HUNDREDS of extra pupils from the poorest backgrounds in Scotland are securing a place at university, according to new figures.
Officials statistics also show the proportion of young people entering higher education at college or university directly from school has increased faster among those from the most deprived areas in Scotland when compared to the least deprived.
However, the figures also demonstrate that young people from Scotland’s least deprived areas are more than 2.5 times more likely to go into higher education straight from school than their counterparts from the most deprived areas.
John Swinney, the Education Secretary, welcomed the shift, but said more needed to be done to widen access to higher education.
He said: “I want every child to have an equal opportunity to go to college and university and to succeed in life, no matter their circumstances.
“This new, detailed analysis provides welcome evidence that we are beginning to make progress in that aim and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
“However, it also demonstrates the scale of the challenge in creating equity and excellence in our education system.”
A spokesman for Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, also welcomed the figures.
He said: “We know the need to widen access to Scotland’s universities will not be solved quickly, but this latest data demonstrates the steps taken by universities are having a tangible impact.”
The spokesman highlighted a number of key initiatives including bridging programmes which help pupils move to university as well as articulation routes where college students can join the second or third year of a university degree.
He added: “There are no silver bullets to address the issue, but the work currently being undertaken will see the sector move further along in the right direction.”
Vonnie Sandlan, president of student body NUS Scotland, said it was encouraging to see progress being made in widening access and narrowing the attainment gap.
But she added: “We should never allow the limited progress we’re seeing to allow for complacency, or accept such incremental steps.
“Each release of figures comes as a reminder that our national targets on widening access will be missed by decades if we continue at the current pace.
“While we’re seeing positive increase in fair access to education, too often the bulk of this is being made up in the same areas, with colleges providing much of the heavy lifting.
“While progress should be cause for celebration, these figures must add to the urgency of doing more.”
In 2012, just over 20 per cent of school leavers in the most deprived areas went straight into higher education from school compared to nearly 59 per cent from the least deprived areas.
In 2016, the percentage of school leavers entering higher education from the most deprived areas rose to 24 per cent with the percentage entering from the least deprived up to 60.5 per cent.
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