Bridging the gap
Foreword
For myself and many young people growing up in 1980s Rotherham, there simply weren’t opportunities on my doorstep. I knew I would have to move away to find the sort of opportunities I was looking for, ones that would give me a good job and a career. But in reality, levelling up is about even more than opportunities on the doorstep. It’s about people being able to access the opportunities that are there fairly. Otherwise, whether there are no opportunities or opportunities that are closed off, it’s the same end result - talent wasted.
Founder of the Social Mobility Pledge and Former Secretary of State for Education
It means that the challenge of levelling up Britain is just as relevant in London and Kent as anywhere else in the country. Too many young people in our capital city grow up seeing opportunities right on their doorstep but feel like, however hard they work, they cannot reach them. It’s something I saw during my time representing Putney, Roehampton and Southfields as its MP in Parliament for 15 years and is unacceptable in modern Britain, morally and economically. If places are to succeed as modern, vibrant twenty-first century cities, businesses must tap into and reflect their unique diversity of communities, people and backgrounds. We know that it is this very ingredient diversity - that can make them stronger. The challenge becomes even more crucial as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and issues of equality and social mobility become even more acute. But universities can and must play their role in bridging the gap from the world of education to the world of careers and work. The University of Greenwich is already playing a key role in this for the capital city and in this Opportunity Action Plan sets out an ambition to go even further. As our report shows, the University of Greenwich, rooted in historic sites in south east London, is fully committed to addressing the challenges of social immobility and its staff are working hard to develop and introduce a fresh approach right across the board focusing on outreach and access. With the City of London and its iconic profile in clear sight across the river, it has a major opportunity, potentially working with the City, on how to open the access to those opportunities that are literally within sight of its campus.
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Foreword by Rt Hon Justine Greening
Too many businesses in the City of London, as well as professional and financial services businesses, have traditionally had a more closed approach in their recruitment and progression practices. That has, at times arbitrarily, screened out a wider talent pool and led to them being unreflective of the communities around them, particularly at more senior levels. These businesses must focus on connecting the young people who are working hard to upskill themselves in a changing world with the institutions which have the ability to give them a shot at succeeding. Universities like the University of Greenwich are key in driving this connection. They can help bridge the gap by providing graduates with the skills and expertise that employers need to achieve a high skilled, high wage economy with education at its heart. They can also help employers to change their culture to one that supports diverse talent to flourish. Many of the University’s students face wider societal barriers and challenges in terms of complex home lives, perhaps with additional family responsibilities
or financial difficulties. There are other non-socio economic barriers that we know also impact on people’s chances to get on in life, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability and age. As this report highlights, the work that is done in terms of outreach and access therefore is particularly important but, equally important, is the approach a university takes to ensuring that these students can complete their course to the level of their potential and thrive during their time there. This Opportunity Action Plan showcases the steps that the University of Greenwich is already taking - its work and best practice - to help deliver a levelled up London and Kent. It also sets out how it is developing the city’s diverse talent pool and working ever harder and smarter to connect talent up with opportunity. Its ambition and effort is to be commended and I hope that other universities can take a fresh look at their ability to work with and challenge employers to be ever more open to the rich diversity of talent in this country’s capital city, and beyond.
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Foreword
Professor Jane Harrington Vice-Chancellor of University of Greenwich
I have always been a strong champion of social mobility. When the Social Mobility Pledge team reached out to me for the first time in the middle of April 2020 and I spoke to Rt Hon. Justine Greening I was fully convinced that we needed to sign her Social Mobility Pledge. It is heart-breaking and deeply unjust that some children’s lives are decided before they are born. Covid-19 has only exaggerated the disadvantages that already exist in our society. Its impact on the economy and on employment will also drastically impact on life prospects of our young people and those who are working in certain sectors. Universities, including ours, have a crucial role to play. I am fully committed to working with schools, colleges, universities, and businesses to make a difference, boost opportunities, and do our part in levelling up Britain. I was delighted to read our Opportunity Action Plan, which recognised the amazing work from so many different parts of University of Greenwich that we already do. Just to name a few our award winning STAART programme supporting disabled students, our work on the attainment gap project, our whole university approach to supporting students and staff, the financial support we give to our students, and our own response to the fallout of Covid-19. And I want to thank all the staff for their hard work and their involvement with this programme. I was also just as pleased to read the recommendations of the Opportunity Action Plan. We are ambitious, we want to go even further with all that we do because we want to create opportunities and change the lives of our student, staff, and local communities for the better.
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The Opportunity Gap 06
The UK’s Social Mobility Problem Social mobility is typically measured as the difference between a person’s occupation or income and that of their parents. When there is a weak link, there is a high level of inequality, while a strong one suggests a low level of social mobility1. Social mobility levels in the UK have been stagnant for years. This means that those born into deprivation are statistically likely to remain in those circumstances throughout their lives. 2A Broken Social Elevator? How to Promote Social Mobility reports that, given current levels of inequality and intergenerational earnings mobility, it could take at least five generations, or 150 years, for the child of a poor family to reach the average income across OECD countries. One in three children with a low earning father will also have low earnings while, for most of the other two-thirds, upward mobility is limited to the neighbouring earnings group. Unsurprisingly, this is not uniform across the globe as social mobility has different rates in different countries. It can take just two to three generations to reach that average income in the Nordic countries but nine or more in some emerging economies. Globalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution have successfully helped to reduce extreme poverty and eradicate famine. While celebrating that success, however, it cannot be denied that the flipside is that they have also deepened inequalities by transferring low-skilled jobs in high-productivity sectors in highincome economies to lower-income counterparts. The OECD’s report also highlighted that, whereas many people born to loweducated parents between 1955 and 1975 enjoyed income mobility, this has stagnated for those born after 1975.
Over the four-year period looked at by the report, about 60 per cent of people remained trapped in the lowest 20 per cent income bracket, while 70 per cent remained at the top. At the same time, one in seven middle-class households, and one in five people living closer to lower incomes, fell into the bottom 20 per cent. This is borne out by the Social Mobility Pledge’s own research which reveals that, in the UK, young people are finding it harder to progress in the workplace than their parents or grandparents did. Its study3 of 2,000 people revealed that most UK workers believe breaking through the ‘classceiling’ is harder for young people now than it was for earlier generations. A majority (60 per cent) of workers aged 35 to 64 believe economically disadvantaged people in the generation below them have a harder time advancing their careers than those one generation older. The poll also asked thousands of workers aged between 18 and 64 to score how easy it is to get on in life, regardless of background, in the UK, with one being ‘very hard’ and 10 being ‘very easy’. An average score of five was registered, although a quarter of those polled rated it ‘hard’ or ‘very hard’. Getting on as a disadvantaged young person, is either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’, according to the majority (54 per cent) of respondents, rising to 62 per cent in London. Only 44 per cent of respondents said progressing in life, regardless of background, is easier in the UK than elsewhere in the world.
Universities are crucial in facilitating an individual’s route to better opportunity and, at the same time, improving the communities in which they are located. It is important for us all that they adapt and consider new ways of working to make sure opportunities are directed at those who need them most. In a recent report by the Social Mobility Commission, research shows that graduates are three times more likely to participate in workplace training compared to those with no qualifications. Universities are key to facilitating those initial links with employers to ensure that their graduates are motivated and well-prepared for the workplace. The Social Mobility Pledge has been set up to highlight and address these issues in the UK and, in doing so, to level up opportunity and build a fairer society. It encourages organisations to be a force for good by putting social mobility at the heart of their purpose. By sharing their own best practice with other businesses and universities, they are not only demonstrating their own commitment but creating a powerful shift towards purpose-led organisations.
1. "About us - Social Mobility Commission - GOV.UK." https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/social-mobilitycommission/about. Accessed 28 Nov. 2019. 2. "State of the Nation 2017: Social Mobility in Great Britain." https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662744/State_ of_the_Nation_2017_-_Social_Mobility_in_Great_Britain.pdf. Accessed Nov. 2019. 3. https://www.socialmobilitypledge.org/news/2019/2/2/classdiversity-at-work-worse-now-than-decades-agonbsp
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Coronavirus
Opportunity Gap
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Covid Reference Scenario predicts that the UK economy will contract by 35 per cent, with unemployment potentially peaking at 10 million.
The impact of coronavirus across locations, ages and education levels also has an impact for social mobility in the UK.
But, just like the issue of social immobility, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is varied across the UK. While the 35 per cent national average figure is high in itself, it is the case that some areas – predominantly in the North West and Midlands – will see their economic growth reduce by almost 50 per cent. Only one of the twenty hardest hit areas is in London and the South East. In addition, to the significant diversity of geographic impact estimated by the Centre for Progressive Policy, the Resolution Foundation points to previous data suggesting that there is likely to be a large impact on those leaving full time education and graduating into an economy in the midst of turmoil. In the 2008 recession, the unemployment rate across the whole population rose from 5.2 per cent in 2007 to 8.5 per cent in 2011; for those with GCSE equivalent qualifications the unemployment figures were 22 per cent in 2007 and 32 per cent in 2011.
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Large numbers of young people are now in the jobs market having had their career pathways significantly disrupted. One in three young people under 25 are employed in the three sectors most affected by the pandemic - travel, hospitality and retail. It has the potential to leave a long-term legacy of unemployment and will certainly impact those from disadvantaged backgrounds and on low incomes the most. Coronavirus has shone a spotlight on the inequality that already exists and data suggests that it will have a varied and profound impact across locations, ages and education levels. It is clear that the businesses and universities which do best as we recover from the crisis will be those that have stepped up to the mark in recent months for their employees, customers and communities. We need them now to lead the way in delivering solutions and sharing best practice.
Our research shows that eight of 14 measures used to calculate social mobility will be impacted. We have used existing place based social mobility analysis together with the predicted impact of coronavirus to examine the size of a community’s ‘Opportunity Gap’. From our analysis we believe there are 16 areas in England at risk of a ‘double opportunity hit’. Already amongst the worst areas for social mobility, they are going to be particularly badly hit by coronavirus. Those in the top 20 per cent, with the largest opportunity gap are referred to as COVID Opportunity Coldspots. This opportunity deficit overwhelmingly impacts people from more disadvantaged communities and backgrounds and the gaps start opening up from the very start. Coronavirus widens that opportunity gap for young people at every stage of their formative years and it is becoming clear that we are at risk of a lost generation.
The impact on those in the education system in these more disadvantaged communities is obvious. Education closes the gaps between the life chances of different young people. Research by the Sutton Trust showed that underpredicting of grades of BAME and disadvantaged young people is significantly more likely to happen than for their better off counterparts. Unfortunately this year’s A Level results confusion has shown that they are precisely the group that has suffered the most. That has inevitably harmed their chances of getting into the university they were aiming for and those higher education institutions will find themselves on the front line in trying to prevent a further widening of the opportunity gap. For those relying on part-time work that is now no longer available, university may even become unaffordable. Other students may have previously found it a struggle but nevertheless managed to balance study with wider family and financial responsibilities. For those already on a course, it may mean they simply cannot afford to see it through to the end and drop out. This would be a dramatic backward step on social mobility. This report contains insights into those best practices which are working well and features case studies which illustrate the impact that the University of Greenwich’s approach has had on individuals, as well as analysis focusing on the communities in which it is located. The Opportunity Action Plan considers what further work the University of Greenwich might carry out. It also suggests possible next steps and recommendations for further action.
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Best Practice Insights The University of Greenwich was founded over 125 years ago as Woolwich Polytechnic, and widening participation has been a central theme throughout its history. From 1970 it operated as Thames Polytechnic, becoming the University of Greenwich in 1992. Today it serves around 21,000 students and maintains its main campus in what was the Old Royal Naval College, a UNESCO World Heritage site which, according to Times Higher Education (THE), is often cited as one of the greenest campuses in the UK. The University’s social mobility approach has seen it ranked 67th in the world for reducing inequalities by THE in the publication’s impact rankings. This measures a university’s policies on discrimination, its commitment to recruiting staff and students from under-represented groups and its research on social inequalities. The vast majority (97 per cent) of students at Greenwich are from state schools, while the University also has a higher-than-sector proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) at 51 per cent. Over a third (36 per cent) of students are mature, which is also higher than average. Around 60 per cent of students are from deprived areas, as defined by the indices of multiple deprivation. Work is currently underway to increase the University’s intake of disabled students. One challenge recognised by staff is that some students are reluctant to share details of a disability or a mental health issue. Mechanisms are designed to encourage students to open up and talk about anything that may require attention during their studies. Disabled student ambassadors play a vital role in ensuring the University is accessible and
inclusive, with everyone given a level playing field for success. It also works closely with a disabilityfocused recruitment agency which opens up access to jobs with companies that recognise the value of employing dissabled people. STAART Ambassadors, who are current university students with a disability, long-term health condition, specific learning difficulty and/or mental health condition, are employed by the University to work as role models and aim to inspire other disabled people that university is a viable option. A measure of STAART’s success is that all four of the active STAART ambassadors who graduated in 2020 achieved First Class degrees, and all four are now studying postgraduate qualifications, including a PGCE. The Guardian’s University league tables 2020 put Greenwich in the top 20 for several subject areas. The University attributes this success to enhanced quality standards and embedded student support which has improved the outcomes for widening participation among students in under-represented groups. The University is also committed to addressing the many challenges in the lives of its students that could be barriers to social mobility. For example, more than half of its students have long commutes to campus, have caring responsibilities or need to work significant hours to support their family. Targeted support for these students beyond any constraints on achievement is integral to its social mobility approach and its mission to transform lives through “inspired teaching and research”.
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Strategic approach The University aims to integrate access and participation into the fabric of everything it does. A Widening Participation Impact Strategic Group (WPISG) is led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor and oversees widening access work on behalf of the University. The group monitors the delivery of widening access projects and assesses their impact using data and qualitative feedback. Key to its strategy is targeting attainment gaps through an inclusive curriculum, and a focus on personalised learning. Attainment dashboards are central to the University’s module, programme and annual portfolio review processes in partnership with students. A learning analytics system introduced in 201819, meanwhile, provides valuable engagement data for personal tutors and lecturers, enabling them to personalise their approach to widening participation students. This system takes live student activity data, for example those accessing virtual learning environments, and turns it into a series of traffic lights which indicate if a student on a module is attending or attaining in line with their peers. It provides an early warning system about which students have disengaged from their studies and are, therefore, potentially at risk of failing their module or course. This year has also seen the introduction of a ‘Transition into University’ skills package, as part of an initial module on all of the University’s programmes. This aims to enable students to identify academic skills gaps and to seek early support.
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Aligned to the University’s strategic priorities and planning, is an overarching Theory of Change (ToC) – used to guide and monitor access and participation work. It uses the methods employed in the third sector for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions developed by NPC (New Philanthropy Capital). It is informed and complemented by other areas of activity. For example, the University’s facilities management department engages with disabled students to understand their needs before making physical adjustments to buildings and ensuring these adjustments continue to meet their needs Below is a summary of some specific interventions designed to widen access and participation.
The Attainment Gap project The University is working hard to reduce the 21 percentage point attainment gap between black and white students and the 12 percentage point attainment gap between Asian and White students, with an aim of eliminating these by 2032-33. This University has moved away from the student deficit model, where responsibility for attainment rests solely with the individual, and accepts that it needs to change structures to enhance the outcomes of BAME students. Data from phase one of the Attainment Gap project showed that the difference between actual and expected attainment of BAME students when structural differences, such as entry qualifications and subject of study, are taken into account improved from 0.93 in 2016/17 to 0.96 in 2017/18. A value of 1.0 would mean the students are achieving a good degree at the rate expected. Further work has continued to expand upon this phase. Its three-year (phase one) involvement on the BAME Attainment Gap project led by Kingston University has set a blueprint for embedding actions across the University to reduce BAME attainment gaps. The project, which is supported by six years worth of data spanning the entire institution and going down to a module level, also reviews attainment by age, gender, disability and distance travelled. Phase two improvements include the addition of a section for module leaders to provide commentary on progress. The word attainment was replaced by ‘awarding’, to remove any association with deficit on the part of the student.
Personal tutor support The University encourages personal tutors to focus on its Learning Analytics tool, to identify and address barriers to widening access and participation.
Students’ Union Advisory Service The University recognises that some students, particularly those with mental health needs, may be reluctant to seek support from the institution. An independent advisory service at the Students’ Union helps to address this challenge. Evidence from the Students’ Union shows a 97 per cent retention rate of students who have used the service. The Union also works to be the critical friend of the University, representing the student body and helping drive change where it is needed. Its work is built upon democracy and every effort is made to make sure all students can access this democratic process.
Transition to University Skills module This component was made available as part of a module in every degree programme from 2019-20, developing new materials and drawing together resources which are already available – and to level the playing field for all students.
Academic Communities Project
Studiosity
This project is targeted at improving attainment and continuation through a positive student experience. A specific focus is given to commuter and carer-responsibility students, with some activities and events taking place during the working day to increase their engagement. Data from phase 1 (2018-19) of the project shows that 49.7 per cent of the student participants were from a BAME background and 33.7 per cent were mature.
Studiosity is a digital online academic writing support service that offers students feedback and support with academic writing, which will enhance student continuation and attainment. Enhancing student mental health and wellbeing to increase continuation This work includes: Delivering psycho-educational workshops, for example on emotional resilience, overcoming procrastination, stress management and ‘finding your feet’ Mental Health and Wellbeing services A Wellbeing Hub which contains a range of self help tools, sources of support and advice to support mental health and wellbeing Counselling services Working in partnership with local NHS services to ensure students with more serious mental health conditions are able to access ongoing specialist support outside of the University A staff member from MIND has been seconded to the University to provide workshops for staff and students.
The University has a Student Wellbeing Service which consists of a team of professional Counsellors, Mental Health and Wellbeing practitioners, and Disability and Dyslexia specialists. The Service also supports students living with longterm medical conditions. Through their professional practice and extensive experience and training, the team is able to communicate effectively with diverse groups of students. The overriding aim of the service is to increase the students’ confidence in their ability to stay on course and progress and encourage students to participate in all aspects of university life. Students are also encouraged to be proactive and to engage with any appropriate selfhelp material and support which are available from the University. Throughout the year the University hosts a range of awareness-raising events regarding different conditions or issues students can face. These include University Mental Health Day, Mental Health Awareness Day, Disability History Month and Dyslexia Awareness Week. The University also acknowledges and celebrates United Nations International Day for Disabled Persons every year on 3 December. It is also recognised that students require support out of hours. As well as providing access to Togetherall, an online platform which provides anonymous 24-hour mental health and wellbeing information and support, the University subscribes to London Nightline, a support line provided by trained student volunteers across London for the benefit of students. The University takes a ‘whole university’ approach, to mental health and wellbeing. This encourages everybody to take responsibility for their own mental health and well-being but to also be aware of and support other students and staff who may need support.
Level Up This is a transition skills course for all students to help them develop transition skills to settle in and thrive at university. The project was borne from years of research into how Greenwich students approach their university learning, their personal circumstances and their previous qualifications. Many students come to the University with either BTEC qualifications or with a mixture of BTEC and A-levels. Internal analysis found that the failure rate of students with BTEC qualifications at the end of the first year was three times higher than that of students with A-levels.
It was also recorded that students with BTEC pre-entry qualifications reported having low selfesteem or imposter syndrome. Through LevelUp, the University can address this, giving students opportunities to develop their self-confidence, skills to achieve good academic results and a sense of belonging in the university community. The LevelUp project follows the student’s journey, addressing the different skills gaps they may have as they progress through their university years.
Financial support to improve continuation An anonymous employment survey in the University’s Faculty of Business highlighted that large proportions of students were working excessively to support themselves and their family, with 69 per cent working over the recommended 20 hours per week. From this academic year, all students with a family income of £25k or below will receive the Greenwich Bursary. This widening access measure considers the student’s household income and allocates appropriate funds to access books and technology. Additionally, students with a family income of less than £25k who travel long distances to campus benefit from the Commuter Bursary, ensuring high travel costs do not financially disadvantage them further. Many students come to the University of Greenwich with complex money issues. The University’s money advisers are trained to spot and address these problems, while also issuing hardship funds and working closely with the Citizens Advice Bureau. It also has outreach bursaries which are targeted at those who perhaps would otherwise not be able to afford university. The University strives to make accessing its hardship funds as flexible as possible for students. There is also a summer fund up to £1500 which helps students who may not be able to work during the summer, for example, those with caring responsibilities, to come back to university without being in debt. The University recently increased the amount of its Care Leaver Bursary from £1000 to £1500 per year for three academic years. This will result in circa £45k being spent each year. The decision is based upon qualitative evidence from care leavers who highlight that they find the financial support crucial to their continuation and success.
Although a larger proportion of Greenwich students arrive with BTEC pre-entry qualifications, it was recognised that most of the University’s teaching and learning styles favoured an A-level format.
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Kent and Medway Collaborative Outreach Programme The University has delivered an online mentoring project as a partner of the Kent and Medway Collaborative Outreach Programme (KaMCOP). It works in collaboration with other higher and further education providers, schools and community organisations to increase aspirations and progression to higher education for pre-entry learners from selected low participation wards.
Engineering social mobility in Kent and Medway The University of Greenwich is playing an important role in upskilling to meet soaring demand for talent in engineering and manufacturing.
The Greenwich Employability Passport This online tool is targeted at all students, enabling them to capture and record a wide variety of extracurricular activities that enhance their employability. Students can upload evidence in several categories including work experience, career preparation, leadership and communications, personal selfdevelopment, enterprise development and academically-related competitions. The evidence is then verified by their personal tutor and each verified activity is assigned a number of points. The accumulation of points leads to rewards, including networking events with employers and a LinkedIn recommendation. What is equally important is that it enables students to create a portfolio of evidence demonstrating that they possess a wide range of the skills and knowledge that potential employers look for in a graduate employee.
BAME career mentoring Within the University’s main Career Mentoring scheme, there has been a concerted push to recruit BAME mentors. The mentoring scheme connects BAME students with successful professional colleagues in the workplace from a BAME background. This approach originated from student feedback highlighting that BAME students would like more support from staff and colleagues who are of similar ethnic backgrounds to themselves, enabling them to identify with successful role models who are classified as BAME. This project is aligned with the University’s aim of increasing progression for BAME groups.
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Asian Female Network To refine its focus on the employability of Asian females, the University has piloted an Asian Female Network where successful female Muslim speakers are invited to regularly present to Asian female students and encourage progression into employment or further study. This work evolved from qualitative evidence from Asian female students who clarified that identification with successful Asian females was essential to improve their progression.
Partnerships and collaboration with Schools and Colleges The University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) is a Trustee of the University Schools Trust, a collaboration of higher education providers and large employers in South East and East London. The Trust aims to raise the standards and attainment of specific schools which have a high proportion of students from disadvantaged areas. The University delivers its GREat Skills project in target schools, to enhance the academic skills of local students, which will include students from POLAR4 Q1, IMD Q1, BAME and disabled backgrounds. The project uses trained student ambassadors and offers support with university admission, helping to realise its aim of supporting attainment in the schools it sponsors.
‘Boosting Human Capital in the 21st Century’ (BHC21) is a project funded by the Interreg Two Seas initiative, part of the European Social Fund. It aims to skill, reskill and upskill in engineering and manufacturing. In engineering alone, it is forecast that between 2014 and 2024, 13 million job openings will arise across the economy as a result of replacement demand. A further 1.8 million openings will arise due to expansion demand (Engineering UK, 2019). The BHC21 UK project intends to train engineers for the future, through an accelerated three-week basic training programme in MidKent College followed by a nine-week placement. The University’s role includes an effective ‘train the trainer’ programme for employers.
The Royal Economic Society outreach project In 2018 the University acknowledged a lack of diversity in the study of economics. Nationally, only a third of university economic students are women, while a quarter of economic students are drawn from independent schools. A Royal Economic Society-funded programme at the University is designed to promote greater diversity in the study of economics through outreach activities in secondary schools. The programme also features an economics experience day and exposure to real-world case studies. In a recent poll, all students involved in the initiative agreed that they had learned something new about economics, while 70 per cent indicated that they were more likely to study economics after the event.
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Responding to the fallout of COVID-19
Transitioning to university life can be immensely challenging, especially if the student is the first in their family to enter higher education or has not experienced living away from home before. Loneliness can be a major problem in the first few months on campus, an issue which has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. While support staff and the Student Union are on hand to help students deal with the impact of isolation, those not in halls can be particularly hard to reach. With a high proportion of commuter students, Greenwich faces this challenge more than most institutions. Students living at home may be depressed, anxious and lonely. Such problems can be the catalyst for physical health problems as well as drug and alcohol misuse. As part of its coronavirus response, the University has partnered with the mental health charity, Mind, to step up its support for students dealing with such issues. Meanwhile, Togetherall provides a range of tools and resources to help students get support, take control and feel better. It includes self-guided courses, self-assessments and access to trained professionals. At the time of writing, around 400 students are receiving support through the initiative. During the coronavirus crisis, the Student Union coordinated calls to residents of student halls to check on their wellbeing and whether they needed anything. Steps were also taken to reach as many people as possible living out of halls. The University also increased its hardship fund in response to the crisis. Longer-term implications of COVID-19 could include changes to the way student accommodation is developed, with much more emphasis on outdoor space and social connectivity. The University is also considering expanding its outdoor events and clubs, and linking students with lonely people in the community. Both measures would focus on volunteering as a means of improving self-confidence and reducing loneliness.
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Case study
Dr Kim Bui Lecturer in international business Dr Kim is the daughter of refugee parents who arrived in the UK with no English language skills. She grew up with carer responsibilities, was raised on a council estate in London and attended a state school. Her estate in Thamesmead was beset with violent crime, drugs and gang problems. Her school closed and reopened four times due to performance issues and most of her peers “either fell pregnant at 16 or ended up in a young offenders’ institute. Almost none of them went into higher education”. But then came an intervention from the University of Greenwich and everything changed. “This was the future that I was facing,” Bui says, “but the one good thing my school did was take me and a handful of other people on a school trip at 16 to the University. “That school trip completely changed my life. Where I grew up people didn’t go to university; it was this great big foreign ambition that only people from wealthy families or people from good schools could go to. The school trip made me realise that university was within my reach. I [realised] I was good enough for it and had the confidence and courage to pursue it for the first time. “I was a first-generation university graduate and the first woman in my family to go to university. It opened career pathways and really changed my life. “I went to university, got my masters and a PhD, and now I’m working here at Greenwich which is a bit mind-boggling. “My department had an invitation from a local primary school not far from where I grew up and they wanted me to come and speak at their premises about university and international business. I sent an email to my students to see if anyone wanted to come and I was overwhelmed by the response. I took about 15 students and they were so motivated. “We received incredible feedback from the primary school. They were so impressed with our students. You could see that they were listening to everything we were saying. Outreach like this is so important.”
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Insights and assessment
The University of Greenwich has carried out a determined and thorough examination of how it is currently serving its students, its staff and its community and what more might be done to bring opportunity to those who are furthest away from it. In developing its strategic vision, it has been unafraid to take a long, hard look at existing practices and procedures and really question what further action might be taken to improve them to make it an authentic levelling up university. With its historic site and tradition of education in south east London, its aim is to go back to its roots, changing people’s life chances. The current leadership team is aiming to drive through an ambitious agenda of change, assessing every element of university life, and is being supported by staff and students who are fully involved in developing that plan. It is focussed not just on attracting and bringing students in who may never previously have considered university as an option, but also on their journey through university, outside the qualification that they will receive at the end of it. The University of Greenwich has a student body which faces serious obstacles to social mobility both in terms of social deprivation and lack of social capital. The University is bringing a sensitive and nuanced approach to all the different factors that influence a person’s life chances. Many students face issues of race or gender, age or disability, caring or job responsibilities, long commuting distances or, as is often the case, a combination of these. It leans into these problems, working closely with the Students’ Union as its critical friend, to understand them and to consider how they can be fixed, developing innovative solutions to ensure that its students still have access to the opportunities that the University can provide. The extensive system of bursaries makes a real difference to the prospects of these students With a higher percentage of BAME students than many other universities, the University of Greenwich has challenged itself to improve the outcomes and life chances for these students. Its Attainment Gap project is underpinned by thorough research at a granular level together with robust assessment. Moving away from the conventional language of an attainment gap which implies that the students themselves are solely responsible for poor results, it has repositioned its approach to one of acknowledgment that, as an institution, it also must bear some responsibility. Recognising that students who have studied BTECs as opposed to A Levels may also require additional support in the way they approach
their degree, especially initially, it is carrying out a great deal of thoughtful work to ensure that that is available to them. As a result, it has set itself ambitious targets which extend to attracting and retaining students but also to ensuring that they flourish during their time there. Similarly, the University has recognised that its approach to improving life prospects for its BAME students, as for all those without the privilege and connections that many students in other universities may have, must extend to their career prospects and employability once they graduate. Given its location in full sight of the City - and all the opportunities that could exist for local graduates there - there should be a much clearer path of progression into the many big businesses and organisations which are located there. The University should be much more intentional in its relationships with those institutions so that it becomes a more natural resource for the City to draw on for a diverse, skilled workforce. Unfortunately, it remains the case that many businesses in the City still retain traditional routes of access and recruitment where it is often who you know rather than what you know that guarantee success. The Social Mobility Pledge is working with businesses to encourage them to introduce practices which will address issues of social mobility. The University of Greenwich should consider how it might develop a wider and more diverse network of links with businesses in the City to encourage more to participate directly in outreach work with their local schools and colleges, to provide more tailored work experience and placement opportunities for Greenwich students and to use name blind approach for applications and adopt contextual recruitment practices for graduate job vacancies. The University has also acknowledged that the diversity that is so important for their students in the workplace is also crucial for its own organisation, and key to ensuring that it is a truly levelled up university. The diversity of its student cohort needs to be reflected in its academic staff, and at all levels. Students want to see people who look like them and who share their own lived experiences. Staff are extremely committed to the University and many have long-standing and personal connections to it so that they see themselves as part of the Greenwich family. However, it is important that there is a continued effort to diversify its workforce so that role models and mentors are available to facilitate and enhance the student experience. Of course making people feel that university is for them, and is a place that they can be themselves, should start at a young age. It is important that further work is done around outreach in the area which should also extend to the parents of potential students. Many will be the first generation in their families to go to university and need information and advice on how to get there, which course to do, what the undergraduate experience is like and what opportunities can result from a degree.
The Economics Faculty has had particular success in its outreach work and it is notable that its academic staff themselves have gone into schools with their students to tell pupils about university but also about their subject. Not always on the curriculum in secondary schools, it is hugely relevant in a university which is on the City’s doorstep and where there are so many career opportunities where an economics degree would be of value. It is also particularly encouraging to see an emphasis on it as a subject that can appeal to all genders.
97% of students are from state schools £45k spend on bursaries for care leavers 97% retention rate of students who have used Student Union Advisory Service London needs to tap into the wider talent pool that our city has - it’s the best way it can succeed in the long term and remain a world class city. We can no longer tolerate worse outcomes for certain people and certain communities, just because it’s the norm. Our ambition should be that London should be world-leading on equality of opportunity, a place where all its people and communities can thrive and succeed, not just those who had more privilege and a better start. Commitment is one thing, action is another. The University of Greenwich has demonstrated bold leadership in its commitment to becoming a levelled up university so that its graduates will be able to fill the high skilled, high wage jobs that the City needs, bringing economic and social prosperity back into their communities. This report showcases the progress that he University of Greenwich is already making to help deliver a levelled up London while highlighting some of the areas where further action is needed.
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Recommendations
The Social Mobility Pledge is working with over 500 businesses and universities to ensure that, no matter where they are born or what their start in life, everyone has access to opportunities. It is encouraging them to adopt a purpose-led approach, with determined leadership and a strategic approach to achieve that for the long term. In particular, it is challenging universities to become levelled up universities which put social mobility at the heart of everything they do. This report demonstrates the University of Greenwich’s commitment to becoming a successful, levelled up university so that it can deliver measurable opportunity for its students and its communities which are often furthest away from a level playing field. Our recommendation for further action is a ’Bridging the Gap’ campaign, a model for universities which may already have some established practices to address social mobility but which are committed to developing a much more comprehensive strategy in order to become a fully levelled up university. Universities are in a unique position to lead the way in helping to set the Further Education agenda and are well placed to make a significant contribution to the country’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The University of Greenwich has already demonstrated its leadership through its commitment to develop a fresh and challenging strategy to become the best in class and improve its talent pipeline, particularly to the City of London. It should continue to display that leadership by working with the Social Mobility Pledge to develop leadership for other universities to innovate when it comes to connecting those students, often the furthest from traditional careers, to sectors with strong employment and earnings prospects. Universities that have already signed up to work with the Social Mobility Pledge have displayed a range of approaches and a range of capabilities. With the University of Greenwich having a higher-than-sector proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) at 51 per cent, this presents a unique opportunity for the University to show leadership, to go beyond access and participation to play a leading role in developing pathways to careers, driving innovation in connecting its students to employers. The University has a strong foundation to build on this year but it can go further faster, working to link those students who often have the least connections and traditional networks to careers in sectors that for too many students, especially those from poorer black backgrounds, can still feel like a closed shop. We would also recommend expanding the role of alumni of the University, including members of staff, to provide a formalised system of role models as voices of lived experience that would complement the current mentoring programme. It should also consider how alumni could be used to strengthen the links between the University and those City businesses which have employed them. Finally, the University of Greenwich can play a major role in advocating for the Levelling Up agenda across the higher education sector and in Parliament, highlighting the impact of the campaign and helping determine and shape the Higher Education agenda. The role of universities in the country’s recovery from coronavirus will be crucial. They can deliver highly educated, highly skilled young people back into their communities who will in turn prosper from having the ideas, innovation and skills that they will bring with them. The University of Greenwich is already helping to deliver this in London and should continue its valuable work as part of this campaign.
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Data Analysis University of Greenwich: Part A Social Mobility In this section of the Opportunity Action Plan we analyse the challenges individual communities face in terms of social mobility and the impact of COVID-19. The combined and interlinking impact of those two elements enable us to create a community’s “Opportunity Gap”. For the purposes of this analysis we have focused on Greenwich and Woolwich where the main campus of the University of Greenwich is located, as well as Chatham where there is a second campus. Social Mobility research conducted in 323 local authorities in England and Wales shows the top 20% of local authorities are labelled as ‘hotspots’, areas where social mobility is good, and the bottom
20% of local authorities are identified as ‘coldspots’, areas where social mobility is poor. It is important to note that just because an area is designated a hot or cold spot based on the current rankings, that is not the complete picture. An area which is a social mobility hotspot for most indices can also mask sharp decline in social mobility at different life stages such as early years. These complexities highlight that social mobility cannot be tackled with a ‘one size fits all approach’. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the challenges those individual communities face is vital and we assess social mobility below through those life stages.
Office
Constituency
Ranking out of 533 constituencies
Main Campus
Greenwich and Woolwich
45
Avery Hill Campus
Eltham
46
Medway Campus
Rochester and Strood
154
29
Greenwich and Woolwich
Early Years
17
Schools
30
Youth
173
Adulthood
378
30
Greenwich and Woolwich Analysis
Greenwich and Woolwich
England
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
92
93
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
71
53
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
95
83
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
54
39
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
71
72
Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
44
39
Early Years
Adulthood Life Stage
At the early years life stage, Greenwich and Woolwich performs best, at 17/533. Ninety-two per cent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, worse the national average of 93% and ranking Greenwich and Woolwich as 327/533 for this measure. But in the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Greenwich and Woolwich is ranked first; 71% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.
At the adulthood life stage, Greenwich and Woolwich ranks worst, at 378/533. Twenty-five per cent of jobs pay less than the real living wage, average earnings are £547 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is 12 times the annualised salary, the 50th most expensive area in England (where houses are eight times the annualised salary), and home ownership is extremely low, at 32%, the 18th worst area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 40%, ranking Greenwich and Woolwich at 63/533 for this measure.
School Life Stage
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
90
88
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
23
26
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19
44
34
547
443
Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
12
8
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
40
30
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
25
25
Percentage of families with children who own their home
32
65
Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area
Greenwich and Woolwich is the location of the University of Greenwich’s main campus. Seven of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and three are in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Greenwich and Woolwich ranks at 45/533 on the Social Mobility Index. The area is a social mobility hotspot.
Ranking at 30/533 at the school stage, Greenwich and Woolwich continues its strong performance. Ninety-five per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 54% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 71%, making Greenwich and Woolwich the 299th best constituency, and an average Attainment 8 score of 44 places Greenwich and Woolwich at 64/533.
Youth Life Stage The youth stage sees Greenwich and Woolwich fall to rank at 173/533. Ninety per cent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Forty-four per cent of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of only 23. Greenwich and Woolwich ranks at 78 and 450 for these measures respectively.
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Eltham
Early Years
24
Schools
31
Eltham Analysis Eltham
England
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
93
93
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
66
53
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
96
83
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
54
39
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
80
72
Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
42
39
Eltham is the location of the University of Greenwich’s Avery Hill Campus. Four of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and one is in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Eltham ranks at 46/533 on the Social Mobility Index. The area is a social mobility hotspot. Early Years Life Stage
School Life Stage
At the early years life stage, Eltham performs best at 24/533. Ninety-three per cent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, matching the national average of 93% and ranking Eltham as 289/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Eltham is ranked 15/533; 66% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.
Ranking at 31/533 at the school stage, Eltham is amongst the best of constituencies. Ninety-six per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 54% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 80%, making Eltham the 224th best constituency, and an average Attainment 8 score of 42 places Eltham at 106/533.
Youth Life Stage Youth
264
Adulthood
210
32
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
85
88
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
26
26
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19
41
34
586
443
Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
10
8
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
32
30
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
28
25
Percentage of families with children who own their home
58
65
Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area
The youth stage sees Eltham fall to rank at 264/533. Eighty-five per cent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Forty-one per cent of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 26. Eltham ranks at 100 and 269 for these measures respectively.
Adulthood Life Stage At the adulthood life stage, Eltham ranks at 210/533. Although 28% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, average earnings are £586 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is ten times the annualised salary, the 101st least affordable area in England (where houses are eight times the annualised salary), and home ownership is at 58%, the 106th worst area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 32%, ranking Eltham at 214/533 for this measure.
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Rochester and Strood
Rochester and Strood Rochester England and Strood
Early Years
138
Schools
231
Percentage of Nursery providers rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
93
93
Percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a good level of development
57
53
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a primary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
60
83
Percentage of children eligible for FSM achieving at least the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2
34
39
Percentage of children eligible for FSM attending a secondary school rated outstanding or good by Ofsted
98
72
Average Attainment 8 score for pupils eligible for FSM
47
39
Rochester and Strood is the location of the University of Greenwich’s Medway campus. Two of its indicators are in the top 100 rankings and one is in the bottom 100; across all life stages, Rochester and Strood ranks at 154/533 on the Social Mobility Index. The area does well for social mobility. Early Years Life Stage
Adulthood Life Stage
At the early years life stage, Rochester and Strood performs well at 138/533. Ninety-three per cent of nurseries in the constituency are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted, matching the national average of 93% and ranking Rochester and Strood as 268/533 for this measure. In the other measure for this life stage, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals achieving a ‘good level of development’, Rochester and Strood is ranked 115/533; 57% of those children achieve a good level compared to the national average of 53%.
At the adulthood life stage, Rochester and Strood ranks at 121/533. Only 21% of jobs pay less than the real living wage, average earnings are £488 weekly – the English average is £443. Housing is seven times the annualised salary, the 262nd most affordable area in England (where houses are eight times the annualised salary), and home ownership is at 69%, the 210th best area for this measure. The percentage of jobs in the area that are managerial and professional stands at 30%, ranking Rochester and Strood at 265/533 for this measure.
School Life Stage Youth
275
Adulthood
121
34
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM that are not in education, employment or training (positive destination) after completing KS4
87
88
Average points score per entry for young people eligible for FSM at age 15 taking A-level or equivalent qualification
29
26
Percentage of young people eligible for FSM at age 15 achieving two or more A-Levels or equivalent by the age of 19
26
34
488
443
7
8
Percentage of people that live in the local area who are in managerial and professional occupations
30
30
Percentage of jobs that are paid less than the applicable Living Wage Foundation living wage
21
25
Percentage of families with children who own their home
69
65
Median weekly salary of all employees who live in the local area Average house prices compared to median annual salary of employees who live in the local area
Ranking at 231/533 at the school stage, Rochester and Strood is in the top half of constituencies. Sixty percent of pupils eligible for free school meals attend good or outstanding primary schools, with 34% of them achieving the expected level in reading, writing, and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, the national average being 39%. At secondary level, attendance of FSM eligible pupils at good or outstanding schools is 98%, making Rochester and Strood the 64th best constituency, and an average Attainment 8 score of 47 places Rochester and Strood at 26/533.
Youth Life Stage The youth stage sees Rochester and Strood fall to rank at 275/533. Eighty-seven per cent of young people who were eligible for free schools find themselves in a positive destination (defined as being in education, employment, or training) after completing Key Stage 4. Twenty-six percent of FSM-eligible young people will achieve two or more A Level or equivalent qualifications by age 19, those that do take A Levels will have an average points score per entry of 29. Rochester and Strood ranks at 429 and 114 for these measures respectively.
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Data Analysis - Part B - COVID-19 Impact As well as considering the social mobility baseline for a community, our analysis also reflects the developing impact of Coronavirus on opportunity. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Covid Reference Scenario predicts that the economy of the United Kingdom will contract by 35%, with unemployment potentially peaking at 10% (1). But just like the issue of social immobility, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is varied across the UK. While the 35% national average figure is high in itself, it is the case that some areas – predominantly in the North West and Midlands – will see their economic growth reduce by almost 50%. Only one of the twenty hardest hit areas are in the South East or London (2). In addition to the significant diversity of geographic impact estimated by the Centre for Progressive Policy, the Resolution Foundation point to previous data suggesting that there is likely to be a large impact on those leaving full time education and graduating into an economy in the midst of turmoil. In the 2008 Recession, the unemployment rate across the whole population rose from 5.2% in 2007 to 8.5% in 2011; for those with GCSE equivalent qualifications the unemployment figures were 23% in 2007 and 32% in 2011 (3). An exacerbating factor for those leaving full time education without a degree is the varied impact of the virus on different sectors of the economy. While sectors such as financial sectors will emerge from the coronavirus pandemic relatively unscathed, with a contraction of just -5%, sectors like retail and hospitality, which have a higher proportion of workers who haven’t completed higher education, will contract by -50% and -85% respectively (1).
Greenwich’s Economy
The health impacts for the coronavirus pandemic show that it is more likely to kill people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, but the economic impacts are disproportionately hitting BAME people as well: polling done by BMG for the Independent has also shown that people from black and minority ethnic households are almost twice as likely as white Britons to report that they have lost income or jobs. Lord Woolley, the Chair of the Race Disparity Unit, has pointed out that while “the virus itself doesn’t discriminate, the system does, and that has left BAME communities extremely vulnerable both on health and economic grounds” (4). So the data suggests a varied and profound impact across locations, ages, education levels, and ethnicity. This has a worrying impact for social mobility in the United Kingdom, as we predict that 8 out of 14 measures used to calculate social mobility will be impacted. We have combined existing place based social mobility analysis with the predicted impact of coronavirus to estimate the size of a communities developing “Opportunity Gap” and ranked these throughout England. From our analysis we believe that there are 16 areas in England at risk of a ‘double opportunity hit’: already amongst the worst areas for social mobility, they are going to be particularly badly hit by coronavirus. These areas are Babergh, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Cannock Chase, Corby, Crawley, East Cambridgeshire, East Northamptonshire, Erewash, Melton, North Warwickshire, Norwich, Rutland, South Derbyshire, Tamworth and Wellingborough.
Sector
GVA (£m)
GVA (%)
Decline (%)
1 Accommodation and food services
166
3.2
-85
2 Administrative and support services
167
3.2
-40
43
0.8
-17
4 Construction
661
12.6
-70
5 Education
426
8.1
-90
72
1.4
-5
7 Human health and social work activities
536
10.2
+50
8 Information and communication
213
4.1
-45
9 Manufacturing
168
3.2
-55
10 Professional, scientific, and technical activities
227
4.3
-40
11 Public administration and defence
328
6.3
-20
1239
23.6
-20
13 Transportation and storage
331
6.3
-35
14 Wholesale and retail (including repair of motor vehicles)
406
7.7
-50
15 Other
264
5.0
-60
3 Agriculture, mining, electricity, gas, water and waste
6 Financial and insurance activities
12 Real estate activities
Greenwich’s largest sectors Sector Real estate
Biggest impacted sectors
GVA (£m)
1239
Sector
Predicted Decline (%)
Education
-90
Construction
661
Accommodation and food
-85
Human health
536
Construction
-70
1
Education
426
Other services
-60
310
2
Wholesale and retail
406
Manufacturing
-55
Wellingborough
308
3
Melton
306
4
North Warwickshire
296
5
Medway
111
233
Greenwich
57.5
292
Local Authority
Opportunity Gap
Ranking
Corby
318
South Derbyshire
Greenwich’s biggest sectors are real estate, construction, human health, education, and wholesale and retail. Two of these, education and construction, are also in the worst impacted sectors, while two, real estate and human health are in the least impacted sectors. A large health sector has been noted as being able to provide a buffer to COVID-induced shocks in the economy; in Greenwich the health sector makes up 10.2% of the economy as the third largest sector. In Greenwich, economic growth is predicted to decline by 35.6% - this is slightly worse than the 35% contraction across the UK as whole. Taking into consideration the economic reduction in Greenwich as well as its position on the Social Mobility Index, we predict that an Opportunity Gap of 57.2 will arise, the 291st largest in England.
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Bibliography
Medway’s Economy Sector
GVA (£m)
GVA (%)
Decline (%)
1 Accommodation and food services
108
2.0
-85
2 Administrative and support services
267
5.0
-40
3 Agriculture, mining, electricity, gas, water and waste
404
7.5
-17
4 Construction
555
10.3
-70
5 Education
396
7.4
-90
6 Financial and insurance activities
187
3.5
-5
7 Human health and social work activities
598
11.2
+50
8 Information and communication
147
2.7
-45
9 Manufacturing
547
10.2
-55
10 Professional, scientific, and technical activities
157
2.9
-40
11 Public administration and defence
283
5.3
-20
12 Real estate activities
805
15.0
-20
13 Transportation and storage
155
2.9
-35
14 Wholesale and retail (including repair of motor vehicles)
525
9.8
-50
15 Other
229
4.3
-60
Medway’s largest sectors Sector
1. Office for Budget Responsibility. Coronavirus analysis. Office for Budget Responsibility. [Online] April 14, 2020. [Cited: April 15, 2020.] https://cdn.obr.uk/Coronavirus_reference_ scenario_commentary.pdf. 2. Centre for Progressive Policy. Which local authorities face the biggest immediate economic hit? Centre for Progressive Policy. [Online] April 16, 2020. [Cited: April 16, 2020.] https://www.progressive-policy.net/publications/ which-local-authorities-face-biggest-immediateeconomic-hit. 3. Henehan, Kathleen. Class of 2020. Resolution Foundation. [Online] May 6, 2020. [Cited: May 14, 2020.] https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/ uploads/2020/05/Class-of-2020.pdf. 4. Woodcock, Andrew. Coronavirus economic effects hitting ethnic minorities and young people hardest. The Independent. [Online] April 13, 2020. [Cited: May 21, 2020.] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ coronavirus-economic-effect-uk-ethnic-minoritiesyoung-people-a9460511.html.
Biggest impacted sectors GVA (£m)
Sector
Predicted Decline (%)
Real estate
805
Education
-90
Human health and social work
598
Accommodation and food
-85
Construction
555
Construction
-70
Manufacturing
547
Other services
-60
Wholesale and retail
525
Manufacturing
-55
Medway’s biggest sectors are real estate, human health and social work, construction, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail. Two of these, construction and manufacturing, are also in the worst impacted sectors, while two, real estate and human health are in the least impacted sectors. A large health sector has been noted as being able to provide a buffer to COVID-induced shocks in the economy; in Medway the health sector makes up 11.2% of the economy as the second largest sector. In Medway, economic growth is predicted to decline by 34.0% - this is slightly better than the 35% contraction across the UK as whole. Taking into consideration the economic reduction in Medway as well as its position on the Social Mobility Index, we predict that an Opportunity Gap of 111 will arise, the 233rd largest in England. 38
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