BME attainment – university statement

“King's takes issues of race equality very seriously. Our most up to date analysis shows that the attainment gap at King’s between home undergraduate BME students and White students achieving first class or upper second class degrees on standard degree programmes* in 2014/15 is 12%. The national attainment gap for students achieving first class or upper second class degrees is currently estimated to be 16.1%**.

We are working towards a Silver Award in our Race Equality Charter Mark and as part of our action plan we have committed to narrowing the attainment gap over the next three years, as well as undertaking other key actions around BME staff representation.

Our target is to narrow the attainment gap relating to first class degrees, the area where we most need to improve, from the current level of 8%  to 6% over the next three years. The attainment gap for first class degrees has been getting smaller at King’s over the last three years, whilst it has been growing wider in the rest of the Russell Group.

The BME Student Success Project Working Group was established in January 2014. It is chaired by the Vice-Principal (Education) and comprises King’s staff, the KCLSU Vice-President for Education and the university’s BME Student‎ Success Officer.  The group has reviewed attainment data and best practice and has begun a range of activities, including piloting a BMS Student Success Mentoring Scheme where first year BME undergraduates are supported by a BME member of staff.  In addition the Inclusive Education Project is working to embed inclusive learning, teaching and assessment practices across the institution including diversity in curricula.

The latest King’s data and a breakdown by Faculty is available on the Diversity and Inclusion website.

*The attainment gap nationally relates only to classified degrees. Medical (MBBS) and dental degrees (BDS) are not classified.

** Heidi database 2012/13”