§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of school leavers in Northern Ireland went on into higher education in each year since 1997; what steps he is taking to increase these figures; and if he will make a statement. [150675]
§ Jane KennedyInformation for the 2002–03 school year is not yet available. The percentages of school leavers entering institutions of higher education are as follows:
Percentage 1997–98 28.6 1998–99 30.0 1999–2000 30.5 2000–01 32.9 2001–02 35.0 I have no policy to increase, overall, the number of school leavers progressing into higher education. I am, however, keen to increase the number of students progressing from those groups that are currently underrepresented in HE. In particular students from disadvantaged backgrounds and students with learning difficulties and disabilities.
Widening participation in HE by students from these groups is one of the Department for Employment and Learning's key strategic goals. The Department is addressing the issue of widening access to higher education through a number of broad policy directions and through a range of specific actions.
These include an increase in domestic HE provision between 1999–2000 and 2004–05; the introduction of Foundation Degrees; the introduction of a package of student support measures to assist students from low income families; widening participation premia for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and students with learning difficulties and disabilities and special initiative funding to develop partnerships between the universities and schools with traditionally low levels of participation in HE.
§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of school leavers in each of the past five years went on to attend a university in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [150679]
§ Jane KennedyThe information is not available in the requested format.
867W(a)–(c) The percentages of school leavers who went on to attend institutions of higher education in Great Britain are as follows:
Percentage 1997–98 9.3 1998–99 8.6 1999–2000 7.7 2000–01 8.5 2001–02 9.0 (d) The percentages of school leavers who went on to attend institutions of higher education in Northern Ireland are as follows:
Percentage 1997–98 18.4 1998–99 20.6 1999–2000 22.0 2000–01 23.5 2001–02 25.0 The following table provides information on the number of 18 and 19-year-olds who enter university for a full-time undergraduate course. Not all of these students will have progressed direct from school to university. Some, for example, will have left school at an earlier age and qualified for university entry through further education.
868W
Northern Ireland domiciled first year full-time undergraduate students aged 18 and 19 entering HE institutions in the UK by country of study 1997–98 to 2001–02 Percentage Total number of students 2001–02 Northern Irish Institution 73 English Institution 15 Scottish Institution 12 Welsh Institution 1 Total 100 9,311 2000–01 Northern Irish Institution 72 English Institution 16 Scottish Institution 12 Welsh Institution 1 Total 100 8,933 1999–2000 Northern Irish Institution 69 English Institution 17 Scottish Institution 14 Welsh Institution 1 Total 100 8,643 1998–99 Northern Irish Institution 65 English Institution 18 Scottish Institution 16 Welsh Institution 1 Total 100 8,577 1997–98 Northern Irish Institution 64 English Institution 19 Scottish Institution 16 Welsh Institution 1 Total 100 8,592 Notes:
1. Source of data-Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
2. The latest year of information on enrolments is 2001–02
3. Entrants to HE are based on students on their first year of a course
4. Age as at 31 August
5. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding
6. Information from HESA does not enable the identification of school leavers. For example, some of these students may have progressed to HE via the FE route.