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Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003

Milestone 16: Increasing the proportion of students from under-represented, disadvantaged groups and areas in higher education compared with the overall student population in higher education

This milestone is measured by two indicators: one that measures participation by social classes III Manual, IV and V (which is supplemented with information on accepted applicants and their social class from UCAS) and the other by participation from low participation neighbourhoods.

Students from Social Classes III Manual, IV and V

Since 1998/99 there has been little change. The 2000/01 figure shows that some 24 per cent of students taking full-time first degrees at Scottish higher education institutions are from families who are classified as being from social classes III Manual, IV and V. Results from the General Household Survey 2000 show over 40 per cent of the UK population are from these social classes, based on their current or most recent occupation. Small differences such as those in the table are unlikely to mean any difference to the participation rates of these classes, which will depend on the population figures.

Table 16a: Students from Social classes III Manual, IV and V as a percentage of students in higher education

UCAS accepted applicants

Information from UCAS provides the proportion of accepted applicants from Scotland to UK higher education institutions by the new National Statistics socio-economic classes. Comparing these proportions to results from the 2001 Census on socio-economic class, the proportion of accepted applicants from lower supervisory, technical, and routine occupation households is lower than the proportion of these types of households in the population at large.

Table 16b: Scottish domiciled accepted applicants to UK Higher Education Institutions, by National Statistics Socio-Economic Classes, 2002/03

Table 16c: National Statistics Socio-Economic Classes, 2001 Census

Low participation neighbourhoods

Low participation neighbourhoods are based on neighbourhoods built up by clustering postcodes with similar characteristics. Proportions of people under 21 who entered higher education from these neighbourhoods have been calculated. Areas for which this participation rate was less than two thirds of the UK average have been defined as low participation neighbourhoods. In Great Britain as a whole, about 30 per cent of young people live in neighbourhoods classed as low participation. As with social class, comparisons of participation rates can not be made from the actual numbers participating. Some 18 per cent of young people taking full-time first degrees at Scottish higher education institutions are from low participation neighbourhoods. Of mature (21 and over) full-time undergraduates entrants some 16 per cent are from low participation neighbourhoods.

Table 16d: Students from low participation neighbourhoods as a percentage of students in higher education

Availability of data and references

Further information on 'Performance Indicators in higher education' is available from UK higher education funding councils, and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC).

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
www.shefc.ac.uk

Performance indicators in higher education 2002
www.hefce.ac.uk/Learning/perfind/2002/report.asp

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