York St John retains high student positivity score in NSS 2024

The results of the 2024 National Student Survey (NSS) reflect the overwhelmingly positive experience of students at York St John University. Student feedback places York St John amongst the top third best performing English universities, with the University retaining its student positivity score of 82.3%.

The NSS asks graduating students across the UK about a range of factors, including their academic experience, teaching and assessments, and institutions’ mental wellbeing services. The survey is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The 2024 results place York St John in 36th position out of 120 Higher Education providers in the country and 4th out of the 11 HE institutions in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Of particular note, satisfaction with Assessment & Feedback, Academic Support and Student Voice all trended upwards, further building on York St John’s record successes in 2023. Looking across the region, we were in the Top 5 in the North East for Assessment & Feedback, Academic Support and Organisation and Management.

Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Vice Chancellor of York St John University said:

“York St John has had an amazing upward trajectory in the NSS for several years now, with record results last year. To maintain our positivity rate for 2024 is a fantastic achievement and testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff.

"Student experience is at the heart of what we do and it’s great to see our students responding so positively to these efforts.”

John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students, said of the results:

“This year’s cohort of final year students have experienced significant disruption prior to and during their studies due to a range of factors, including the aftermath of Covid-19. This will no doubt have affected their overall student experience, and the fact that they have been studying under these circumstances is why I’m especially pleased to see that the overall figures across the sector mostly match or exceed last year’s outcomes.

“Universities and colleges will want to make good use of these valuable insights from so many students as they think about improving their courses. At the OfS, we will be using data from this survey to inform our approach to regulation, and to ensure that students’ voices continue to influence our work.”

72% of eligible students from 520 universities, colleges and private providers took part. The response rate at York St John University was 71%.

Across the UK, just under 346,000 final year students responded this year, and their answers provide information for prospective students to help them find the right course, as well as rich data to support universities and colleges to improve the experience for all their students. The results of the 2024 National Student Survey can be found on the Office for Students website.