Building on past success, the University of Sunderland has once again been recognised for how it supports care-experienced and estranged students by a leading national charity.
The University has received a renewed National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) Quality Mark, achieving exceptional marks in all seven categories – the only university to do so.
The NNECL Quality Mark is an award which supports higher and further education institutions to achieve the best outcomes for their care-experienced and estranged students.
Wendy Price OBE, Head of Widening Access and Participation at the University, said: “I’m delighted that our NNECL Quality Mark has been renewed for a further three-year period. This national recognition reinforces our institutional commitment and is clear validation of our evidence-led approach to supporting care-experienced and estranged students.
“The rating of ‘exceptional’ across all areas is testament to the dedication of staff working across the University. We are committed to continuously evaluating and enhancing our provision and our focus remains firmly on ensuring that our care-experienced and estranged students are seen, supported and empowered to achieve their potential.
“We are incredibly proud to create life-changing opportunities for our students to thrive academically, personally and professionally during their time at university and beyond.”
Sarah Leckenby, who studies Nursing at the University, is one of those students who has benefited from the support from the University’s We Care Team.
Sarah said: “The support I’ve had from the University, namely the We Care team has been invaluable to me.
“They helped steer me in the right direction to get my Dyspraxia diagnosis which has in turn helped me get the support I need to study. They really care about all of the students and graduates they support.
“It really helps me to know that I’ve always got a team behind me who want me to do well and check in regularly. I feel like part of a community and I like the fact that there’s regular activities to mix with other students and make friends.
“It’s fantastic that the University has had the NNECL quality mark renewed. It shows that the hard work and dedication of the University teams, in particular the We Care team, is among the best in the Higher Education sector. It’s a brilliant achievement.”
NNECL was first established as a volunteer network in June 2013 by higher education institutions and national organisations committed to the progression and support of care-experienced students in further and higher education. It became a registered charity in 2018.
Sian Edwards, Programme Manager at NNECL, said: “We’re proud to re-award the University of Sunderland with the NNECL Quality Mark following an outstanding submission.
“Their evidence showed a strong, ongoing commitment to supporting care-experienced and estranged learners. Thanks to their evidence-based approach and significant progress over the past three years, Sunderland becomes the first institution to achieve “Exceptional” in all seven areas of the Quality Mark.
“Congratulations to you all, we know that any student studying with you has every opportunity to succeed and progress into a supported future.”
The Quality Mark renewal involves an institutional self-assessment which is reviewed by a NNECL assessor. The process is designed to reflect the diversity of institutions within the higher and further education sectors. The mark highlights any areas of enhanced or exceptional practice, with a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing.
Charlotte Wheatland, Director of Home Student Recruitment at the University, said: “The renewal of our NNECL Quality Mark once again recognises our work to ensure care-experienced and estranged students receive the support they need to succeed in higher education.
“Care-experienced and estranged students have the talent, but not always the opportunity to thrive at university. However, here in Sunderland, we have ensured that a wide range of support is available to help them through their academic studies.
“Once again, the NNECL Quality Mark recognises our open and inclusive approach as an institution that continues to shape the future of students both here at the University and across the region.”
Since receiving the NNECL Quality Mark in 2022, the University of Sunderland has collaborated with all other north-east universities through the North East Raising Aspiration Partnership to sign the Care Leaver Covenant.
This approach was awarded Widening Access Partnership of the Year at the 2023 National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards.
The University of Sunderland was also named as University of the Year for Student Support by the Daily Mail University Guide 2025.
Find out more about how the University of Sunderland helps support care-experienced and estranged students through their entire journey with us here: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/help/care-experienced-support/ and https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/help/estranged-support/
