Equality in colleges in Scotland: statistical reports

This report provides an evidence base to help Scottish colleges identify and tackle equality challenges. It also enables the sector to further develop and assess progress against appropriate equality outcomes and embed equality in regional outcome agreements with the Scottish Funding Council.

This report presents an equality-focused analysis of further education statistics collated by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Data and analysis are provided on student age, disability, ethnicity and gender, the intersections of these identities, as well as the optional protected characteristics of religion and belief, and sexual orientation. The report also considers students’ socioeconomic class, based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). 

The SFC centrally collates further education statistics (FES) through annual student and course record returns. This covers all college activity funded by the SFC. This report presents an equality-focused analysis of this student data.

Further information on the FES collection process can be found on the SFC website.