The FY brings diversity to our UG community. Whilst our UG is gender-balanced, there is under-representation at the intersection of gender, race, and class. We have few female or male students who are black or working-class. In contrast, 19.2% of FY students have been black and the majority come from schools with lower-than-average performance (70%, compared with 7% for direct entry (DE) students and from low participation neighbourhoods (39% against 4% for DE)). Innovating, we have curated a suite of targeted support for FY students. Personal tutors receive enhanced workload (18 hours per student rather than 4.5), and wrap-around services, including academic writing support, are provided. We facilitate interaction with external groups. All FY and WP students are invited to join CoACh, a WBS enrichment programme, consisting of workshops led by artists and cultural leaders, a mentoring programme led by our CareersPlus team, and events designed to promote belonging. We have continued to innovate, providing new forms of financial support for these students through donors. The gender balance of award has been even; 30 awards were made in 2022/23, 15 to females.
The performance of FY students has been exceptional. At module level, a review between 2016/17 and 2021/22, found FY students on our management degree averaged 56% compared to 63% for DE students. To put this in context, FY students get within 7% of DE, despite entering with 46% lower UCAS points (96 against 179). The learning gain is testament to the dedication of staff and the resilience and talent of the intake. Seeking to guide others, we actively promote the FY. Alumni champion the programme, creating marketing materials and social media content. They engage in WP activities in schools and contribute to the CoACh programme as mentors [2017AP.Achievement beyond 4.1.1]. FY students have won a number of prizes, further promoting the FY. They have built national networks with a social purpose.
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