Though many young Scots enter Higher Education via articulation programmes run in partnership with local colleges and universities and so do not appear in the UCAS figures, there has been a surge this year in such students going straight into universities.
The latest figures show acceptances up 13% adding to the 7% in the previous year to produce a 20% increase since 2015.
https://news.gov.scot/news/record-number-of-students-from-deprived-areas-get-in-to-university
In England, the increase in acceptances by those from disadvantaged areas has only been 9% since 2007.
https://epi.org.uk/analysis/path-higher-education-obstacles-remain-disadvantaged/
Returning to my opening point, access from disadvantaged areas to HE, including via the articulation courses, might actually suggest a much higher level overall in Scotland. See this quote from last year’s UCAS report:
‘In Scotland, there is a substantial section of provision that is not included in UCAS figures. This is mostly full-time higher education provided in further education colleges which represents around one third of young full-time undergraduate study in Scotland. Consequently, for Scotland, this report reflects the trends in applications that are recruited through UCAS and not, as elsewhere in the UK, full-time undergraduate study in general. ’ (UCAS, 2016)
https://www.ucas.com/sites/default/files/jan-16-deadline-application-rates-report.pdf
Talking-up Scotland 
Good piece of analysis Prof. I’d been confounded by the argument that universal access to free HE wasn’t benefitting those from SIMD 20&40 backgrounds. Now we can see that we were comparing apples with spanners.
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Also, in England, more large ethnic minority families making big sacrifices to send chosen son to Uni?
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If that’s the case then another tick for the SG – families have enough to argue over!
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STV’s depressed expert on running down Scottish Education
has just said compared to 30 / 40 years ago today’s results are ” less Culturally Significant” WTF does that mean.
Hot riveting and Scottish country dancing.
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Less people did Highers or went to Uni the cultural difference? Yes, but so?
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Haha ‘hot riveting,,,’ 😀 . Excellent Clydebuilt, I read that as ‘hot riveting Scottish country dancing’ and it brought tears to my eyes chuckling. Culture for sure. Significant? I don’t have a clue either.
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hot riveting Scottish country dancing? an extreme sport?
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