Below we've detailed the diversity monitoring information the University currently requests from staff and students and some guidance on how to answer.
The format of University questions is informed by HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) reporting requirements but the questions you’ll see on SuccessFactors or your online student record are not all an exact copy of the HESA formats as we’ve made some amendments based on the views and needs of our community. For example, based on previous consultation we’ve changed HESA’s use of ‘impairment’ to 'disability’. You can read more about these changes using the links in the tabs below.
Why am I seeing "OPTION NO LONGER AVAILABLE - Please select an alternative"?
Do not worry. We have made some changes to questions, there are some instances in which a previous response option no longer exists. In that case, we ask that you please select a response from the new response options. Read more about this issue here.
Staff - Which cultural heritage group do you most identify with?
Buddhist.
Christian.
Hindu.
Jewish.
Muslim.
Sikh.
None.
Other.
Prefer not to say.
Staff - Do you have a disability, health condition, or learning difference that has a substantial and long-term impact on your day-to-day activities?
A specific learning difference such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or AD(H)D.
Social/communication conditions such as a speech and language differences or an autistic spectrum condition.
A long standing illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy.
A mental health condition, such as depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety disorder.
A physical disability or mobility issues, such as difficulty using arms or using a wheelchair or crutches.
D/deaf or a serious hearing condition.
Blind or a serious visual condition uncorrected by glasses.
Development condition that you have had since childhood which affects motor, cognitive, social, and emotional skills, and speech and language.
No known disability, health condition, or learning difference.
A disability, health condition, or learning difference that is not listed above.
Prefer not to say.
How should staff answer this question? Staff do not need to have a diagnosis in order to answer, this question is about an individual's own self-assessment. Staff responses to this question will not automatically notify anyone (including HR or their line manager), to notify HR in order to request adjustments or other support the staff member needs to also answer 'Yes' to the 'Share disability details with HR Adviser?' question.
Students - Disability
A long-standing physical illness or health condition such as ME/chronic fatigue, epilepsy, diabetes, digestive conditions or HIV.
A mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, OCD, or schizophrenia.
A physical or mobility issue, use of mobility aids or difficulty using arms.
Blind or a serious visual condition uncorrected by glasses.
D/deaf, other hearing issues or conditions.
General learning disability such as Down syndrome.
Neurodevelopmental, Social, Communication differences such as Autism Spectrum, Asperger’s.
Neurodiverse, specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD.
A disability or medical condition that is not listed above, such as speech difficulties/stammer.
Two or more disabilities or medical conditions.
No known disability.
Prefer not to say.
How should students answer this question? Students do not need to have a diagnosis in order to answer, this question is about an individual's own self-assessment.
Staff - Is the gender you identify with the same as the sex registered at your birth? / Students - Do you identify as the gender you were assigned at birth?
Yes.
No.
Prefer not to say.
Students - Preferred pronouns
She/Her/Hers.
He/Him/His.
They/Them/Theirs.
Ey/Em/Eirs.
Xe/Xem/Xyrs.
Ze/Zir/Zirs.
Ze/Hir/Hirs.
No pronouns.
Staff - Do you identify as intersex?
No.
Yes.
Prefer not to say.
Staff - Sex identifier for HMRC purposes
Female.
Male.
How should staff answer this question? Sex identifier data are required for HESA reporting. Staff are asked their 'sex identifier for HMRC' as we are required to collect this information for payroll and pension purposes - HMRC currently allow two legal sex marker options, ‘female’ and ‘male’. To answer this question, staff should refer to the sex marker recorded on one of their legal documents such as birth certificate or passport. HR will not ask for evidence to verify this information as standard.
Students - Legal sex
Female.
Male.
Other.
How should students answer this question? Sex identifier data are required for HESA reporting. HESA currently allow three response options for sex identifier, 'male', 'female', and 'other' (the latter being only for any other sex marker that is legally recognised by another country). For degree apprenticeship students this information is also needed for ESFA reporting requirements. Guidance from HESA confirms that students considering how to answer should use the sex marker recorded on one of their legal documents such as birth certificate or passport. The University is not required to verify this information for HESA.
Staff - Marital status
Co-habiting.
Married or in a registered civil partnership.
Divorced or formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved.
Separated (but still legally married or in a civil partnership).
Never married and never registered in a civil partnership.
Widowed or a surviving partner from a registered civil partnership.
Prefer not to say.
Staff - What is your ethnicity or ethnic group?
Arab.
Asian - Bangladeshi or Bangladeshi British.
Asian - Chinese or Chinese British.
Asian - Indian or Indian British.
Asian - Pakistani or Pakistani British.
Any other Asian background.
Black - African or African British.
Black - Caribbean or Caribbean British.
Any other Black background.
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White or White British and Asian or Asian British.
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White or White British and Black African or Black African British.
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups - White or White British and Black Caribbean or Black Caribbean British.
Any other Mixed or Multiple ethnic background.
White - English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or British.
White – Irish.
White – Roma.
White - Gypsy or Irish Traveller.
Any other White background.
Any other ethnic background.
Not known.
Prefer not to say.
How should staff answer this question? This question is about an individual's own self-assessment. The 'Not known' response option can be used when a member of staff does not know their ethnicity, for example if they do not know the ethnicity of their biological parents.
Students - Ethnicity
Arab.
Asian or Asian British – Indian.
Asian or Asian British – Pakistani.
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi.
Other Asian background.
Black or Black British – African.
Black or Black British – Caribbean.
Other Black background.
Chinese.
Gypsy, Traveller, or Irish Traveller.
Mixed – White and Asian.
Mixed – White and Black African.
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean.
Other mixed background.
White – English, Welsh, Northern Irish, or British.
Other white background.
Other ethnic background.
Not known.
Prefer not to say.
How should students answer this question? This question is about an individual's own self-assessment. The 'Not known' response option can be used when a student does not know their ethnicity, for example if they do not know the ethnicity of their biological parents.
Please state whether your parents/guardians have any higher education qualifications, such as a degree, diploma or certificate of higher education.
Yes.
No.
Don't know.
Students - Occupation of chief income earner
If you are under 21, please give the occupation of your parent, step-parent or guardian who earns the most. If they are retired or unemployed, give their most recent occupation. If you are 21 or over, please give your own occupation.
[Free text field].
Staff - What was the occupation of your main household earner when you were about aged 14
Modern professional & traditional professional occupations such as: professor, lecturer, teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, social worker, musician, police officer (sergeant or above), software designer, accountant, solicitor, medical practitioner, scientist, civil / mechanical engineer.
Senior, middle or junior managers or administrators such as: finance manager, chief executive, large business owner, office manager, retail manager, bank manager, restaurant manager, warehouse manager.
Clerical and intermediate occupations such as: secretary, personal assistant, call centre agent, clerical worker, nursery nurse.
Technical and craft occupations such as: technicians, motor mechanic, plumber, printer, electrician, gardener, train driver.
Routine, semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, sales assistant, HGV driver, cleaner, porter, packer, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff.
Small business owners who employed less than 25 people such as: corner shop owners, small plumbing companies, retail shop owner, single restaurant or cafe owner, taxi owner, garage owner.
Long-term unemployed (claimed Jobseeker's Allowance or earlier unemployment benefit for more than a year).
Other such as: retired, this question does not apply to me, I don’t know.
Prefer not to say.
Staff - Which type of school did you attend for the most time between the ages of 11 and 16?
A state-run or state-funded school.
Independent or fee-paying school.
Independent or fee-paying school, where I received a means tested bursary covering 90% or more of the total cost of attending throughout my time there.
Attended school outside the UK.
I don’t know.
Prefer not to say.
Staff - If you finished school after 1980, were you eligible for state-funded free school meals at any point during your school years?
Yes.
No.
Don’t know.
Not applicable (finished school before 1980 or went to school overseas).
Prefer not to say.
Return to the an overview of diversity monitoring.
