Key performance measure 2

One of our strategic goals is that students receive a high quality academic experience that improves their knowledge and skills. Our strategy says that one way in which we will achieve this is by ensuring that all providers satisfy our minimum requirements for student outcomes. We set numerical thresholds for student outcomes that we use when making judgements about whether an individual provider has met these minimum requirements.

If our approach to regulating student outcomes is working, we anticipate that continuation, completion and progression rates across registered higher education providers will increase over time. Overall student outcomes, across registered providers, will be maintained above our numerical thresholds.

KPM 2 shows that overall, sector-level measures (continuation, completion and progression) are above our numerical thresholds for almost all modes and levels of study.

For continuation, the most recent data shows that the indicator furthest above our numerical threshold is for undergraduate apprenticeship students. Across all providers, 88.5 per cent of undergraduate apprenticeship students continue their studies after the first year, which is 18.5 percentage points above our numerical threshold of 70.0 per cent for this indicator.

The continuation indicator in the most recent data that is closest to the numerical threshold we have set is for postgraduate apprenticeship students. Across all providers, 85.2 per cent of postgraduate apprenticeship students continue their studies after the first year, which is 5.2 percentage points above our numerical threshold of 80.0 per cent for this indicator.

For completion, the most recent data shows that the indicator furthest above our numerical threshold is for undergraduate apprenticeship students. Across all providers, 78.9 per cent of these students complete a higher education qualification, which is 23.9 percentage points above our numerical threshold of 55.0 per cent for this indicator.

The completion indicator in the most recent data that is furthest below the numerical threshold we have set is for part-time students on undergraduate courses with postgraduate components. Across all providers, 44.1 per cent of these students complete a higher education qualification, which is 15.9 percentage points below our numerical threshold of 60.0 per cent for this indicator. This is the only indicator value across all modes and levels of study that is below our numerical threshold. The number of students on these courses is very small – less than 0.1 per cent of the sector population (280 students).

For progression, the most recent data shows that the indicator furthest above our numerical threshold is for undergraduate apprenticeship students. Across all providers, 92.9 per cent of these students progress to professional or managerial employment, further study, or other positive outcomes which is 17.9 percentage points above our numerical threshold of 75.0 per cent for this indicator.

The progression indicator in the most recent data that is closest to the numerical threshold we have set is for part-time PGCE students. Across all providers, 90.0 per cent of these students progress to professional or managerial employment, further study, or other positive outcomes which is 5.0 percentage points above our numerical threshold of 85.0 per cent for this indicator.

The continuation, completion and progression indicators used in KPM 2 are the same as those used in our regulation of student outcomes. The indicators are calculated from individualised student data from the Designated Data Body Student Record and Student Alternative Record, as well as the Individualised Learner Record from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). OfS-registered providers submit data as required to the relevant data body. A subset of providers not registered with the OfS also submit data to these data bodies. The progression measure also links this individualised student data to survey responses from the Graduate Outcomes survey.

The first four years of data (three years for progression) shown for this KPM are calculated using data originally submitted and signed off by the provider's accountable officer, or approved data amendments signed off by 20 July 2022. The fifth year of data (fourth year for progression) shown for this KPM are calculated using data originally submitted and signed off by the provider's accountable officer, or approved amendments signed off by 5 May 2023. This means that previously published KPM values remain unchanged by recent data amendments affecting earlier years of data.

Continuation outcomes are measured by identifying a cohort of entrants to higher education qualifications and following them through the early stages of their course to track how many continue in active study or qualify one year and 15 days after they started (two years and 15 days for part-time students).

Completion outcomes are measured by identifying a cohort of entrants to higher education qualifications and following them through subsequent years of their course to track how many continue in active study or qualify four years and 15 days after they started (six years and 15 days for part-time students).

Progression outcomes are measured as the proportion of Graduate Outcomes survey respondents who reported they have progressed to professional or managerial employment, further study or other positive outcomes, 15 months after gaining their qualification. The data is restricted to UK-domiciled qualifiers.

Further information about the indicator definitions can be found in the document ‘Description of student outcome and experience measures used in OfS regulation’.

KPM 2 aggregates the number of students in registered providers who have achieved a positive outcome in the indicator (either continuation, completion, or progression) for each combination of mode and level of study. This number is then divided by the total number of students across all registered providers in the population (denominator) for the relevant indicator, mode and level.

KPM 2 is based on the population of students primarily studying in the UK taught by OfS-registered providers. This encompasses students that are registered with and taught by an OfS-registered provider, or (where data is available) are taught by an OfS-registered provider under a sub-contractual partnership arrangement with a different provider.

KPM 2 does not take account of judgements we may make about whether an individual provider has met our minimum requirements for student outcomes. Our approach to making such judgements is set out in regulatory advice 20.

The chart above gives upper and lower limits of a 95 per cent confidence interval around each indicator value (hover the pointer over data points on the chart to see this information). These confidence intervals illustrate the uncertainty around the statistics. Statistical uncertainty for student outcomes indicators is more fully represented through our student outcomes data dashboard, which contains the data used in KPM 2.

The first four years of data (three years for progression) shown for this KPM include providers that were registered with the OfS as at 30 September 2022. Later years of the time series include providers who were registered with the OfS at the point of publication of the summer release of student outcomes data. This means the number of providers included in each year will vary.

Download KPM 2 data as an Excel file.