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Reports

Evaluation reports


Undergraduate student messengers: Reinforcing young people’s higher education ambitions? Follow-up research

This report provides the results of follow-up research to further test the findings of a published randomised controlled trial study, which found mixed evidence with regards to how ‘low cost, high volume’ university outreach interventions change subsequent application behaviour

  • Authors: Laura Hope and Michael Kerrigan
  • OfS evaluation standard:  Type 3

Read the evaluation report: Undergraduate student messengers: Reinforcing young people's higher education ambitions? Follow -up research.


Oracy (Pilot) report 2024

This pilot implementation and process evaluation (IPE), complete with core Theory of Change (c-Toc) focuses on a pilot project, delivered in partnership with Go M.A.D. within two Nottinghamshire primary schools. The project sought to improve and instil a range of oracy related skills for pupils in years two and three.

  • Author: Jon Hoskin-Campion - 2024
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 1

Read the evaluation report: Oracy (Pilot) report 2024


Using learning analytics to prompt student support interventions

In higher education (HE), learning analytics (LA) systems are used to collect, analyse and display data to help understanding student engagement and learning. This report was commissioned by The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) to look at how learning analytics can identify students at risk of withdrawing and which interventions work to re-engage studies in their studies.

  • Author: Dr Rob Summers
  • Contributors: Dr George Cox, Carolyn Fearn, Tim Hardy, Emma Hynd,  Dr Eliza Kozman, Helen Parkin, Pujen Shrestha, Katie Smaylen, Dr Patrick Taylor, Dr Eleanor Turpin, Felicity Woodhouse - 2024
  • OfS  evaluation standard: Type 3

Read the project report: Using learning analytics to prompt student support interventions


Equality gaps in the uptake of sandwich courses and placements

This report was commissioned by The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) to address the gaps in our knowledge about the barriers to students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds accessing, and succeeding on, sandwich year courses.

  • Author: Peter Crowson
  • Contributors: Michael Kerrigan, Bec Aeddi and Zsanett Bicsa - 2023
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 1

Read the evaluation report: Exploring equality gaps in the uptake of sandwich courses and placements

Explore the Enhanced Theories of Change for sandwich course provision


Using institutional data to track post-entry participant outcomes: Nottingham Trent University case study

This case study focuses on Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and its use of institutional data infrastructure to track the outcomes of student participation in extra-curricular activities (ECAs). As part of TASO’s ‘Institutional data use’ project, this study aims to contribute to a practical guide for higher education providers on how post-entry interventions can be evaluated using institutional data.

  • Authors: Michael Kerrigan, Laura Hope and Bec Aeddi
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 2

Read the evaluation report:  Using institutional data to track post-entry participant outcomes: Nottingham Trent University case study


Final implementation and process evaluation report: Nottingham Trent University  - Black Leadership Programme

This report was commissioned by The Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) to help establish how institutional data can be used to support better evaluation of the student experience. The report supplements work by the external evaluator for this project, which will provide a flagship evaluation of one of Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) post-entry activities, the Black Leadership Programme (BLP).
  • Authors: Bec Aeddi, Zsanett Bicsak, Reuel Blair, Pete Crowson, Laura Hope and Michael Kerrigan
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 1

Read the evaluation report:  Nottingham Trent University - Black Leadership Programme


Evaluation of the impact of NTU’s financial support on student success

The Office for Students (OfS) have strongly encouraged higher education providers to evaluate the impact of their access and participation plan (APP) funded financial support provision. This report provides an update to NTU’s original analysis, which was similarly guided by the financial support evaluation toolkit, for which there are three phases; statistical analysis, student surveys and student interviews. This report is therefore split into three parts, each of which include an introduction, methodology, results and discussion section, to reflect these distinct elements of the toolkit.
  • Authors: Zsanett Bicsak, Laura Hope and Michael Kerrigan
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 2

Read the evaluation report: The impact of NTU's financial support on student success


Using a quasi-experimental design (QED) with HEAT data: a Nottingham Trent University case study

This case study demonstrates how data from HEAT has been used by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to assess the impact of pre-16 outreach interventions on Key Stage 4 (GCSE) attainment, using a quasi-experimental design (QED)
  • Authors: Laura Guiver and Laura Hope
  • OfS evaluation standard: Type 2

Read the case study: Using a quasi-experimental design with HEAT data

Research reports


School Transition literature review: primary to secondary

This literature review examines the transition from primary to secondary school, focusing on the challenges and experiences faced by pupils, particularly those from widening participation backgrounds.
  • Author: Jon Hoskin-Campion -  2022

Read the School Transition literature review: Primary to Secondary


Evaluative Options review

This paper examines various evaluative approaches, assessing their relevance and suitability for programme-based evaluations within the Centre for Student and Community Engagement at NTU.

  • Author: Jon Hoskin-Campion -  2022

Read the Evaluation Options review


School Insights research: COVID-19

This research report sets out a number of findings relevant to partner school adaptation(s) to the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of this, it also looks at what the Centre for Student and Community Engagement's (CenSCE) response should be within this changed context. The report is based on interviews with 11 stakeholders from Primary and Secondary Schools with insights from the supporting literature, both grey and academic.

  • Author: Jon Hoskin-Campion -  2020

Read the School Insights research: COVID-19 report


Developing a post-HE-entry activity typology and the transition to recording onto HEAT database: Nottingham Trent University case study

This case study aims to contribute to TASO’s practical guide to how data infrastructure can be used or developed within providers to enable tracking of post-HE-entry activities and participant outcomes. There are two parts to the case study: ● Part 1: Development of a new post-entry ‘MOAT’ typology by mapping common activities and outcomes. ● Part 2: Exploring the transition to recording post-entry activities onto the HEAT database.

  • Authors: Bec Aeddi and Laura Hope - 2024

Read the case study: Developing a post-HE-entry activity typology and the transition to recording onto HEAT database


Implementation and process evaluation protocol case study: NTU student mentoring scheme

This case study involves an institution-wide mentoring scheme which is already embedded at NTU. The scheme comprises multiple elements, which have been evaluated to varying degrees in previous years. We have designed the IPE to be beneficial both as a stand-alone piece and to support a broader programme of evaluation.

  • Authors: Rebecca Siddle and Jonathan Hoskin-Campion - 2024

Read the case study: NTU student mentoring scheme