Yorkshire's students score highly in search for satisfaction

Leeds College of Art and Wakefield College had the highest levels of student satisfaction in the region, according to a new survey published today.
Leeds College of ArtLeeds College of Art
Leeds College of Art

The National Student Survey (NSS) shows that 91 per cent of students at the colleges were happy with their course.

This was the highest of any colleges in Yorkshire and also higher than most other similar institutions according to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

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Professor Simone Wonnacott, principal of the Leeds College of Art said: “We are delighted to see such a high level of overall satisfaction from our students, reflected in the National Students Survey 2017. To be the highest ranked independent higher education arts institution is testament to the dedication of our staff to deliver a high quality teaching experience for our students.

"To increase our score once again is an important acknowledgment of the continued effort to improve the experience for our students, and comes at a significant time as we head towards becoming the only specialist arts university in the North of England. We are grateful that so many of our students chose to share their views in recognition of this.”

The university that scored the highest in the region was Leeds Trinity, which had a rate of 90 per cent.

Leeds and York Universities also had high satisfaction rates of 89 and 88 per cent respectively in the new NSS, which, measures student satisfaction based on teaching, tutor support, feedback, and learning of final year students at education intuitions across the UK.

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Commenting on Leeds Trinity University’s satisfaction score Professor Margaret A House, vice-chancellor, said: “Improving our student experience is a university-wide priority, and the results today reflect the support we provide for all our students at Leeds Trinity. Working with our Students’ Union we have taken a whole-university approach and listened to what our students need.

“To be named top university in Yorkshire for overall student satisfaction is a fantastic achievement and I am exceptionally proud of our staff and students for helping us to achieve this.”

The news comes just three weeks after Leeds Trinity was ranked number one in Yorkshire for employability with 97 per cent of its students gaining employment or entering further study within six months of graduation, according to the latest Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.

She added: “I am very proud of our strong performance in employability, with all undergraduate students taking part in professional work placements as part of their degree. At Leeds Trinity, we work with our students to discover what they want from their university – and because we offer a personalised and flexible approach to learning, we are able to deliver this.”

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Nationally 84 per cent of college and university students were satisfied with their course.

Sheffield College, with a score of 86 per cent, along with Sheffield Hallam University, Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education and the University of Law, which has a campus in Leeds, which all had a score of 85 per cent, were the only other colleges and universities in the region with a score higher than the national average.

Professor Christina Hughes, pro vice-chancellor for student experience at Sheffield Hallam University said: "The results of this year's NSS highlights the real progress Sheffield Hallam is making in providing an excellent experience for students as well as first-rate teaching and learning facilities.

“It is testament to the commitment and hard work of our staff that the university is rated above the sector average for England in the NSS and specifically in the three TEF measures of course teaching, assessment and feedback, and academic support.

“An excellent student experience will continue to be a key priority for Sheffield Hallam. I look forward to our continued improvement in providing students with world-class teaching and support.”