach of online and in-person support gives students a choice of what suits them best.
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doesn’t start when they get to university – Northumbria works with specific students pre-entry to ensure that they are prepared for life on campus. Specific onboarding programmes are developed for certain groups, such as neurodiverse students. Building relationships with students before they arrive and implementing an individual support programme allows the university to give them the best opportunity to succeed.
The University has an EDI operations group which monitors data to ensure there are no gaps in its support. With a focus on retention, progression and graduate outcomes, analysing data allows Northumbria to identify any areas where certain groups of students aren’t getting the correct Studentsupport.support
The team is developing a tailored support service for a wide group of students who are identified as needing extra support. The inclusion team works in partnership with outreach and admissions colleagues, and academics and students, to ensure that everyone has access to the bespoke support they need in order to flourish. Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training is delivered to academics as part of their onboarding process and the ways certain groups of students are assessed is also monitored, with ongoing coursework identified as a better method than exams in some cases.
Northumbria also has a team of student inclusion interns from under-represented backgrounds. These interns work with prospective and current students, as well as academics to give a first-hand account of their current life experiences. Interns are from a range of backgrounds to give a wide perspective of the different barriers that students are facing.
Improving the visibility of the support on offer is another area that the University is looking to improve. Just as important as widening access to universities is ensuring that at the completion of study there are employability opportunities unhindered by a lack of connections. This is especially important due to a new focus on outcomes from the Office for Students and its Director for Fair Access and Participation.
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The survey data is used to inform targeted support and work with students in particular programmes, or with particular characteristics, and responses are made available to personal tutors to discuss with students their future plans. Support for students Graduate outcomes
Northumbria University understands that getting people from under-represented communities into university is just the first step of the process. The support that these students receive during their time studying is equally important is. While supporting students from different backgrounds has always been a priority for the University, efforts have been reinvigorated recently through the creation of a new student inclusion and success team.
Northumbria engages with students about employability very early in their degrees to ensure that they are aware of the support available. Career Readiness surveys are completed at enrolment by all students at each stage of their studies – to identify if students are at the ‘decide’, ‘plan,’ ‘compete’ or ‘achieved’ stage of career readiness.
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NU Futures is a short employability programme for undergraduates, before they reach their final year, looking to improve their confidence and achieve success. The programme teaches resilience and positive mindset and is aimed at getting students engaged with employers at an early stage. Participants are given access to employers who share experiences and tips on employability. The programme is not exclusively for widening participation students but half of the student enrolment is from underrepresented Northumbriagroups.University has an engaged alumni network which contributes to its work on delivering equality of opportunity. The University has 217,000 alumni spread across 171 countries, with large numbers in the UK, as well as Asia and Europe. At the start of the pandemic, the alumni network and University partners donated £90,000 to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds as part of a hardship campaign.
Northumbria has a network of dedicated alumni ambassadors who contribute in different ways – from placements and internships to lectures and workshops. A pilot alumni mentoring scheme was launched in 2020/21 matching students graduating during the pandemic with alumni from 2009, who also entered the job market at an economically challenging time. Following this successful pilot, a larger mentoring scheme was launched in 2021/22 with even more students benefiting from this scheme.
4.4.1 NU Futures 4.4.2 Northumbria alumni Online courses are run to develop individuals to their full potential by, for example, teaching them to build their own personal brand and being visible to employers. Professional and expert careers advice and guidance is available to support students with their decision-making and improve their career readiness.
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An Employability Learning Fund gives financial support for employability related activities. As part of the ConnectMe programme, university staff offer their own time to have conversations with students around their own careers and experiences. Career Advocates from different backgrounds also support students using their personal experiences and inform the development of services and support to improve career readiness.
The University has close ties with a range of businesses which include Nike, IBM, Nissan, Proctor & Gamble, the BBC and the NHS. It proactively engages with employers to support specific groups of students. For example, the University has worked closely with Santander Universities to provide work experience internships to neurodiverse students through the Ambitious About Autism programme. Northumbria is also involved in the Levelling Up Law project run by the Purpose Coalition to support a more diverse workforce in the law sector. Reacting to the impact of Covid-19, which saw a reduction in the number and availability of work experience opportunities for students and recent graduates, the University invested over £300,000 in a new NU Opportunities scheme to offer paid placements and internships at the University. This not only provided opportunities for students to build up their experience, but also using the University’s talented students and graduates to support key activities and strategic priorities within the institution. As at other times in a student’s progression, data is extremely important when looking at graduate outcomes. It has been found, for example, that students from under-represented groups are more likely to benefit from exchanges or placement years in terms of securing future progression to highly skilled employment and higher earnings. Northumbria is working hard to use graduate data to improve all student outcomes and identify any gaps in outcomes based on characteristics, where certain groups could benefit from more targeted support.
The North East of England has a number of challenges from a socio-economic perspective. It has the lowest number of adults with Level 4 qualifications and underperforms generally in terms of educational and attainment metrics. This has a knock-on effect for graduates and the opportunities that they are presented with when they leave Northumbria, with other regions often having a wider range of jobs available. The North East is also one of the worst performing in terms of health inequalities, with healthy life expectancy in adults varying by as much as eight years within just five miles. This highlights the unequal nature of the region with pockets of wealth and success abutting areas of real deprivation. Northumbria University is attempting to positively impact on some of these inequalities. The University community is proud of the quality, breadth and depth of the work delivered, which has a positive bearing on the local economy. The impact across research and innovation, business growth support and skills, employability and entrepreneurship reaches many parts of the region, creating and applying knowledge, and levelling up Northumbriaopportunities.wantsstudents to come to the region to study and also to stay and contribute to the local economy. Part of its work with local stakeholders is to ensure graduate retention and attract those from other regions to move here. Northumbria plays a key role in championing the region.
16 25% of all the graduates employed in the North East of England in Highly Skilled Employment from the 2018/19 cohort were graduates of Northumbria9. Northumbria has the same number of graduates going into highly skilled employment in the North East as all of the Russell Group universities combined.
As part of a new partnership, Collaborative Newcastle, Northumbria is teaming up with other local anchor institutions to address issues in three key themes –prosperity, people and planet. The first wave of activity has been focused on the impact of Covid-19 but the work will have a much wider remit moving forward, leading to opportunities, growth and jobs in the region. The partnership is underpinned by a city-wide commitment to meeting net zero targets and to working with partners across healthcare, education and skills, business, culture, sport and the wider community. The University has also joined the city-wide Social Values Anchor Institution group to look at how we can better understand the University’s contribution to social value and how it can be collectively embedded through our approaches to employment, skills and Northumbriaprocurement.alsocontributes to the local economy through its support of student entrepreneurs who go on to run successful businesses. It provides a high degree of support to its students and graduates who want to start their own businesses. Over the last decade, it has supported the creation of around 300 businesses which now employ more than 1,000 people and have a combined annual turnover of £84m a year.
Linked with the desire to stimulate more entrepreneurship in the region is the University’s extensive range of innovation teaching. Specifically, this work focuses on how to stimulate innovation amongst both students and staff, applying the vision of ‘Responsible sustainable innovation as a force for good’. This will supplement the work on entrepreneurship, equipping students and staff with the skillset to develop products that will have a competitive edge in the marketplace. In addition to the current range of modules that teach innovation, a new MSc in Innovation is also being developed in the Business School as a means of disseminating the expertise that has been built up there. The ultimate aim is to create a universal culture across the institution based on innovation, thereby contributing extensively to the region’s economic and social future.
PRACTICEBEST 9 HESA: UK domiciled first degree 2018/19 leavers
Academic research and innovation is also critical to the economic growth of the region and addressing the levelling up agenda. As such, the University has identified peaks of research excellence which in many cases align with industrial strategy and regional priorities, including climate change, integrating health and social care, clean energy, life sciences, international development and digital interaction. With Newcastle University, Northumbria is developing the world’s first biotech and sustainable building and researching the future of the built environment including ways we can make our homes 4.5 Northumbria’s role in the North East of England healthier places to live. The University has also completed world-leading research around children’s hunger and food coping strategies during the pandemic. Northumbria has close ties to the region’s business community. It runs a business clinic and offers students the chance to work alongside SMEs and charities. The University runs a Small Business Leadership Programme supporting business development through the expertise at their disposal.
Adam participated in NU Entry in the 2017/18 academic year and is currently studying on the MLaw programme at AdamNorthumbria.firstbecame aware of NU Entry via his tutor when he was considering applying for university and was eligible due to being a 1st generation student.
Adam subsequently applied through UCAS for MLaw and received an offer to study at Northumbria. “I feel confident in saying that the reduction of required UCAS points given to me by NU Entry alleviated a lot of my exam stress and resulted in me performing better than expected. Applying to NU Entry was one of the better decisions I’ve made, as studying and living in Newcastle the past three years has been an amazing experience in something I wouldn’t swap for anything.”
Adam found the NU Entry application process straightforward and the requirements to pass the scheme were realistic: just an essay to reflect on his experiences participating in NU Entry activities and attendance at an on-campus event. Adam said, “visiting the campus, I was in awe of the facilities, particularly seeing the courtroom as part of a mock trial which solidified my interest in Law.”
17CASESTUDIES
5. CASE STUDIES
Kayleigh is studying on an Access Course at college and is hoping to progress to Northumbria University next KayleighSeptember.applied to participate in Northumbria’s new Access NU programme for adult learners (launched September 2021) as it offers lots of support for preparation and transition from college to university.
Kayleigh stated, “the webinars about personal statements and interviews have been extremely helpful for me, as I hadn’t sent my statement off until after my webinars, and my interview was a few days after the webinar for the interviews. I used all the advice and guidance that I had taken from the webinar in my interview, and I have been offered a conditional place at Northumbria on Adult Nursing –roll on the future!”
The following short case studies illustrate some examples of the type of work we do to support access and participation at Northumbria University.
Access NU provides a range of activities, including webinars, to support in the HE application process.
NU Entry Scheme Access NU (adult learners)
As a result of its work in the North East, Northumbria University is successfully making an impact on a number of the Levelling Up Goals. These include Goal 8 Good health and wellbeing and Goal 13 Harness the energy transition as a result of its extensive research work. It is also helping to meet Goal 9 Extending enterprise and Goal 10 Closing the digital divide. However, the Goals below are those it meets most comprehensively.
In addition to facilitating increased access and participation, the University also sees itself as a pipeline for that talent, supporting its students throughout their studies across undergraduate, masters and postgraduate research degrees. This equips students with the social, cultural and academic skills and attributes that employers want from graduates. It also recognises that these skills need to meet the requirements of new and greener industries that are growing within the North East economy.
Northumbria University is driving a vision for change in the North East. Its leadership team is demonstrating a determined ambition to introduce a place-based strategy that will shape the region’s future, benefiting individuals and communities. As a purpose-led organisation, it is seeking to bring opportunities that will make a real and measurable difference to people’s lives, rebalancing the social and economic profile of the area.
With an extensive and well-targeted outreach programme, Northumbria University is able to maintain and build long-term trust within the communities that will benefit most from widening participation. It is making a conscious effort to reach out to those groups that are often furthest away from a level playing field and is working to increase the number of Black, Asian and minority ethnic students, carers, as well as adult learners. Indeed, Northumbria is currently developing a dedicated supported entry route for adult learners.
Northumbria University understands how a university can be intrinsic to overcoming these regional challenges, playing a transformational role for its students and for the wider area. It is forging collaborative relationships that have the potential to provide opportunities for the surrounding community. The University views its research and innovation as critical to the economic growth of the region and its academic departments work with partners in response to the needs of its communities, as well as national and international drivers, to bring social benefits as well.
The North East has a proud regional identity. However, the region has always faced a number of particular challenges. There can be glaring differences in social equality within communities, whether they are urban, suburban, coastal or rural, but also within the thriving city of Newcastle. That inequality leads to lower-thanaverage higher education participation rates, reduced employment prospects, poorer health outcomes and a resulting lack of social mobility.
Its range of entry options, particularly foundation year courses, are evidence of a considered and flexible approach that pays dividends for students who are not necessarily ready to start a full degree programme but have the talent and the motivation to undertake a degree.
Sourcing those opportunities constantly, in previously traditional sectors like law, or in newly developing sectors like digital and cyber, it offers its graduates the best chance of success. Increased opportunity will allow graduates to contribute to a regeneration of the North East, helping attract inward investment, but will also enable them to seek highly skilled jobs elsewhere, contributing to the national recovery.
6. INSIGHTS
18INSIGHTS
19INSIGHTS 6.1
Goal Successful school years - Positive destinations
Goal 3
It is not necessarily focused on simply recruiting future students for Northumbria University specifically but more on providing the advice and support that helps young people to make better informed decisions about their future, whether that is at Northumbria or not.
Summary of activities against the Levelling Up Goals
The opportunity to engage with children at primary school, through the Junior Evolve programme for example, enables the University to engage with their parents, creating a supportive network between education providers and pupils. These families will often not have had any previous experience of higher education, and little knowledge of what you need to do to get a place or what it is like to be a
Its outreach work not only targets low participation areas and those on free school meals to improve rates for some of the most deprived communities; it is increasingly concentrating its widening participation efforts on harder-to-reach groups such as care leavers, who may require more specialised support on their journey to university. Its NU Entry programme, developed in response to feedback from teachers, provides more tailored help to those pupils who need additional help as a result of their background. Its project with IntoUniversity and the opening of a new learning centre will provide a wide-ranging set of tools for use by young people, and their families, to help them progress to Theuniversity.University recognises that it is important to provide a range of routes into higher education, to enable a wide range of potential students from different backgrounds to enter higher education. The popularity of its Foundation Year courses underlines how a flexible approach to university entry requirements, while maintaining a focus on academic excellence, can help to level the playing field for those who may not have had a conventional educational background or have not achieved the required qualifications to progress directly to the first year of a degree programme.
post 16+ PostdestinationsPositive16+schoolSuccessfulyears2 3
The University has made sustained efforts to target schools in those areas which have traditionally had a low participation rate in higher education. By providing information and advice to pupils, it inspires them to begin to consider that university might be an option for them.
2:
Thestudent.University’s work also helps young people to strive for improved attainment in education generally but also helps to increase specific knowledge about subjects that some young people feel are not “for them”, including STEM. Additionally, it helps to close the social mobility gap that can exist in certain communities by providing a range of interactive activities which are designed to educate, engage and stimulate pupils’ minds.
Northumbria University is helping to close the opportunity gap for young people. It increases the number of school-leavers going on to further or higher education and improves their knowledge and skills so that they are better equipped to get in and do well there.
Goal 4 - Right advice and experiences
The University understands the need to focus on employability from the start of a student’s course so that they are well-informed about the skills and attributes that employers look for and how best to promote themselves as career ready graduates. It has developed extensive links with a range of employers who can share their experiences and advice on employment, as well as offer work experience or placements.
The University works closely with its diverse global alumni community to improve the student journey and future job prospects. This includes engaging alumni in student lectures and workshops to share their expertise, the provision of placements and internships, mentoring arrangements and involvement with events and networking opportunities.
Right advice and experiences4
The new student inclusion and success team are making a significant difference and take considered steps to understand the barriers that students from particular backgrounds can face, building a relationship even before they arrive at university. There are significant efforts to capture and analyse data on equality, diversity and inclusion so that any gaps are investigated and addressed.
Northumbria University acknowledges that many students will need additional help during their time at university if they are to do well and it works with students holistically to provide extensive academic, financial, mentoring and pastoral support throughout their time there. For some groups, this will start as an onboarding process before they start their degree.
Goal 14 - Achieve equality through diversity and inclusion Achieve equality, through diversity & inclusion 14
Northumbria University is determined to ensure that groups who face particular barriers to positive progression are not excluded from the opportunities that university affords. This extends to the provision of advice and information about routes to university in general and not just to Northumbria.
20INSIGHTS
Northumbria has the building blocks in place through its work via NU Entry and latterly IntoUniversity to support young people into higher education. Once students arrive at university, they are able to thrive thanks to mentoring and tailored Northumbria’ssupport.challenge
is to extend the reach of its talent pipeline so that an ever more diverse population can gain entry. The level of higher education participation in the North East is around 33%, compared to a national average of 37%.
In London, the participation rate rises to nearly 50%, highlighting the regional disparities that still exist today, and specific challenges in access to higher education for people who view going to university as unachievable and have fewer HE role models. Care leavers and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are recognised as being particularly under-represented at Northumbria. Specific outreach programmes tailored for these groups, student role models within the NU Entry programme and more dedicated ongoing support once at university, could help increase participation and ensure student success. Online outreach has been developed in response to Covid-19 to support harder to reach groups more effectively. It will take a concerted effort over a sustained period to achieve success.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Northumbria could undertake a review into a contextualised admissions programme to gain an understanding of whether that is the best solution for the University. Over time, particularly if used alongside Foundation Years courses, such an approach can be a key lever to increase the level of higher education participation within the North East. Northumbria runs a number of very successful courses with Foundation Years that provide an alternative entry route into Higher Education for those who require additional support before embarking on a full degree programme.
21RECOMMENDATIONS
The new Education Strategy sets an aim of providing a broad, welcoming and supportive learning experience, which allows students to explore their interests and achieve their full potential, regardless of background. Through outreach pre-university, working alongside schools and colleges, the university finds and supports talent, much of it home-grown in the region, which can then be further developed and connected to opportunity post-graduation.
1. Access all areas – target outreach at groups remaining under-represented within the North East
Northumbria’s efforts towards levelling up creates a talent pipeline, starting with a widened population of incoming students, and leading graduates into the regional workforce.
Part A: Driving success for individuals - fulfilling the potential of Northumbria’s role as a regional social mobility engine that can drive success for the region and beyond 7.
Part B: Success for the Region
2. Share best practice around entrepreneurship and keep graduates in the North East to enhance social mobility
One of Northumbria’s key aims is to ensure that graduates stay in the area and are not forced to look elsewhere for jobs. Encouraging entrepreneurship and start-up businesses is an important way to do this, alongside supporting inward investment through supplying key skills the region needs. Companies being set up locally today, including by Northumbria graduates, have the potential to be the powerhouses of tomorrow, and will give skilled people the opportunities to stay in the region. Northumbria should build on its successful Business Clinic and Incubator Hub to make it as easy as possible for students to access advice and support for starting a business. Northumbria is recognised as a national leader in this space and
Hundreds of Northumbria graduates are employed each year in professional and managerial roles in the North East and this highlights the importance of the University to the regional economy. There is a real opportunity to build on this further by Northumbria sharing its best practice on student employability and working closely with even more existing businesses, large and small, to ensure students are given opportunities to thrive in the local economy.
22RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Continuing to future-proof Northumbria graduates to provide skills for the growth sectors that build the North East’s economic success
Following the successful pilot of the Northumbria University Alumni Mentoring Scheme in 2020/21, plans are underway for a broader scheme to be launched in 2021/22, enabling more students to benefit and learn from its alumni and strengthen graduate employability. This could be particularly effective in connecting with harder to reach groups including ethnic minorities and will be invaluable for upskilling students in making the transition from university to employment. The scheme will form part of a package of benefits including increased opportunities to engage with alumni through a programme of activities including placements and internships, networking, workshops, lectures and regular
2. Build on work with alumni network Northumbria University has an engaged alumni network who make a valuable contribution to the University and its aspirations to deliver equality of opportunity in all activities. The University has 217,000 alumni located in 171 countries, the largest geographical distribution is in the UK, followed by Asia and then Europe. Northumbria has a network of dedicated alumni ambassadors who contribute to the success of the University in different ways – from placements and internships to lectures and workshops.
For new growth sectors in the North East such as tech and digital, life sciences and renewable energy, a key opportunity for Northumbria is to direct its talent pipeline so that risks of regional skills gaps are tackled up front, through co-creation of courses and early engagement with inward investment and employment opportunities. Creating or improving relationships with large scale projects, such as BritishVolt or Govt’s Darlington Economic Campus will automatically create direct access for students once they graduate. Northumbria should ensure that it is continually horizon-scanning for new employment opportunities coming to the region, so that close connections are developed that lead to graduate employment.
Northumbria must ensure that opportunities within these projects are promoted widely to students from multiple disciplines to help provide a diverse pipeline of graduates.
Matchingengagement.alumniasmentors with students or potential students from similar backgrounds would be an invaluable way of raising aspirations and broadening career choices. The alumni mentoring scheme could be further developed to include potential students and an online mentoring facility and networking hub for Northumbria students, working in conjunction with face-to-face meetings and events in the region.
Alumni of all ages, backgrounds and careers will be encouraged to engage in these activities which will benefit students and new graduates as well as strengthening the relationship between the University and alumni Northumbriacommunity.shouldensure that alumni are embedded in every stage of the student journey. It is also important that engagement with alumni is linked into wider projects at the University, as a means of widening access for students into work experience. Highlighting and promoting successful alumni- entrepreneurs who have remained in the North East and built successful businesses is also key to the University’s reputation and links with the local economy.
The University can also be a key player in attracting inward investment into the region in these new sectors by providing a diverse and skilled workforce for companies.
Northumbria University has strong relationships with other North East universities (University of Newcastle, Durham University, Teesside University and the University of Sunderland) and takes part in various joint outreach initiatives. The North East universities could become the first region to take collective responsibility for social mobility and increasing participation. Creating an ecosystem where universities work together but have different roles, will benefit the region as a whole.
should share its best practice around entrepreneurship, innovation and experiential learning and ensure it is embedded into all programmes throughout the University. This is a key recommendation as the economy seeks to rebound from COVID-19. This activity should link in with other recommendations highlighted above around alumni and links with local businesses. Showcasing the successful local businesses including those managed by alumni will help students consider opportunities outside of the traditional routes into professional roles. Having specific mentoring and career advice around starting a business could create a greater culture of entrepreneurship within the University and ultimately the North East as a whole. This will tie in with the government’s agenda of having more jobs readily available on your doorstep.
23RECOMMENDATIONS
iv. Did either of your parents attend university and gain a degree (e.g. BA/BSc or equivalent) by the time you were 18?
Alongside these university relationships, Northumbria could act as a convener for a wider group of North East organisations to come together on the challenges of levelling up. This could include NHS organisations and local authorities, as well as others that have a big impact on local communities.
3. Take a leadership role in levelling up the North East Now is the right time for Northumbria University to take a leadership role in improving social mobility in the North East. Levelling up is at the top of the political agenda and there is an opportunity for Northumbria to be an ever more powerful engine for social mobility, and also to achieve even wider impact through working in partnership with other higher education institutions in the region. With new civil service jobs moving to Darlington and major projects such as BritishVolt happening in the area, Northumbria has a crucial role to play in supplying skilled graduates into the region but should also further build on its existing collaborative approach. This can build on the nascent work of IntoUniversity which already brings together regional universities to help improve access to higher education.
10 See: https://www.equalityofopportunitycoalition.org/ 11 Socio-economic questions: i. What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14?
4. Lead the way in measuring socio-economic background of workforce Northumbria could lead the way in socio-economic reporting by being part of a Levelling Up Tracking Pathfinder10. Many of the Purpose Coalition members will be trialing the use of socio-economic questions as a pathfinder project, the results of which the Office for National Statistics (ONS) can then use; we hope this can then roll out across employers more broadly. The ONS are very interested to see how this work goes. Ideally the pathfinder employers will use all four questions11 identified by the Social Mobility Commission (SMC) but at the very least use the ‘key question’, Question 1, that the SMC flagged: What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were aged 14? Our pathfinder group will not just be universities, but also businesses, local authorities, NHS Trusts and potentially other employers from civil society.
ii. Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16? iii. If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for free school meals at any point during your school years?
Social Mobility research conducted by the Department for Education’s Social Mobility Commission across 323 local authorities in England shows the top 20% of local authorities are labelled as ‘hotspots’, areas where social mobility is good, and the bottom 20% of local authorities are identified as ‘cold spots’, areas where social mobility is poor.12
ANALYSIS 12 Social Mobility
The University’s students come from across the UK and overseas, with the largest proportion from the North East of England. These data focus on specific areas of the city where the campus is located and are used here to illustrate some of the socio-economic aspects.
ANALYSISGEOGRAPHICAL8.
It is important to note that an area’s overall ranking, designated a hot or cold spot, is not the complete picture. An area which is a social mobility hotspot for most indices can also mask sharp decline in social mobility at different life stages, such as early years. These complexities highlight that social mobility cannot be tackled with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the challenges those individual communities face is vital as we assess social mobility through multiple life stages. Looking at different life stages can identify where gaps are and what more can be done to address these. Index: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/496103/Social_Mobility_Index.pdf Mobility Index by Constituency SMIC: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8400/CBP-8400.pdf
In this section of the Levelling Up Action Plan we analyse the challenges individual communities face in terms of social mobility and the impact of COVID-19. The combined and interlinking impact of those two circumstances enable us to chart a community’s ‘Opportunity Gap’. For the purposes of this analysis we have focused on Newcastle upon Tyne East where the main campus of Northumbria University is located as well as Newcastle upon Tyne Central and Newcastle upon Tyne North which are nearby locations.
24 Office Constituency Main Campus Newcastle upon Tyne East Nearby location Newcastle upon Tyne Central Nearby location Newcastle upon Tyne North Ranking/533 constituencies 10524891RankingOverall Part A - Social Mobility
The House of Commons Library performed analysis of the Index in order to map levels of social mobility to constituencies in the UK Parliament.13
13 Social
25ANALYSIS
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
26ANALYSIS Early Years 32 Schools 62 Youth 341 Adulthood Rank/533NationalLife260Stage
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19 Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EAST CONSTITUENCY (2)
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of families with children who own their home
5218306398262489377754955599 EnglandNewcastle 6525308443342688397239835393
Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE EAST ANALYSIS
The youth stage sees Newcastle upon Tyne East fall to the rank of 341/533. 89%of young people who were eligible for free school meals find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. 26% of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 24. Newcastle upon Tyne East ranks at 425 and 377 for these measures respectively.
Youth Life Stage
At the adulthood life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne East ranks at 260/533. Although only 18% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, average earnings are £398 weekly –the English average is £443. Housing is six times the annualised salary, the 161st most affordable area in England (where houses are eight times the annualised salary), but home ownership is at 52%, the 63rd worst area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 30%, ranking Newcastle upon Tyne East at 269/533 for this measure.
Adulthood Life Stage
Early Years Life Stage
27ANALYSIS
Newcastle upon Tyne East is the location of Northumbria University’s campuses. Four of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and one is in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Newcastle upon Tyne East ranks at 91/533 on the Social Mobility Index. The area is a social mobility hotspot.
At the early years life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne East performs best at 32/533. 99% of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, better than the national average of 93% and ranking Newcastle upon Tyne East as 16/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Newcastle upon Tyne East is ranked 193/533; 55% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.
School Life Stage Ranking at 62/533 at the school stage, Newcastle upon Tyne East is in the top 15% of constituencies. 95%of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 54% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 77%, making Newcastle upon Tyne East the 240th best constituency, and an average Attainment 8 score of 37 places Newcastle upon Tyne East at 326/533.
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
Percentage of families with children who own their home
6097 5393 37685592 39723983 282584 342688 6426316436 6525308443 ANALYSIS
28 Early Years 13 Schools 78 Youth 448 Adulthood Rank/533NationalLife217Stage EnglandNewcastle
Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19 Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NORTH CONSTITUENCY
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
Youth Life Stage
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NORTH ANALYSIS
Newcastle upon Tyne North is a commuter location for Northumbria University’s students. Three of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and just one is in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Newcastle upon Tyne North ranks at 105/533 on the Social Mobility Index. Newcastle upon Tyne North is a social mobility hotspot but does face issues in the youth stage in particular.
Early Years Life Stage
ANALYSIS
At the early years life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne North performs extremely well at 13/533. 97% of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, better than the national average of 93% and ranking Newcastle upon Tyne North as 57/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Newcastle upon Tyne North is ranked 44/533; 60% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%. School Life Stage Ranking at 78/533 at the school stage, Newcastle upon Tyne North is again in the top 100 constituencies. 92%of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 55% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage, the national average being 39%. This is a top ranking. At secondary level indicators are worse, with attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools only 68%, and an average Attainment 8 score of 37 places Newcastle upon Tyne North below the 39 average.
The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 31%, ranking Newcastle upon Tyne North at 233/533 for this measure.
Adulthood Life Stage At the adulthood life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne North recovers slightly to rank at 217/533. Slightly more (26%) jobs pay less than the real living wage, and average earnings are £436 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is six times the annualised salary, the 159th area in England (where houses are eight times the annualised salary), but home ownership is still lower than average at 64%.
29
The youth stage sees Newcastle upon Tyne North’s worst ranking at 448/533. 84% of young people who were eligible for free school meals find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4, the single worst score across all life stages. Less (28%) FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average point score per entry of 25. Newcastle upon Tyne North ranks at 355 and 347 for these measures respectively.
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
5697 5393 37654180 39723983 242887 342688 4821285357 6525308443 ANALYSIS
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19 Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area
Percentage of families with children who own their home
30 Early Years 49 Schools 336 Youth 343 Adulthood Rank/533NationalLife417Stage EnglandNewcastle
ANALYSIS
Adulthood Life Stage
At the early years life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne Central performs very well at 49/533. 97% of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, better than the national average of 93% and ranking Newcastle upon Tyne Central as 45/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Newcastle upon Tyne Central is ranked 157/533; 56% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%. School Life Stage Ranking at 336/533 at the school stage, Newcastle upon Tyne Central is in the bottom 40% of constituencies. 80%of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 41% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is lower than average at 65%, consequently the average Attainment 8 score of 37 places Newcastle upon Tyne Central in the bottom third of constituencies. Youth Life Stage
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CENTRAL ANALYSIS
The youth stage sees Newcastle upon Tyne Central fall further to rank at 343/533. 87%of young people who were eligible for free school meals find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Only 24% of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, but those that do take A Levels will have an average point score per entry of 28. Newcastle upon Tyne Central ranks at 469 and 181 for these measures respectively.
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Newcastle upon Tyne Central is a commuter location for Northumbria University students. Only one of its indicators is in the top 100 rankings compared to three in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Newcastle upon Tyne Central ranks at 248/533 on the Social Mobility Index.
Early Years Life Stage
At the adulthood life stage, Newcastle upon Tyne Central ranks worst at 417/533. Although more (79%) jobs pay at least the real living wage, average earnings are only £357 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is relatively cheap, at five times the annualised salary, but despite this home ownership is only at 48%, the 39th worst area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 28%, ranking Newcastle upon Tyne Central at 317/533 for this measure.
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