Access and Participation Statement
We work with universities to recruit, teach and support students who will register with them and receive their degrees from our university partners. The Office for Students (OfS), which protects students and promotes fair access to higher education, requires any organisation that teaches university students on behalf of a university to have an Access and Participation Statement.
This Statement explains how we work with our university partners to improve access to higher education for students who are disadvantaged or underrepresented, and how we support them throughout their studies.
Introduction
The School of Coding (SOC) was founded with a bold and transformative vision: to disrupt traditional Higher Education by democratising digitally and professionally focused Higher Education through removing structural barriers that prevent underrepresented learners from accessing, participating in, and succeeding within higher education.
We exist to bridge the gap between marginalised communities who feel that university is “not for people like me” and the established university sector, offering an alternative route into Higher Education (HE), working with universities aligned with our values, quality expectations, and educational model.
We believe aspirations are shaped early and barriers exist well before the time young people and adults consider Higher Education (HE). As a context to, and in support of, our HE work, we teach computer science, coding and digital skills to children and adults across the UK and beyond. We provide coding lessons online and at our education centres. We specialise in tutoring students doing GCSEs and A-levels. We also deliver government funded projects and courses to adults looking to upskill in IT and Computer Science to help adults find work, upskill and/or enter Higher Education as a mature student. Relevant courses include:
- Employability skills (job searching, CV and cover letter creation, interview skills)
- Digital skills
- IT skills
- Coding
- Cyber security
- Maths and English
It is through these programmes and our community engagement work (in person and via social media campaigns) that we have developed a track record of successfully attracting and supporting hard-to-reach groups of students into and through Higher Education.
Our ambition is to become a nationally recognised leader in inclusive, technology enhanced Higher Education—one that challenges outdated structures, removes systemic barriers, and empowers learners from all backgrounds to thrive in the digital economy.
Our Track Record
We attract and support student from hard-to-reach groups into full-time undergraduate first degrees. The following table provides a analysis of the characteristics of all students enrolled in 2025/26 (including the May 2026 intake) onto courses provided by our university partners. These are compared to the latest comparable sector data for 2024/25 provided by the Higher Education Statics Agency (HESA).
Student Group | HE sector average (2024/25) | Breakdown for SoC students by subject (number and %) | ||
Computing & IT N = 429 | Health & Social Care N= 605 | Business inc. Digital Business and Digital Marketing N =894 | ||
Mature (aged 21 or above on entry) | 41% | 49% | 59% | 66% |
Global majority | 34% | 34.5% | 38.8% | 20% |
People living in households in the bottom 20% of income levels (based on the index of multiple deprivation) | 22% | 69% | 73% | 69% |
Areas with low participation rates in HE (POLAR 4 quintile 1) | TBC | 17% | 21% | 17% |
Declared disability | 21% | 3.5% | 3% | 2% |
Female | 56% | 30% | 60% | 43% |
Male | 44% | 70% | 40% | 57% |
We achieve these strong results because of how we recruit and select students. Unlike traditional universities, which mainly rely on advertising and relationships with schools and colleges, we focus on building deep, long-term connections within the communities our students come from.
We attend local events and work closely with community groups, sharing information about higher education, student finance and the opportunities our graduates can work towards. Many of our staff are from these communities themselves, and they — along with our students — act as role models who inspire others to consider higher education and to change their lives, and their families’ lives, by developing graduate level skills.
Our current strategic aims related to access and participation
We are our proud of our track record, but we appreciate that the increasing challenges associated with attracting students from more diverse backgrounds into higher education, because of rising costs and economic stagnation, meaning that the graduate premium of higher wages and the numbers of job opportunities are squeezed. Of relevance to us is also the ongoing public and political debate about what the implications of AI may be in terms of future careers and the future of some types of jobs. We know that within the context of AI there will be a growing need for skilled and ethical technology professionals to manage the significant risks and enable business to fully harness the opportunities AI can bring.
Whilst we will only ever work with a small number of University Partners, we are exploring new courses and different geographical locations where higher levels technology skills are needed and/or where higher education participation rates are persistently low. We will do this whilst also continuing our commitment to transform the West Midlands through the work of our graduates, and collaborations with education providers and businesses. This region continues to face very significant challenges:
- Falling number of people of working age as a proportion of the whole population: 61.8% compared to 62.9% for England overall.
- Higher modelled unemployment rate: 4.4%, compared to 3.7% for England;
- Lower gross disposable household income: £21,141 compared to the English average of £ 25,425
- Fewer high growth businesses: 4.2% compared to 5% for England overall.
- Fewer people educated to level 3 and above: 63.6% compared to the England average overall of 67.8%
Source: All data from the latest NOMIS dataset (2024).
Whilst the number and percentages of female students studying Computing (and all subjects under this subject grouping) in UK higher education has been increasing, only one in five students are female. This is translated into the job market where just 20% of women are in technology-related roles and in recent research found that 63% women expressed a lack of confidence of applying for jobs in this sector (She Can Code). This is seen as a critical priority for the BCS (Chartered Institute for IT) to be able to grow and upskill the workforce in the industry sector to give the UK a competitive edge in the global technology economy.
Table: Number and % of females studying Computing in the UK Higher Education
2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | |
Number (total student number) | 27,835 (132,100) | 24,440 (121,305) | 21,080 (111,470) | 19,495 (107,455) |
% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 18% |
Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (the Office for Students designated data body).
Whilst we are performing better than the sector average with 30% of students on Computing and IT courses, our aim is to increase that number to 40% over the next five years. We will tackle this challenge by building on our existing, successful ways of recruiting and selecting students, which are rooted in our strong relationships with the communities our students come from. We will also strengthen this work through a new charity funded by the School of Coding. The SOC Communities Foundation works directly with local partners such as the DWP, women’s shelters, schools and community groups to support girls and young women facing social or educational disadvantage. Through digital-skills training and mentoring, confidence-building activities and awareness of higher education pathways, the Foundation will help more young women progress into computing and digital-related degrees and develop the skills needed for future careers.
The proportion of students who declare a disability is relatively low compared with the HE sector average of 19.9% (OfS, 2025) in 2023/24. This may indicate under-reporting and a smaller number of students seeking diagnosis and the support that may follow. Given that most of our students are mature on entry, and that some have been educated in other countries, predominantly in the EU, fewer may have had access to clear information, guidance, or routes to diagnosis. Recent research into societal attitudes to disability commissioned by Cabinet Office’s Disability Unit (Simmons, Read, Parfitt & Blackmore (2026)) suggests that some students may bring with them beliefs and expectations shaped by their communities of origin, including cultural or social stigma associated with disability. This may encourage self-reliance and reduce engagement with disability-related, including diagnostic, services.
We are seeking to address this through adopting a whole-instruction approach, via mechanisms such as:
- Induction, signposting and normalising learner support arrangements;
- awareness work and positive role modelling with staff and students to address attitudinal barriers;
- staff training and development;
- through our learning and teaching approaches (e.g. inclusion of universal design principles and inclusive assessment approaches) and;
- engagement with students through our Education and Student Experience Group to understand theire experiences and to evaluate the impact of our work.
Based on these three priorities, we have set these objectives:
- APS1: maintain our track record particularly in relation to those who are mature on entry, from the global majority and from low-income households
- APS2: Attract more female students into computing courses, to be 40% of the total cohort by 2031.
- APS 3: Increase year-on-year numbers and percentage of our students with a declared disability to be within 5% of the sector averager by 2031.
How success will be measured
Academic Board, reporting to our Board of Directors, will monitor progress on at least an annual basis in relation to the three objectives and using these sources of information:
- New entrant numbers and all-year numbers by special group
- Student satisfaction by special groups
- Continuation rates (the number of students the are in active study 1 year 15 days after starting their course) by special groups
- Completion rates by special groups.
- Graduate outcomes from 2029 onwards, when our first cohorts graduate from our university partners.
- Updates on activity undertaken to promote equality of opportunity (see next section).
The approaches and interventions set out in the following sections are aligned with the OfS Equality of Opportunity Risk Register to ensure we identify any potential blind spots in our work. This mapping allows us to draw on sector learning and strengthen how we support access, participation and successful outcomes for underrepresented and hard-to-reach student groups.
How we proactively promote equality of opportunity
Equality of Opportunity means that all learners, irrespective of personal background, experience or characteristics, should be able to access a high quality education which enhances their quality of life and employment prospects. Our work is guided by the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register developed by the Office for Students, which identifies potential risks to Equality of Opportunity and mitigating actions based on Higher Education research and feedback from students.
Risk of Equality of Opportunity | Student groups we serve most likely to be affected | Possible effects of this risk | What we are doing to address the risk |
Knowledge is limited about HE opportunities and how study will affect their lives. Skills to decide if HE is for them and where and what they should study |
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| Community outreach activities — attending local venues and key community events to share information about higher-education opportunities and available funding. Word-of-mouth recommendations — encouraging and supporting our students to act as inspirational role models within their communities. Direct information for enquirers — providing guidance through meetings or calls with our staff. Multiple communication channels — sharing information through social media, our website and the websites of our university partners. |
Information about Higher Education is not accessible or not sought through lack of aspiration. Guidance on available options and how to apply are not readily available. | |||
Perceptions that Higher Education is not for them |
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| The approaches described above Our outreach staff act as role models — staff who use their personal connections within local communities and act as role models for prospective students. |
Low application success rates because of prior educational attainment or lack of support to make a strong application. |
| Pre-screening conversations with applicants — we speak with prospective applicants to understand their circumstances and motivations in a supportive and safe way before they move forward with an application. Signposting for those not yet ready — anyone who is not yet ready for higher education is guided towards courses that can help them prepare, including the adult education courses we offer. | |
Limited choice of courses of a particular type that is taught at a time or in a format that enables study to work within the context of learners’ lives, including work or caring commitments. |
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| Discussion of study pattern and timetable — we talk with all applicants at our Preparation for Foundation (PFF) assessment days about how the course is structured, including contact hours, independent study expectations, teaching days and term dates. Block-day timetable — our timetable is organised into full teaching days, including some at weekends, which helps students balance their studies with work, caring responsibilities and other parts of their lives. Information about flexible start dates — we explain that students can join at three points in the year, which also allows them to pause and return to their studies if needed, for example due to pregnancy or other personal circumstances. |
Students without the academic support to succeed when on the course |
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| Start- and end-of-day tutorial hours — time for reviewing learning, Q&A, extra English, Maths and Programming support, and discussions on employability, professionalism, ethics and academic integrity. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) sessions — dedicated EAP teaching built into the timetable. One-to-one or group support — sessions with Student Success Tutors and Career Tutors. Assessment review sessions — opportunities for students to learn from completed assessments and prepare for future ones. Attendance and engagement monitoring to proactively support students at risk of falling behind or leaving. |
Students without the personal support or access to personal development opportunities outside classes and events relating directly to their course |
| The same as for academic support, plus:
| Personal support provided by Success Tutors and Career Tutors. IELTS qualification at no cost — students can take the IELTS exam through our approved British Council centre, gaining an internationally recognised credential that strengthens progression in higher education and enhances employability in global or multilingual workplaces. Technical skills and micro-credentials — students are encouraged to complete enrichment courses, such as the Cisco Python programme, to build additional technical skills, improve industry readiness and support progression in their chosen subject area. International mobility opportunities — students demonstrating strong commitment and academic progress may participate in Turing Scheme placements in Spain, India or Dubai, gaining work-relevant experience, cultural insight and the chance to develop independence, adaptability and global awareness. |
Students needing study and social environments to help them manage their mental health and wellbeing, including students with some specific disabilities such as Autism and ADHD. |
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| Welfare and wellbeing help — we support students facing personal, health, mental-health or financial difficulties, identify issues early through attendance and engagement monitoring, work closely across teaching and support teams. Careers support — students receive accessible on-site careers advice, including guest speakers and CV support, designed to fit around work, caring and other commitments. Learner and disability support — eligible students receive laptops, in-class support staff and individual assessment adjustments to help them fully access learning and show their abilities. Engage student with digital accessibility tools we our developing through our research — for example the EU-funded My Virtual World project, to support autistic students and improve inclusive learning and employment preparation. Staff training and development to ensure a whole-organisation approach and to learn of sector best practice. |
Longer-term impact of Covid 19 that disrupted their education pre- and/or post-16. |
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| Academic support — see the section above on Academic Support. Assessment of readiness at PFF days — at our Preparation for Foundation (PFF) assessment days, we assess each applicant’s starting point for higher-education study, including basic academic skills, personal circumstances and confidence levels. This allows staff to tailor teaching materials, classes and tutorial sessions to individual needs. |
Cost of living pressures affecting students’ financial circumstances and ability to continue and complete their course. |
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| Student finance information — applicants receive guidance on student finance so they can explore available loans. Reducing living and travel costs — we focus recruitment on students who can commute, use block teaching to both reduce the number of journeys and support students to fit paid work around study. Support for digital access and financial wellbeing — we provide IT equipment for students facing digital poverty and offer welfare support to help students plan their finances and manage money difficulties. Attendance and engagement monitoring to identify early if students are having difficulties commuting and work with them to find solutions. |
Students have more limited capacity to engage successfully in higher education through lack of access to facilities, including accommodation. | |||
Student have fewer opportunities to achieve positive progression outcomes on completing the course into high skilled job or setting or developing their businesses. |
Students supporting family businesses |
| Vocationally focused course choices — at Preparation for Foundation (PFF) assessment days, we assess each applicant’s career goals and match them with vocational courses that align with their aspirations. Careers advice and development — students receive careers support through guest speakers and CV-writing guidance in tutorials. While university-partner services are available on their campuses, we also employ our own on-site careers advisors so students juggling study, work and caring responsibilities can access support more easily. International mobility opportunities – described above. |
Contact us if you want to find out more about our work
For further information about our work, please contact us: [email protected]