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LSST celebrates strong NSS 2021 results based on enhanced student support and mental health service focus

Kunal Chan Mehta

By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 19 July 2021

Image: Unsplash and LSST Marketing

89% of LSST’s final year students are satisfied with their overall experience at LSST, according to the 2021 National Student Survey (NSS).  This is above the 75.4% sector average for overall satisfaction.

Across the Higher Education section, the annual result of the National Student Survey reflects the sector’s commitment to the very highest standards of learning, teaching and overall student experience.

This year’s student survey absorbed the hit of the pandemic where students were transitioned to online learning – conceivably not the student experience anyone hoped for. But, at LSST, our academic, professional and support services worked assiduously to deliver the best learning and teaching experience possible.

‘I am delighted that our NSS 2021 student satisfaction score is 89 per cent which is a credit to our staff. But there is always more we can all do. The past pandemic year has been a steep learning experience for everyone,’ said Mr Mohammed Zaidi, LSST’s Deputy CEO. ‘I am deeply aware of the hardship this year has created for our students and staff. However, the LSST community has remained resilient and continues to listen, learn, reflect and act on feedback.’

Student experience is everything

Despite unparalleled challenges due to the pandemic, LSST set a precedent for taking student satisfaction incredibly seriously during the initial lockdown and measured the satisfaction of its students from core aspects, such as the image of LSST, expectations, perceived quality and value. Further, support and care became a central tenant spearheaded by LSST’s Deputy CEO where over £600,000 was contributed to LSST students and staff facing intense hardship.

Asked about the NSS data concerning learning opportunities, where LSST scored an astonishing 92.2 per cent, Mr Mohammed Zaidi added: ‘As soon as a student steps into any LSST campus, we work in partnership with them to support, coach and mentor them. This works well with our students personally, academically, as a nexus, and professionally. Further, I am extremely grateful to the OfS and its NSS survey that allows us to know what works, what we need to improve and where to take action.’

‘We are eager to learn from our university partners – the University of West London and Buckinghamshire New University – they inspire us and also share their best practices. I am convinced that our satisfaction scores are significantly high due to LSST’s comprehensive roadmap to recovery that embedded the student voice into our rubric of teaching and learning. One minute our students were speaking with Weetabix seniors, CNN about Britain’s race divide, then Greenpeace about the plastic crisis, then the heads of GOV.UK We empowered our students’ voices during the lockdown.’

Investing in student mental health and wellbeing services

Dr Wendy Wigley, LSST’s Head of Student Lifecycle, said: ‘We became acutely aware at the start of the pandemic that this was going to have a significant impact on our student population. We quickly took action and mobilised, ‘reach out’ to all students, particularly those with known vulnerabilities. Our student support teams were on call to assist students with access to online classes, assist with IT literacy, and ensure all students with a declared disability were in receipt of Disabled Students Allowances(DSAS). Moreover, we were there just to listen and let students know it was ‘OK not to be OK’.

‘As we look ahead to welcoming students back on campus, we are thrilled that LSST increased its investment in student support functions with additional support for those students facing hardship while expanding mental health and wellbeing support throughout all student support services. These services all, expectedly, enhance student satisfaction.’

LSST thanks its students who shared their feedback with this year’s National Student Survey during major lockdowns while studying online. The feedback permits enhancement to be made for the benefit of current and prospective students and staff.

LSST’s full results are publicly available on the Office for Students website.

Contact kunal.mehta@lsst.ac for any questions or comments on this article.

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