Teaching has been praised at the University of Southampton as it retains its 'silver' rating in a national teaching assessment.
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) silver award reflects the university's focus on enabling and encouraging students to excel during their time at Southampton.
The award recognises Southampton's very high quality provision across all student groups, with some initiatives recognised as 'outstanding' by the TEF panel.
The news comes in the same week as the university entered the top 100 in the Times Higher Education's World University Rankings for the first time, and also the third round of the Knowledge Exchange Framework recognised the university's continued position as a leader in business and public engagement.
The Ignite Your Success programme was singled out as 'outstanding' by the TEF panel. The programme provides financial, academic and career opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Since its launch in September 2020, Ignite Your Success has supported 90 students. This academic year, there are 60 student places – double that of previous years.
Recent law graduate Jade Wadey, who has faced challenges including a period of homelessness and a suspected autism diagnosis, was sponsored by Ignite throughout her time at the university. She won an Ignite scholarship which enabled her to become the first person in her family to go to university.
"I have been on the waiting list for assessment for suspected autism spectrum disorder for two years, so some aspects of my degree were difficult because of that – but I had mentoring support through Ignite which really helped," she explained. "I have struggled at times to work at the same capacity as others around me, and find it hard to focus."
Jade, 21, grew up in West Sussex but, at the age of 14, found herself homeless with her disabled mum and sister.
Now a law graduate and living in Southampton, Jade is embarking on her legal practice qualification and has a training contract lined up with commercial law firm Womble Bond Dickinson in Southampton.
