This fifth statistical report for colleges presents an equality-focused analysis of 2014/15 further education statistics (FES) collated by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Data and analysis is provided on age, disability, ethnicity and gender, the intersectionality of these identities, and for the first time on the optional protected characteristics religion and sexual orientation.The report also considers students’ socioeconomic class, based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and presents high-level regional data analysis. This report, alongside information gathered by colleges at local level, will continue to provide an evidence base to assist colleges to identify and tackle equality challenges. It will also assist the sector to further develop and assess progress against appropriate equality outcomes and embed equality in regional outcome agreements with the SFC.
Downloadable data tables
National data tables All data tables presented in this report are also available to download in Excel format. These provide totals for each table, higher and further education (HE and FE) specific breakdowns for regional data and further disaggregate data on ethnicity.
Regional data tables In addition to national figures, we have also produced corresponding data tables for multi-college and merger regions. These aim to support regional benchmarking and assist colleges to identify equality challenges at a regional level, particularly where data systems are in the process of being aligned.
- Aberdeenshire
- Ayrshire
- Edinburgh and Lothians
- Fife
- Glasgow
- Highlands and Islands
- Lanarkshire
- Tayside
- West
Key data notes and changes
The report presents data for student enrolments, not student headcount.
This report presents students in two categories based on the SIMD data quintiles:
- SIMD Q1 students from the most deprived 20 per cent of data zones
- SIMD Q2–5 students from the remaining 80 per cent of data zones
Please note that, in line with SFC changes, this is a change from previous years’ reports, which presented data on:
- SIMD Q5 students from the most deprived 20 per cent of data zones
- SIMD Q1–4 students from the remaining 80 per cent of data zones
Due to removal of the fields ‘Information refused’ and ‘Information unknown’ in the FES student record return for 2014/15, data on disability is included for all student enrolments and there are zero enrolments pertaining to unknown. This means that trend data for 2014/15 is not directly comparable to previous years.
It should be noted that this report reflects changes in the 2014/15 FES data collection that have been made to impairment types. Data from 2014/15 is therefore not directly comparable to data from prior years.