Academic year 2020/21

Widening participation in higher education

Data guidance

Published

Description

This document describes the data included in the Widening Participation in Higher Education: 2020/21 Official Statistics release’s underlying data files.

The methodology document attached to this release should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data. 

Coverage

The release covers two measures of progression to Higher Education by age 19. 

The first shows progression to HE by pupil characteristics for pupils aged 15 in English state-funded schools and special schools (including non-maintained special schools). 

The second relates to progression to HE by school type for pupils aged 17 who were entered for A levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications at English schools and colleges. 

File formats and conventions

Rounding 

We are removing rounding and suppression of data where possible in order to maximise the utility of the statistics while minimising the risk of disclosure. 

More information about the Departmental policy on confidentiality can be found here: 

External_Confidentiality_Policy (opens in a new tab)

Data relating to Children in Need and Looked After children is rounded to the nearest percentage for rates and to the nearest 10 for counts of pupils given the sensitivity of these statistics. 

Conventions 

The following convention is used throughout the underlying data. 

‘x’ Not applicable

‘c’ Confidential

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

All Characteristics

Filename
all_characteristics.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by pupil characteristics

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Characteristic_DetailCharacteristic
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
Footnotes
  1. Note that progression rates can be volatile over time due to the very small number of pupils in some categories. This is particularly the case for Gypsy/Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils

Ethnicity

Filename
ethnicity.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Ethnic Group

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Ethnic_Group_MinorEthnic Group
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
Footnotes
  1. Note that progression rates can be volatile over time due to the very small number of pupils in some categories. This is particularly the case for Gypsy/Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils

Free School Meals

Filename
fsm.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2005/06 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Free School Meal status

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
FSM_StatusFree School Meal Status
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate

Free School Meals - Gap

Filename
fsm_gap.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2005/06 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Free School Meal status (including progression rate gap)

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
High_Tariff_progression_rateHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate
High_Tariff_progression_rate_FSMHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate (FSM)
High_Tariff_progression_rate_gapHigh Tariff Progression Rate Gap
High_Tariff_progression_rate_NonFSMHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate (Non-FSM)
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
progression_rate_FSMHE Progression Rate (FSM)
progression_rate_gapProgression Rate Gap
progression_rate_NonFSMHE Progression Rate (Non-FSM)
Footnotes
  1. The progression rate gap is the difference (in percentage points) between the HE progression rates of pupils who were eligible for Free School Meals and those who weren't eligible

Free School Meals, Gender and Ethnic Group

Filename
fsm_gender_ethnicity.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Free School Meal Status, Gender and Ethnic Group

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Ethnic_Group_MinorEthnic Group
FSM_StatusFree School Meal Status
GenderGender
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
Footnotes
  1. Note that progression rates can be volatile over time due to the very small number of pupils in some categories. This is particularly the case for Gypsy/Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils

Free School Meals, Gender and Ethnic Group - Region

Filename
fsm_gender_ethnicity_region.csv
Geographic levels
Regional
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Free School Meal Status, Gender and Ethnic Group - Regional level

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Ethnic_Group_MajorEthnic Group
FSM_StatusFree School Meal Status
GenderGender
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate

Gender

Filename
gender.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Gender

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
GenderGender
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate

Headline Stats

Filename
headline_stats.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2020/21
Content

Key summary statistics

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
High_Tariff_progression_rate_WhiteHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate (lowest ethnic group - White)
progression_rate_FemaleHE progression rate (Female)
progression_rate_FSMHE Progression Rate (Free School Meals)
progression_rate_FSM_Inner_LondonHE Progression Rate (FSM highest region – Inner London)
progression_rate_gap_FSMHE Progression Rate (Free School Meals gap)
progression_rate_increase_BlackHE Progression Rate (greatest increase - Black)

School Type

Filename
school_type.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2008/09 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by School Type

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
A_level_StatusA level status
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of KS5 Students
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
School_TypeSchool Type
Footnotes
  1. Note that figures from 2017/18 are not directly comparable with earlier years due to a change in the cohort

School Type - Gap

Filename
school_type_gap.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2008/09 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by School Type (including progression rate gap)

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
A_level_StatusA level status
High_Tariff_progression_rate_gapHigh Tariff Progression Rate Gap
High_Tariff_progression_rate_independentHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate (Independent)
High_Tariff_progression_rate_stateHigh Tariff HE Progression Rate (State)
progression_rate_gapProgression Rate Gap
progression_rate_independentHE Progression Rate (Independent)
progression_rate_stateHE Progression Rate (State)
Footnotes
  1. The progression rate gap is the difference (in percentage points) between the HE progression rates of students who attended independent schools and those who attended state-funded schools at Key Stage 5
  2. Note that figures from 2017/18 are not directly comparable with earlier years due to a change in the cohort

Special Educational Needs

Filename
sen.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2009/10 to 2020/21
Content

Progression to HE by Special Educational Need Status

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
High_Tariff_progression_rateHE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
number_of_HighTariff_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_studentsNumber of Pupils
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
SEN_StatusSEN Status

Tariff Groups

Filename
tariff_group.csv
Geographic levels
Provider
Time period
2008/09 to 2020/21
Content

HE providers by tariff group

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
Mean_tariffMean Tariff
Tariff_GroupingTariff Group

Teaching Excellence Framework

Filename
tef.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2020/21
Content

HE students by Teaching Excellence and Students Outcomes Framework (TEF) rating

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
number_of_HE_studentsNumber of HE Students
percentage_HE_studentsPercentage of HE Students
progression_rateHE Progression Rate
School_TypeSchool Type
TEF_RatingTEF Rating