Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of participants in the Turing Scheme broken down by sector are from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the most recent period for which data is available.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The success rate of schools applying to participate in the Turing Scheme over the two years the scheme has operated are:

• 2021/22 academic year: 131 schools applied, 114 were successful, 87% success rate.
• 2022/23 academic year: 157 schools applied, 70 were successful, 45% success rate.

The Turing Scheme uses a range of measures based on sector standards across the UK to define what we mean by participants from disadvantaged backgrounds. These are listed in full on the Turing Scheme website: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/about/widening-access/. We do not collect data relating to which aspect of the criteria relates to each participant, so cannot answer specifically on lower socio-economic backgrounds.

A full breakdown of funding provided for placements by sector for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years is provided on the Turing Scheme website. The funding results for 2021/22 are available here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/funding-opportunities/funding-results/ and 2022/23 here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/funding-opportunities/funding-results-2022-23/.

The eligibility criteria and assessment criteria for applications is published in the Turing Scheme Programme Guide for the relevant year. Turing Scheme funded projects are assessed on four main objectives:

• Global Britain – In line with the UK Government’s vision of a Global Britain, Turing Scheme projects support high-quality placements, enhance existing partnerships and encourage the forging of new relationships across the world.
• Levelling up – Turing Scheme projects widen participation and support social mobility across the UK. They should help and promote equal access and opportunities to all students, learners and pupils regardless of background.
• Developing key skills – These projects offer unique, career-building opportunities. They give participants the hard and soft skills sought by employers and bridge the gap between education and work.
• Value for UK taxpayers – These projects optimise social value in terms of potential costs, benefits and risks.

The Programme Guide also sets out the appeals process for unsuccessful applicants. These are available on the Turing Scheme website.

Feedback and guidance are available to all applicants, including those who are considering making an application to the Turing Scheme in future, to ensure their projects and applications are as robust as possible for consideration in future years.