Failure to track students holding back university access progress, MSPs warn

MSPs have expressed “extreme disappointment” at the Scottish Government’s failure to track students’ progress through the education system.

In a new report, the Education Committee found the issue is likely to be at least part of the reason behind the dip in the percentage of Scots from poorer backgrounds going to university.

The Government has a target to ensure pupils from the 20% most deprived backgrounds make up 20% of full-time, first-degree entrants to higher education by 2030.

Progress has been made over the last decade, with the figure rising from 13.7% in 2013-14 to 16.7% in 2020-21.

However, the figure has since fallen back to 16.3%.

The report found a failure to track students may be holding back progress to widen university access (Jane Barlow/PA). PA Media

The Education Committee said it had identified a number of likely causes for the slight decline which were beyond the Scottish Government’s control, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

But it also identified student tracking as an issue.

Introducing a unique learner number (ULN) was recommended by the Commission for Widening Access in 2016.

However, despite support from across the higher education sector, the current Commissioner for Fair Access and the Scottish Funding Council, MSPs were told the work on ULNs had not progressed.

They were told a ULN would greatly improve the sector’s understanding of students’ education journeys, what works best for their transition into higher education, and what ongoing support they need.

MSPs have also called for the Scottish Government to extend the remit of the Commissioner for Fair Access to include colleges to ensure prospective students benefit from fair access and appropriate support.

Education Committee convener Douglas Ross said the Scottish Government’s aims to widen university access remain ‘achievable’ (Jane Barlow/PA). PA Media

Douglas Ross, the Conservative MSP who convenes the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “The Scottish Government’s widening access targets remain achievable, but there are steps that it should take to ensure it achieves them.

“We were particularly disappointed to hear about the lack of progress made on unique learner numbers.

“The Scottish Government must follow through with the recommendations made by its own previous reviews and start the process of introducing unique learner numbers.

“We’ll be looking for updates from the Scottish Government on the recommendations in the report in the near future.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government continues to make significant progress on widening access. The number of Scots, from the most deprived areas, entering university on full-time first degree courses is up 37% since the establishment of the Commission on Widening Access.

“Recent statistics from HESA also show that the proportion of full-time first degree students from deprived areas in 2023-24 has increased back to 16.7%, with record numbers of Scots from deprived areas accepted to study in 2024, increasing by 11% since 2023.

“Ministers remain resolute in meeting the goal of 20% of all entrants being from the 20% most deprived communities by 2030, and will continue to work constructively with the sector. Whilst we recognise the potential benefits of a unique learner number, it is a wide-ranging issue requiring careful consideration and we continue to explore how this could be delivered for Scotland.

“Our continued pledge to keep tuition fees free is also ensuring that access to higher education is based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay.”