Deprived Scots close access gap in higher education

Hundreds more students from deprived backgrounds are entering higher education as a result of efforts by universities and colleges to widen access, a new report suggests.

The trend has been welcomed as the first tangible signs the sector is finally getting to grips with the long-standing educational inequalities of Scottish society.

However, there has also been a corresponding decline in the number of students from the most-affluent areas, prompting calls for future trends to be monitored closely to ensure no middle-class students miss out.

The figures are contained in new research by the Scottish Funding Council, which found the proportion of students from the most-deprived postcodes in Scotland entering higher education has risen steadily from 35 in every 1000 of the overall population in 2000 to 38 in every 1000 today.

Over the same period, participation rates among students from the most-affluent areas has dropped from 64 per 1000 to 60 per 1000.

The gradually narrowing gap between the most and least deprived areas is the first sign that efforts made by universities and others to widen access are having an impact - although other factors such as population change may also influence the findings.

Last night, Mark Batho, chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, welcomed the report, but said work would continue to extend participation.

"The funding council has invested heavily in this area over the past few years and colleges, universities, widening access groups, local authorities and many others have responded with enthusiasm and hard work to remove any obstacles that may prevent people from going to college or university," he said.

"The latest participation results show things are moving in the right direction and the hard work is starting to pay off."

A spokesman for Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, also welcomed the findings. "Universities have been spending 20 years providing a range of measures to widen access and everyone should take heart from this report that we can turn around the educational segregation of previous generations," he said.

However, Murdo Fraser, education spokesman for the Scottish Conservative Party, said future trends should be monitored to ensure there was a level playing field for all students.

"There is not much evidence of displacement of middle-class students in practice, but it is right to be aware of the issue and be concerned about the opportunity for that displacement to occur in future," he said. "All of us want to see widening of access to those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, but we don't feel that should be done at the expense of other groups."

Gurjit Singh, president of NUS Scotland, also welcomed the figures, but agreed more needed to be done, in widening access and in supporting students.

"Accessing college and university is still easier for those from more-affluent backgrounds and, in addition, once enrolled on a course, retention rates remain poor compared to the rest of the UK," he said.

Overall, and in line with previous findings, the report found the total numbers studying in college and university fell between 2001-02 and 2006-07.

Meanwhile, some universities have warned plans to give pupils longer to study for their Highers may count against them when they apply to higher education.

Under Scottish Government proposals, schools could decide if pupils would be best-served by taking Highers over two years, rather than one, as is currently the case. However, Universities Scotland said the two-year qualification could be viewed as less-prestigious because it was completed under less pressure.