Thrive mentoring: Evaluation

Posted on May 9, 2025 by app-evaluation-blog

Hello! My name is Tamima and I am working as a Student Outcomes Coordinator at the University. I am writing a review blog on the ‘Thrive Mentoring Evaluation Report 2023/24.’ The Thrive Mentoring Programme at the University of Reading offers second and final-year undergraduates the chance to connect with professionals working in industries that align with their career interests. Through one-to-one mentoring, students gain valuable insights, practical advice, and a clearer understanding of their potential career paths. The programme not only helps participants build confidence and expand their professional network but also supports them in making informed decisions about their future.

Thrive is built for students who may have limited time, minimal professional connections, and little family experience with post- university careers. Recognising these challenges, the programme was reshaped for 2023/24 following in-depth consultation with students from widening participation backgrounds. Updates include a more accessible mentor-matching system allowing students to browse mentor profiles and improved communication methods to better support their journey.

Thrive is showing strong results, helping students boost career confidence and expand professional networks. While gains in confidence are slightly less marked for IMDQ1 and Q2 students (this indicates students from more economically disadvantaged backgrounds), the programme is on track to reduce barriers and close progression gaps. Future Graduate Outcomes data will be key to assessing long-term impact. Continued investment is supported, with a focus on increasing engagement from the most disadvantaged groups through one-to-one support and a priority access scheme.

Find the full report here: Thrive mentoring.

Click here to find out more about Thrive.

Learning with others: an evaluation of Peer Assisted Learning

Posted on May 7, 2025 by app-evaluation-blog

Students learning in a group

Hello! I am Tamima, a placement student at the University, working as a Student Outcomes Coordinator. I am writing a blog review on the ‘Peer Assisted Learning 2023/24 Evaluation Report.’ Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is a peer-led support system where second- and third-year students run group sessions to help first-years through peer learning. By learning from fellow students in a relaxed, collaborative setting, newcomers can quickly adjust, pick up effective study habits, get to grips with course expectations, and deepen their understanding of the subject.

PAL sessions are not about being taught. They are about learning together. Led by trained second or third-year students, these sessions focus on discussion, group activities, and questions that spark critical thinking. Rather than delivering lessons, PAL Leaders guide conversations and help first-year students explore topics they find tricky or unclear. The content of each session is shaped by the students themselves, based on what they want to understand better. It’s a collaborative, peer-driven space where students support each other, boost their confidence, and build solid academic habits, making the transition to university life smoother and more successful.

The feedback is clear; PAL is making a difference. When combining surveys from Pharmacy and Henley Business School students, those who take part often feel a stronger sense of belonging, greater academic confidence and improved study skills compared to before they started PAL. In some cases, that’s even showing up in better exam results. It’s a simple idea with real impact, and it’s one that’s worth continuing.

The original report can be found here: Peer Assisted Learning.

Find out more about PAL.

Decolonising the Curriculum – what have we learned so far?

Posted on April 23, 2025 by app-evaluation-blog

Students in a lecture theatre. Hello! I am Tamima, currently working as a Placement student as a Student Outcomes Coordinator at the University. I am here to share a summary of an evaluation report on ‘Decolonising The Curriculum’ (DtC). Back in 2021, the Decolonising the Curriculum Working Group was launched as a direct response to a key recommendation from the Race Equality Review. The goal? To rethink and reshape the curriculum, making it more inclusive and representative of diverse perspectives.

Aimed at academic and professional services colleagues, the resources are designed to increase knowledge, understanding and confidence in decolonising approaches. While they do not target students directly (the resources are for staff), they are expected to have a positive impact on student experience, particularly for minority ethnic students, by fostering more inclusive and reflective curricula. This work aligns with the University’s commitment to the Advance HE Bronze Race Equality Charter and contributes to ongoing efforts to promote racial equity across the institution.

The evaluation involved several different components. A survey was intended to gather data from staff, but response rates were low. Webinars and showcases of the resources were organised, and data was gathered via attendance and a brief questionnaire after these. School Teaching Enhancement Action Plans (STEAPs) were reviewed to investigate mentions of decolonising practice.

Results showed that the resources were viewed over 400 times, and academic staff from every school attended the workshop/showcase events, with some non-academic staff attending too. Staff found the resources helpful to increase their knowledge and understanding. While still emerging, there are signs that some schools are beginning to embed decolonising approaches in their STEAPs and module-level teaching.

While not part of the formal evaluation, a student inclusion consultant involved in the DtC Working Group shared this powerful reflection on the wider impact of the work: “Seeing the toolkit come to life reassured us that our voices mattered. It’s encouraging to know our lecturers are taking real steps to improve our experience – it builds trust and a sense of belonging, both of which are vital to student life.” This feedback highlights the broader value of the initiative, not just for those directly involved, but for all students across the University.

Early evidence suggests that the Decolonising the Curriculum resources and related initiatives are positively influencing teaching and learning across the University. They have helped raise awareness, spark meaningful conversations, and highlight effective practice. Students value opportunities to question colonial legacies within their subjects and respond well to inclusive, reflective teaching. Over time, these efforts may contribute to narrowing degree outcome gaps linked to ethnicity.

You can read the full report here: Decolonising the Curriculum.

Evaluation summary: Year 10 Scholars

Posted on April 1, 2025 by app-evaluation-blog

Hello! I am Tamima, a placement student at the University of Reading. During my time here, I’ve gained valuable insights into the university’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, and I’m excited to share these with more students!

The Year 10 Reading Scholars Programme, led by the University of Reading’s Outreach Team, supports students from local and target region schools, offering insights into university life and future opportunities. Scholars Ambassadors support students throughout the programme, both in sessions and during campus visits. They serve as positive role models, sharing their experiences in higher education and the challenges they have overcome. Here are the study skills session topics covered: Creating a Research Question, Conductive Effective Research, Synthesising Information and Developing an Argument, Referencing and How to Avoid Plagiarism and Feedback and Aspirations. Information Advice and Guidance sessions are offered which consists of Introduction to Higher Education, Introduction to the University of Reading, Managing money and budgeting, Time management and Aspirations and Goal Setting.

By 2034, the goal is for all students to move into Key Stage 5 on equal footing. By 2028, the University of Reading is working to increase the number of Key Stage 4 target students who see real growth in metacognition, confidence, and resilience thanks to its support. These three factors, along with perceptions of higher education and study skills, were measured using surveys given to students before starting the programme and at the end of the programme. Teachers were also asked for their feedback.

Data showed that feedback from six school staff members was overwhelmingly positive. Half rated the program as ‘Excellent,’ the other half as ‘Good,’ and all expressed interest in joining Year 10 Reading Scholars again next year. School staff provided number of the positive comments about the programme: “It gave students an experience of University, to answer questions from students, understand how to research and create a piece of work.” Although the quantitative analysis of students’ means survey scores before and after the Year 10 Scholars programme did not show a significant difference, this doesn’t necessarily mean the programme is not working. With such a small number of responses, it can be tough to spot a clear impact. That said, it’s prompted some reflection, and the team is planning to tweak the programme to better focus on boosting attainment. These changes will roll out in the next cycle, so it’ll be interesting to see how they shape future results.

The positive feedback, smooth running of the programme, and impressive prize-winning poster projects suggest it was still a success this year. The University of Reading is dedicated to improving access to higher education, aligning with the Widening Participation Agenda. While the student community has become more diverse, some groups remain underrepresented. To tackle this, the Year 10 Reading Scholars Programme supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, aiming to boost their confidence, improve KS4 attainment, and empower them to pursue higher education.

The full report can be found here: Year 10 Scholars.

Evaluation of 2023/24 Reading Internship Scheme – what did we learn?

Posted on March 31, 2025 by app-evaluation-blog

Internship students outside the Archaeological Research Collection

Hello! I am Tamima, currently working as a Placement student as a student outcomes coordinator at the University. I am here to share a summary of a recent evaluation report of the Reading Internship Scheme, an initiative that promotes inclusivity in your academic journey, as well as equipping you with essential skills for your future career.

The Reading Internship Scheme (RIS) offers students the chance to gain valuable experiences through internships with small businesses and charities. Instead of the traditional CV and cover letter, applicants complete a simple two-question, name-blind application. This approach ensures a fairer selection process by removing potential biases and giving everyone an equal shot. Applications first go through the RIS Manager for better oversight, making the process even more inclusive. Internships are available both in person and remotely, with options for part-time, term-time roles alongside traditional full-time summer placements. This flexibility makes opportunities more accessible, especially for students who are away in summer or need a term-time income.

Students at the University of Reading can refine their application skills while exploring diverse opportunities. 135 students did a RIS internship in the academic year 2023/24.

The aims of the programme are to give students the opportunity to:

Gain valuable experience
Build confidence
Expand their professional network.

To stand out from the crowd, whether aiming for a 9-5 office job or a hands-on lab role, internships provide experience and demonstrate dedication to future employers.

Students were asked to rate on a scale from ‘Strongly Disagree’ through to ‘Strongly Agree’ how they felt on these three aspects, both before and after completing their internships. 71 students completed these surveys. The results from this showed that students showed significant increases in all of these areas – which shows the programme is working well.

The author of the reports includes how important it is to make sure this positive effect is happening for all students from different backgrounds, so more data will be gathered about this.

Survey results show that 99% of students enjoyed their internship, 100% felt well-treated by their employers, and 99% would recommend the Reading Internship Scheme to others. One student who secured an internship commented: “It’s changed the course of my career goals completely! This opportunity allowed me to combine two things I never thought would be compatible- my passion for humanitarianism and my strengths in data and design.”

In conclusion, the evaluation of the Reading Internship Scheme showed that it is achieving its aims and providing students with a great opportunity to boost their experience, confidence and professional network. You can find out more about the RIS by clicking this link: https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/careers/gaining-experience/ris.

The full report can be found here: Reading Internship Scheme.

Stay on track: Using live data as the GPS for implementation and process evaluation

Posted on April 23, 2024 by app-evaluation-blog

Billy Wong & Lydia Fletcher recently wrote a piece on how implementation and process evaluation can help us reach our goals and impact, whilst understanding how we got there. Read the whole story over on TASO.

Although we may know exactly where we want to end up on our journey towards a more equitable higher education experience, exactly how we get there is not always so straightforward. Much like taking a bus, the journey might be straightforward with no delays or diversions. In the access and participation context, a Theory of Change acts as a useful plan or road map of the journey to the outcome. This is necessary and, alongside an evaluation plan, can provide a structured route. However, it is not the whole story.

Implementation and process evaluation, in conjunction with impact evaluation, can help us to know whether we are still on track for the journey, to gather more real-time information and make necessary adjustments along the way. It can help us to understand exactly how we have (or haven’t!) arrived at our intended destination.

The journey matters as much as the destination and we need to ensure that our evaluation reflects this. By embracing a real-time evidence-based approach, we can ensure our journey is not only directed by logic and assumptions but is navigated by lived experience and evidence. This should offer us meaningful as well as measurable impacts, and ensure that we end up where we want to go, knowing how we got there.

Read the full blog here.

Access and Outreach: 10 Years of Reading Scholars

Posted on January 10, 2024 by app-evaluation-blog

Hi! I’m Aaliya, a placement student working at the University of Reading. Since working at the university, I have learnt so much about what the university does to increase diversity and inclusion and I would love to share these insights with more students.

The Reading Scholars Programme is a flagship initiative by the University of Reading aimed at providing access to higher education for under-represented groups. The programme has grown significantly since it started and has gone from having just 35 students to catering over 500 students each year. In 2022, the programme offered 500 young people a chance to explore 16 different subject strands at the university.

The programme is designed to help students from ‘Widening Participation’ backgrounds, which refers to students who come from under-represented groups and typically have a lower progression into higher education.

The programme is highly respected and well-established, and many schools and colleges across the country encourage and support their students to participate every year. We take pride in the programme’s increasing participation every year and hope to see improvements with every cohort.

As a Reading Scholar in 2020, I didn’t get the full experience of the scheme however, the day I spent on campus before the national lockdown was the beginning of my love for Reading. The introduction to the course was amazing (although it ultimately wasn’t the subject for me), and the students and staff shared stories of their time here and what they loved about their studies. The scheme confirmed that going to university was the right choice for me and that the University of Reading was where I wanted to study. In 2021, I accepted my offer to study at Reading and am still grateful for that chance to experience something new.

Participants also reported increased confidence and insight into what university would be like. In terms of evaluation, the overall progression to higher education from participants in the programme has remained high (over 70%), however, this percentage has reduced as the number of participants has grown; potentially as the programme is reaching those less sure of their decision to go to university when they start Scholars. The university plans to carry out a deeper analysis of data to allow for better evaluation in the future – and find out more about the factors at play for those students who do not progress to higher education.

Read the full report: Ten Years of Reading Scholars Reflection August 2023 (PDF, 0.5 MB) 

Student Success and Engagement: Inclusion Consultants

Posted on January 10, 2024 by app-evaluation-blog

Multiple studies conducted in higher education have indicated that involving students in decision-making processes can lead to better relationships between students and their institutions. The Inclusion Consultant programme is currently in its third year and has been designed to tackle the issues across higher education institutions surrounding the awarding gap for underrepresented student groups. The Inclusion Consultants are a group of students from diverse, typically under-represented backgrounds and they meet regularly with staff across the university to provide consultations on best practices.

Students have expressed positive feedback during the programme evaluation and commended the scheme for its effectiveness in providing a platform for students to share their voices. The scheme has taken several steps to make a greater impact, however, we understand that this kind of change can be slow and can take some years to see institutional-wide effects. The consultants felt confident in their skills and left feedback on their time in the scheme:

“I was confident that my opinions were heard and appreciated not just by [the facilitators] but the external guests and the entire team who supported each other throughout.”

As the Student Outcomes Coordinator, I oversee this year’s cohort of the Inclusion Consultants and the impact they are making is incredible. They have been attending staff training workshops across the university sharing their stories and advice on how to improve inclusivity. Our goal this year is to collaborate with academic schools to identify and address their unique challenges and develop plans to implement inclusive solutions. The cohort has been chosen to address the key areas in the APP (Access and Participation Plan) as well as our main target schools, as we aim to decrease these specific gaps.

This scheme represents just one step in our broader efforts to address the awarding gap, and we remain committed to seeing sustained progress at the University of Reading. We believe that this scheme, alongside others, will help us achieve our goal of greater inclusivity and equity in higher education for all.

Read the full report: Inclusion Consultant Pilot reflection August 2023 (PDF, 0.3 MB) 

Student Success and Engagement: Student Financial Support

Posted on January 10, 2024 by app-evaluation-blog

Hi! I’m Aaliya, a placement student working at the University of Reading. I’m here to share with you one of the schemes at Reading that aims to make studying at university as inclusive as possible.

As you are probably aware the government provides students with a maintenance loan to cover university costs however this can sometimes not be enough, and some students still work part-time jobs or have to be supported by their parents or guardians.

The University of Reading offers additional financial support to students through grants, bursaries, scholarships and fee waivers. These funds are offered to students in order to alleviate the worries of studying and the finances that come with it. Bursaries are usually given to students that come from certain circumstances to ensure that they have the same experience of studying and to reduce the financial worries of going to university.

These are some eligible characteristics:

Those who have a household income assessed by the relevant Student Finance Authority of below £27,000
Care Experienced students, Foyer students and Estranged students
Work and Study Placement students
Those experiencing financial difficulties

Learn more about the bursaries offered at UoR: Bursaries and Awards

Reading Bursary Survey Results

The Reading Bursary is offered to students who have a household income assessed by the relevant Student Finance Authority of below £27,000. In 2021 to 2022, we have had an increase in students eligible for the bursary reflecting the financial impacts of Covid.

Many students who received the funding were also balancing jobs alongside their studies or during their vacation time, which made up most of their financial source. For those that worked during term-time, 36.6% worked more than 8 hours per week. This work was usually undertaken to account for essential spending such as rent and utilities and was also used for academic costs such as study materials.

56.5% of students stated that receiving the bursary was very important in supporting their continued studies. Here are some comments from these students:

“Allowed me to have enough money to eat, I was not eating well due to financial situation I was also awarded a catering package for a month which really helped I was not aware that they were able to this. Appreciated it a lot”.

“Grateful for the support I have received. It’s more or less the money that helps me with food and bills. So without the bursary I wouldn’t be eating properly and not focusing on self-care and health”.

“Wouldn’t be able to afford living, literally! I live off of my maintenance loan throughout the year, the bursary is a godsend”.

Read the full report: Student Financial Support reflective report August 2023 (PDF, 0.4 MB) 

Progression and careers: Reading Internship Scheme

Posted on January 10, 2024 by app-evaluation-blog

The Reading Internship Scheme (RIS) offers undergraduate students the opportunity to take part in a 4 – 8 week internship with professionals. The scheme aims to support students in building meaningful business skills and developing their employability and transferrable skills. RIS uses its funds to contribute towards interns’ salaries, meaning students can undertake paid, meaningful work experiences.

Gaining experience before graduating from university can provide valuable insight into your future career goals. While some may aspire to a traditional office job with a 9-5 schedule, others may prefer working in a laboratory and analysing data. Pursuing internships not only helps you gain valuable experience but also shows future employers your motivation and dedication to your chosen field.

Since 2021, we have seen an increase in engagement in the course, which was affected by COVID limitations. In 2021/2022 98 students received internship placements. From a survey conducted before and after the internship, we have seen increases in confidence in the workplace as well as an increase in their knowledge of their chosen industry. One student from the 2020/2021 cohort commented on this:

“Now that I have just graduated, I was worried about being able to secure a full-time job but the positive comments on my work from supervisors and others I met on the internship has boosted my confidence for the future.”

In 2022, 33.3% of students (11 out of 33) who completed the ‘After Survey’ have reported that they’ve been offered further employment after their RIS internship and 100% of students would recommend the scheme to other students.

Read the full report: Reading Internship Scheme reflection August 2023 (PDF, 0.8 MB) 