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Academic year 2022/23
Widening participation in higher education
Data guidance
Published
Description
This document describes the data included in the Widening Participation in Higher Education: 2022/23 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:
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 2022/23
Content
Progression to HE by pupil characteristics
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
breakdown
characteristic
high_tariff_progression_rate
HE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_he_students
Number of HE Students
number_of_high_tariff_he_students
Number of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_students
Number of Pupils
progression_rate
HE Progression Rate
Footnotes
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
Progression to HE by Free School Meal eligibility(including progression rate gap)
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
high_tariff_progression_rate
High Tariff HE Progression Rate
high_tariff_progression_rate_fsm
High Tariff HE Progression Rate (FSM)
high_tariff_progression_rate_gap
High Tariff Progression Rate Gap
high_tariff_progression_rate_non_fsm
High Tariff HE Progression Rate (Non-FSM)
progression_rate
HE Progression Rate
progression_rate_fsm
HE Progression Rate (FSM)
progression_rate_gap
Progression Rate Gap
progression_rate_non_fsm
HE Progression Rate (Non-FSM)
Footnotes
The progression rate gap is the difference (in percentage points) between the HE progression rates of pupils who were eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) at age 15 and those who were not eligible for FSM at age 15
Progression to HE by Free School Meal eligibility, Sex and Ethnic Group
Variable names and descriptions
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
ethnicity_minor
Ethnic Group
fsm_status
Free School Meal Status
high_tariff_progression_rate
HE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_he_students
Number of HE Students
number_of_high_tariff_he_students
Number of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_students
Number of Pupils
progression_rate
HE Progression Rate
sex
Sex
Footnotes
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
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
ethnicity_minor
Ethnic Group
high_tariff_progression_rate
HE Progression Rate (High Tariff)
number_of_he_students
Number of HE Students
number_of_high_tariff_he_students
Number of HE Students (High Tariff)
number_of_students
Number of Pupils
progression_rate
HE Progression Rate
Footnotes
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
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 name
Variable description
a_level_status
A level status
high_tariff_progression_rate_gap
High Tariff Progression Rate Gap
high_tariff_progression_rate_independent
High Tariff HE Progression Rate (Independent)
high_tariff_progression_rate_state
High Tariff HE Progression Rate (State)
progression_rate_gap
Progression Rate Gap
progression_rate_independent
HE Progression Rate (Independent)
progression_rate_state
HE Progression Rate (State)
Footnotes
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
Note that figures from 2017/18 are not directly comparable with earlier years due to a change in the cohort
Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:
Variable name
Variable description
mean_tariff
Mean Tariff
tariff_grouping
Tariff Group
Footnotes
Mean tariff scores relate to the tariff points that were in place at the time. The maximum tariff score was 360 points until 2010/11 when the A* grade was introduced. The maximum score was then 420 until 2017/18 when the tariff points were revised. From 2017/18 onwards the maximum tariff score is 168 UCAS points (3 A levels at A* or equivalent). More details on tariff points are available on the UCAS website: UCAS Tariff Points - what are they and how do they work? (opens in a new tab)