Intervention Strategies

We have developed strategies to address risks to equality of opportunity and achieve our objectives. These strategies:

Outline activities to mitigate risks and meet objectives and targets.
Identify who will design, deliver, and evaluate the activities, along with an estimated cost.
Include an evaluation plan.
Are based on evidence from sector best practices and local insights from students.

We are dedicated to sharing the evaluation findings. Publication plans are indicative and will expand as dissemination opportunities arise. Relevant evaluation outcomes will also inform and drive ongoing practice improvements.

Intervention Strategy One

Sustained, Targeted Outreach, including Partnerships to Raise Attainment

The activities in this strategy are set under a coherent framework called Leeds Conservatoire Futures. This framework includes activities which provide a range of experiences for both learners and their teachers, both on our campus and in their own setting, and includes information around our bursaries.

Risks to Equality of Opportunity

Knowledge and Skills; Information and Guidance; Perceptions of Higher Education (at Conservatoire); Cost Pressures.

Our Suite of Activities

Activities included in this strategy consist of a variety of workshops offered and delivered through our Junior Conservatoire, Education Engagements, Access and Participation, and Academic Teams. As well as our pre-applicant bursaries and refunds, and our Leeds Conservatoire Bursary.

For the most up-to-date offer for schools and colleges, visit our Education Engagements pages.

Visit our fees and funding pages for info about our bursaries, scholarships and financial support.

Summary of Evidence Base and Rationale

We have conducted a literature review, which includes specific references to the range of materials OfS has identified in its guidance, plus a range of other research and best practice references. Empirical research of the impact of active engagement with music and drama (as well as creative subjects more broadly) on school-and preuniversity level students (14-19-year-olds) has revealed positive effects on the students’ language development, literacy, numeracy, measures of intelligence, general attainment, creativity, motor-coordination, spatial orientation, concentration, confidence, social skills, teamwork, self-discipline, and mental health (e.g., Hallam, 2010; Hampshire & Matthijsse, 2010). Most of those positive effects have been reported specifically for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds (Youth Music, 2011). Yet, opportunities for young people to study creative subjects, including music, at school have been diminishing over the past decade, primarily due to policy and funding changes in compulsory education (Ashton and Ashton, 2023; Broadhead, 2022). Lack of opportunities to engage with and learn about/in creative subjects, including music, is a highly likely contributing factor to the persistent outcomes gap between disadvantaged young people and their more advantaged peers (EPI, 2020).

Evidence suggests that linking current academic studies with an individual’s future ambitions can increase student motivation and engagement with academic work (EEF, 2016; Midgley et al., 2000). The importance of effective careers education, information advice and guidance (CEIAG). We also draw on the evidence that teaching young people academic skills such as metacognition and self-regulation can improve their attainment outcomes by encouraging them to self-reflect on how they learn best (Hattie, Biggs, Purdie, 1996; Mannion & Mercer, 2016; EEF, 2021). Use of ambassadors is also found to be effective (Austin & Hatt,2005). Our literature review also highlights that providing careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) helps students make more informed decisions (TASO, 2023) and provides students with guidance that may not otherwise have been available to them (Thomas and Quinn, 2007). This is even more the case for specialist subjects such as creative arts (PEC, 2020). Within this, we seek to personalise support where possible (UCAS, 2021).

Read our full evidence base, including references.

Intervention Strategy Two

Role Model Coaching

This is an intense series of coaching sessions matching our students from target backgrounds with an alumni or staff coach who shares a similar background.

Risks to Equality of Opportunity

Mental Health; Insufficient Personal Support; Cost Pressures

Further Information about this Activity

Current students can find out further details and apply to the coaching scheme on our student information site

Summary of Evidence Base and Rationale

The coaching programme utilises the PRACTICE Model (Palmer, 2008) method of coaching, which is solutions-focused rather than dwelling on a coachees challenges. Our programme also borrows elements of high-performance coaching (Mind Tools, 2018) and Growth Mindset (Dweck, 2017). Our coaches are all staff or alumni who share at least one characteristic with their coachee. This means they have some shared, lived experiences to bring to their role, which will help the coachee to engage with the programme and provide a positive role model (Behavioural Insights Team, 2018) to aid their progress.

Coachees will set targets and create an action plan using the SMARTER target-setting method (Leader Syndrome, 2015) to further embed the value of evaluating and reflecting on progress.

Read our full rationale and evidence base

Intervention Strategy Three

Wrap-around Student Support

This is a holistic package of support encompassing academic assistance, wellbeing, disability services, and student experience.

Risks to Equality of Opportunity

Mental Health; Insufficient Personal Support; Cost Pressures

Activities in this Suite

This suite encompasses the support on offer through the following services. Use the links below to see their current offers

Summary of Evidence Base and Rationale

Our academic support is characterised by our commitment to Learning Enhancement through technology, digital accessibility and inclusivity, underpinned by key guidance from AdvanceHE (2024). Our in-house Learning Technology team develop our systems and platforms in order to best enhance our students’ digital capabilities (JISC 2024), which we believe is key to reducing the awarding gap, as students arrive to us with differing backgrounds and prior experiences. We work towards applying the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (W3 2024) to all digital materials our students may interact with to ensure that accessibility issues are considered and mitigated as a priority and is also part of our commitment to The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. Our technology enhancement is also supported by more traditional 'Skills for Learning' support for academic practice and assignments, with a particular focus on the needs of creatives. This strategy involves embedding multiple pedagogical approaches and learning theories into our offer.

We offer a comprehensive and innovative Student Support service, comprising a number of teams working in parallel to provide students with a robust package of support. Underpinning this service is a deep commitment to The Equality Act (2010) and the most recent QAA Quality Code (2024), ensuring our students receive support to access an equitable experience of higher education. The full service operates using practices developed by our experienced staff in combination with the latest research in their relevant professional areas. Our recent addition of an occupational therapy (OT) team develops a practice model based on the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (2018) research into the impact of OT on mental wellbeing and the benefits service users gain from practical adaptations.

In terms of progression, we provide our students with experiences and services that are tailored for those wishing to pursue careers or further study in the creative industries. This area of support is focused on industry-level research and seeks to address the gaps highlighted in key reports such as the Musicians Census (2023), Arts Council England’s Equality, Diversity and the Creative Case (2021) and the Women and Equalities Committee’s Misogyny in Music report (2024). We work with sector representation bodies such as The Musicians’ Union, Equity UK, PRS for Music and Spotlight to ensure our students have robust insights into life working in the creative industries.

Read our full rationale and evidence base