The Sheffield College has won a national award for its contribution to widening access for students to higher education.
The National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards celebrates the transformative power of higher education and its contribution to social mobility.
Following a nomination from HeppSY, the College won the NEON School or College Widening Access Award category and was presented with the accolade at an online ceremony on June 10th, 2021.
Sarah Kettlewell, Head of Student Participation and Careers, The Sheffield College, said: “We are delighted to receive a NEON award, which reflects the College’s wider commitment to supporting a skills-led pandemic economic recovery.”
She explained: “We transform lives through learning by enabling our diverse student community to progress to the next level and achieve their potential no matter what their starting point. As part of that, it’s vital that young people understand their options to go further in their careers including considering university level courses. We would like to thank HeppSY for nominating us for this award.”
The College has made a significant contribution to widening access initiatives over many years. This includes being involved with HeppSY, which provides impartial advice and guidance about higher education to schools and further education colleges in Sheffield City Region.
HeppSY is part of the Uni Connect Programme and is funded by the Office for Students, and its remit includes supporting young people who are most at risk of missing out on higher education.
During the last academic year 2020/21 to date, in partnership with HeppSY, the College has delivered 101 activities to more than 500 students. From 278 students who applied to UCAS in 2020, 144 (52%) progressed to higher education with 8% securing places at Russell Group universities.
Throughout the pandemic, the College has worked to ensure under-represented groups continue to consider higher education options, and has achieved this by, for example, maintaining its annual higher education week delivered digitally in October 2020.
This year, the College’s Up Festival went city wide and was run in partnership with Sheffield City Council and the Careers and Enterprise Company’s Enterprise Advisers Network, and included a higher education focussed online pavilion with regional universities attending.
In response to the pandemic, the College is a founding member of the Regional Post-18 Education Partnership, developed to identify positive and practical actions, which can impact the most disadvantaged young people and adults in the region as they enter the post-18 system through education or work.
NEON brings together higher education institutions, schools, colleges, the voluntary sector, professional bodies and employers.
Over 90 higher education providers from across England and Wales are members of NEON and they teach over 70% of England’s undergraduate students. NEON was founded in 2012 as the professional organisation to support those involved in promoting social mobility through widening access to higher education.
The College offers full honours degrees, foundation degrees, higher national diplomas and certificates, and higher apprenticeships.
For more information, please visit our university level courses page or call 0114 2602600.
