Introduction
NSCD’s mission is to provide an inspirational learning experience, from first contact through into the profession, enabling aspiring dance artists, and dance professionals, regardless of background, to shape the future of dance.
Our vision is underpinned by our core values which reflect equity and inclusion, from first contact to the excellence of our educational provision, to the support we provide our graduates and their professional development in the years ahead.
NSCD ensures that this vision is upheld by numerous Committees including the Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Access and Participation Committee.
The Office for Students publishes data dashboards which provide data on student populations and outcomes for students from recognised groups under-represented in Higher Education and considered target groups for access and participation activity.
Strategy
Our access and participation work is embedded through the school’s 2023-30 Strategic Plan and NSCD’s Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commitments.
Access & Participation Plan (APP) Targets
As evidenced in our current APP, NSCD has an excellent track record of helping all undergraduate students, no matter what background, stay on course, achieve positive grades and progress onto further training or employment.
Please see the OfS Access and Participation data dashboard for up to date statistical information about NSCD’s UK domiciled undergraduate students: Data dashboard – Office for Students
NSCD have 3 targets on its current Access & Participation Plan which are to increase the Access of 3 target groups:
Activities
To encourage these groups to study undergraduate courses at NSCD we have a wide range of targeted outreach including but not limited to:
Targeted Student Recruitment:
Targeted Application Support:
Targeted training & provision for youth dancers:
NSCD also have a vast children’s and youth dance offer, which includes the Centre for Advanced Training, funded by the Department for Education, which attracts many young dancers from targeted backgrounds, through a wide-ranging outreach programme throughout the Yorkshire area.
The infographics below highlight some of the work, and it’s reach undertaken in academic year 2024/25.
Review
This Access and Participation statement is reviewed annually. We will update and re-publish this statement annually as required by condition A2 of the Office for Students Regulatory Framework.
Statement published: December 2025
In accordance with Condition A1 of its registration as an Approved (Fee cap) Provider with the Office for Students (OfS) NSCD has developed an Access and Participation Plan (APP). The APP details the School’s commitments and the resources that it will allocate to enhancing the access, success and progression of students from priority groups that are currently underrepresented within the School’s Higher Education student community. A copy of our current and future Access and Participation Plan are both available below:
NSCD Access & Participation Plan 2026/27 – 2029/30 – full document
NSCD Access & Participation Plan 2022/23 – 2026/27 – summary
NSCD Access & Participation Plan 2022/23 – 2026/27 – full document
The information published below shows:
The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award, or a particular level of such an award, on completion of their course with us at Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
It shows these numbers by reference to:
Please note: The small, specialist nature of NSCD means that much of the data available for this report been suppressed (ie not included).
Numbers have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 10 and where figures are 20 or less, the field is populated with an “N”.
In instances where publishing data might identify an individual student, this has been suppressed for data protection reasons, and fields populated with “DP” instead.
If you have queries relating to the data please contact quality.office@nscd.ac.uk
