The University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group has been awarded ‘Silver’ for student experience in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.

Conducted by the Office for Students (OfS), the panel of judges praised the University Centre for the outstanding student experience it offers – with data showing it significantly outperforms TEF’s benchmarks in this area.

The report concludes that the University Centre’s teaching, assessment and feedback; course content and delivery; student engagement in learning and stretch; staff professional development and academic practice; learning environment and academic support; learning resources; and student engagement in improvement, were all rated high-quality features.

This follows the University Centre’s National Student Survey 2023 results, in which it placed significantly higher than the national average for student experience.

Over 92% of students stated they feel positive about the teaching and support they receive at the University Centre as part of the survey, 8% higher than the sector average.

The University Centre also placed significantly higher than the national average in terms of learning opportunities, assessment, academic support, student voice and course organisation. Regarding student outcomes, the Group was also ranked highly for its approach to supporting student success; continuation and completion rates; progression rates; intended educational gains; approaches to supporting educational gains; and evaluation and demonstration of educational gains.

In the Teaching Excellence Framework, the Group was rated ‘Bronze’ for student outcomes, meaning the Group received an overall grade of ‘Bronze’ – with both student experience and student outcomes rated as high quality, with some very high-quality features.

Sam Wright, Principal and Chief Executive at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said:

“Ensuring that our students have an exceptional experience and can progress onto positive destinations are at the forefront of what we do at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, so we are delighted to have been rated ‘Silver’ in this area."

"Providing a supportive environment where our students can learn, grow and develop on an academic and personal level is something which we feel strongly about and TEF’s feedback will help us to further build on this, enabling our students to move successfully onto their next steps and achieve their dream careers.”

Across its three campuses in Castleford, Selby and Wakefield, the University Centre offers a range of degree-level programmes including Foundation Degrees, Full Degrees, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, Top-Up Degrees and Teacher Training.

Covering a wide range of subject areas including Animal Management, Art & Design, Business, Construction, Childhood Studies, Digital Technologies, Education, Engineering, Health & Wellbeing, Music, Performing Arts, Public Services, Social Science, Sport and more, the programmes are validated by some of the region’s most well-established universities.

The Group also provides a variety of Access to Higher Education courses which are designed to provide learners with the relevant knowledge and study skills they require if they’ve been out of education for some time and hope to successfully complete a degree course.