A major evaluation has shown that De Montfort University Leicester’s (DMU) block teaching model is delivering significant improvements in student experience, academic outcomes and recruitment. 

The approach, introduced across all DMU courses in the 2022/23 academic year, enables students to study one module at a time in focused blocks rather than juggling several subjects simultaneously.  

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Currently, DMU is one of the only universities in the country to offer block teaching, which is designed to reduce stress, improve engagement and enhance support. 

The structure allows students to sit exams at the end of each module, avoiding a large block of assessments at the end of the year and providing faster feedback. 

Last year, 2025, saw the first cohort of graduates taught entirely under the method complete their studies, allowing the university to evaluate the effect block teaching has had. 

Drawing on institutional survey data, national benchmarks and continuation metrics, the analysis shows clear improvements in overall student experience compared with the final pre-Block year (2021/22), particularly at Levels 5 and 6. Pass rates have also improved, with more students passing modules at both Level 4 and Level 7. 

Student surveys carried out at DMU asked students to consider different aspects of their teaching and learning, such as whether they feel connected to course mates, how easy it is to secure time with their tutor, the level of interaction with teaching staff and if their timetable works for them. 

In every single category, students taught under block registered improved responses, with some categories seeing rises of more than 15%. 

Professor Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor, said the results were the first full insight into the benefits of the approach. 

She said: “We had indications – and a lot of verbal feedback from students themselves – that block teaching was helping students to focus, that it was making their academic life simpler and less stressful. 

“We had heard, too, that many students were choosing DMU because of the block approach. It stood out to them as a more clearly defined structure, which took away some of their anxieties about studying at university. 

“But these results have shown us that those students who have been taught entirely within the block model have performed better – and had a better experience – in almost every aspect of university life. It’s very exciting.” 

The 2025 results from the National Student Survey (NSS) – the first reflecting a fully Block-taught graduating cohort – reinforce this progress. DMU recorded gains across all core themes compared with 2022, including Teaching on my Course, Learning Opportunities, Academic Support and Organisation and Management. Assessment and Feedback, an area often cited as a sector-wide challenge, saw particularly strong improvement, supported by the university’s shift to a 15-day feedback turnaround. 

Early indicators also suggest that block teaching is contributing to improved continuation and attainment. The latest Office for Students dataset shows that programmes which transitioned to block delivery in 2022 improved their continuation rates year on year, outperforming non-Block programmes at DMU and exceeding the wider sector trend.  

Beyond academic measures, student integration and wellbeing have strengthened. Survey data shows notable increases in confidence, sense of belonging and ability to manage workload, alongside a decline in reports of stress affecting studies. 

Block teaching is also proving to be a distinctive recruitment asset. Among 2025/26 entrants, 60% of undergraduates and 71% of postgraduates said the model influenced their decision to enrol, with a significant proportion indicating they might otherwise have chosen a different university. 

Posted on Friday 10 April 2026