Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 25 May 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 June 2005. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Monday, 13 June 2005 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

University Students

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students admitted to university to read (a) mathematics, (b) sciences and (c) modern foreign languages were from (i) grammar schools, (ii) state schools and (iii) independent schools in each of the last 10 years.
Answer

The latest available information is shown in the table. Comparable information for the intervening years is not held centrally by the Department. Although the majority of full-time undergraduates apply through UCAS, a small proportion, mostly mature students, apply direct to institutions and will therefore be excluded from the figures in the table, as will part-time students who are also not covered by UCAS application scheme.

Previous school type of accepted applicants to full-time undergraduate courses at UK institutions by subject
Year of entry
1994 2004
Numbers Percentage Numbers Percentage
Mathematical sciences
Grammar 905 6.3 985 5.6
Maintained schools 4,820 33.2 6,920 39.0
Independent 1,135 7.8 1,055 6.0
Other 7,645 52.7 8,760 49.4
Total known 14,505 100.0 17,725 100.0
Unknown 2,645 — 4,440 —
Total 17,150 — 22,165 —
Sciences
Grammar 2,875 8.6 3,005 7.2
Maintained schools 13,060 39.1 19,110 45.9
Independent 4,800 14.4 4,840 11.6
Other 12,650 37.9 14,690 34.8
Total known 33,385 100.0 41,650 100.0
Unknown 4,250 — 7,700 —
Total 37,635 — 49,350 —
Modern Foreign Languages
Grammar 385 10.5 510 10.4
Maintained schools 1,165 32.0 1,970 40.4
Independent 1,005 27.6 1,380 28.3
Other 1,085 29.8 1,015 20.8
Total known 3,635 100.0 4,875 100.0
Unknown 595 — 665 —
Total 4,230 — 5,540 —
Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). UCAS covers all HE institutions in the UK as well as FE colleges with significant HE provision. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
(66) Percentages based on those students who recorded their previous school/college. Component percentages may not sum to totals because of rounding.
(67) Includes mathematics, statistics, and computer science/studies.
(68) Includes former grant maintained schools.
(69) Includes students from FE sector institutions.
(70) Includes biological, veterinary and physical sciences, and combined sciences.
(71) Includes European and non-European modern languages.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
435 c231-2W; 1740
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Admissions Higher education Universities Students