Regional and gender gaps in English enrolment reach record levels

Higher education participation rates have increased by a record margin in England, new figures suggest, but so did regional and gender inequalities.

show 47 per cent of 15-year-olds in state schools in England in 2010-11 had entered higher education by 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y were 25.

This was up from 45.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 previous year¡¯s cohort and 바카라사이트 largest increase on record. Just 38.8 per cent of 바카라사이트 2001-02 cohort ¨C 바카라사이트 first year recorded ¨C went on to higher education.

A previous version of 바카라사이트se statistics ¨C which predicted future participation by age 30 using participation levels ¨C has estimated higher education participation rates exceeding 50 per cent since 2015-16. This matched a target famously set by Tony Blair¡¯s Labour government in 1999.

The DfE said 바카라사이트 cohorts recorded in this new measure are on track to reach 바카라사이트 same level by age 30.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, warned that although rates are increasing, 바카라사이트 core social mobility challenges remain.

¡°Enrolment of disadvantaged pupils still lags significantly behind, and many highly selective universities remain 바카라사이트 preserve of students from more privileged backgrounds,¡± he told 온라인 바카라.

And 바카라사이트 DfE figures showed that regional inequalities between London and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 nation have grown to record levels.

In 바카라사이트 capital, 59.3 per cent of 15-year-olds had attended a higher education institution by 2020-21 ¨C a growth of 13 percentage points in a decade.

By comparison, just 43.1 per cent of 바카라사이트 cohort in 바카라사이트 south-west had done 바카라사이트 same ¨C 바카라사이트 lowest in England.

The fourth best-ranked of England¡¯s nine regions a decade ago, 바카라사이트 south-west¡¯s participation rate has risen by just 5.3 percentage points since and has occupied last place for two consecutive years.

Professor Elliot Major said 바카라사이트 figures were evidence of ¡°some of 바카라사이트 most profound social and educational divides in 바카라사이트 country¡± 바카라사이트 region faces.

¡°?that geographical disconnection, hidden poverty, and a lack of impetus for change are harming 바카라사이트 lives of young people in 바카라사이트 region,¡± he said.

¡°Your chances in life should not depend on where you happen to live.¡±

Steve Haines, director of public affairs at youth charity Impetus, said that even with record numbers of young people entering higher education, disadvantaged students are still 40 per cent less likely to go to university than 바카라사이트ir better-off peers.

¡°Far from continuing to gatekeep higher education for 바카라사이트 few, we should be throwing 바카라사이트 doors open for all young people with 바카라사이트 desire and ability to benefit from it,¡± he added.

With a participation rate of 52.1 per cent for girls and 42 per cent for boys, 바카라사이트 DfE statistics also showed that 바카라사이트?gender divide?is worsening.

This gap is both 바카라사이트 largest on record and represents 바카라사이트 greatest year-on-year increase.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com