Foundation Degrees

(asked on 16th June 2014) - View Source

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many and what proportion of foundation degrees have been delivered by (a) further education colleges and (b) universities in each of the last 10 years.


Answered by
Lord Willetts Portrait
Lord Willetts
This question was answered on 19th June 2014

The available information is shown in the tables. The Tables have been compiled by the Higher Education Funding Council and describe the number of Foundation Degree entrants (Table 1) and Qualifiers (Table 2) and those who transfer from HEIs to honours degree level (Table 3a and 3b). The Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) has derived these figures from the HESA standard population (HEIs) and the equivalent population at Further Education Colleges (FECs). Some of the data has been published in the 2010 HEFCE report “Foundation Degree: Key statistics 2001/02 to 2009/10”. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2010/201012/10_12.pdf).

It has not been possible for HEFCE to complete time series data for FECs for all years because of the disproportionate cost in providing this analysis.

Table 1 - Foundation Degree entrants

The number and proportion of UK-domiciled foundation degree entrants at Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges in England between 2004/05 and 2012/13, split by the type of registering institution.

Number of foundation degree entrants (UK-domiciled foundation degree entrants at HEIs and FECs in England)

Full person equivalent (FPE) numbers, which have been rounded to the nearest 5

2012-13 data is provisional and subject to change

Type of registering institution

HEI

FEC

Year of entry

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Total

2004-05

14,785

75%

4,800

25%

19,585

2005-06

20,750

77%

6,180

23%

26,930

2006-07

24,510

73%

8,325

25%

33,735

2007-08

31,370

77%

9,400

23%

40,770

2008-09

35,600

75%

11,900

25%

47,495

2009-10

38,865

71%

14,200

26%

54,950

2010-11

35,685

71%

13,125

26%

49,920

2011-12

33,845

70%

13,770

28%

48,350

2012-13

21,090

59%

14,150

40%

35,700

Source: HEFCE analysis of the HESA standard registration population at English HEIs, and the equivalent population at English further education colleges, 2005-06 to 2012-13

Note:

1. Figures up to 2008-09 are as published in "Foundation degree: Key statistics 2001-02 to 2009-10" (Table 3 of HEFCE 2010/12, http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2010/201012/10_12.pdf)

2. Figures from 2009-10 to 2012-13 are unpublished, but drawn from Regional Profiles analysis of the same population as earlier years

The figures since 2009/10 show a decline in foundation degree entrants registered at English HEIs with a particularly sharp decline in 2012/13. Some of the reasons for this trend are discussed in the HEFCE report “Undergraduate courses other than first degrees: an analysis of recent trends” published in April 2014.

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201408c/HEFCE2014_08c.pdf -

Table 2 - Foundation Degree Qualifiers

Number of foundation degree qualifiers (UK-domiciled foundation degree qualifiers at HEIs and FECs in England)

Full person equivalent (FPE) numbers, which have been rounded to the nearest 5

Source: HEFCE analysis of the HESA standard qualifiers population at English HEIs, and the equivalent population at English further education colleges, 2005-06 to 2012-13

Year of foundation degree qualification awarded

Type of registering institution

HEI

FEC

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

2004-05

4,615

..

..

..

2005-06

7,225

..

..

..

2006-07

8,995

..

..

..

2007-08

11,435

..

..

..

2008-09

14,355

72%

5,530

28%

2009-10

19,500

75%

6,390

25%

2010-11

21,520

73%

7,870

27%

2011-12

25,200

.

..

.

2012-13

23,245

.

..

.

Note:

1. Figures prior to 2008/09 were neither derived or published for FECs because of incomplete data on qualifications awarded being recorded on the Individual Learning Record (ILR)

2. Figures for FECs from 2011/12 can only be provided at disproportionate cost. No information available.

3. Figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11 are unpublished, but drawn from updated analysis of the same population and on the same basis as earlier years

4. HESA standard qualifications obtained at English HEIs from 2011/12. These figures are similar but not directly comparable with earlier years.

. Not Applicable

..Not Available

Table 3a and 3b shows the number of UK Domicile students being awarded a foundation degree who progress in the following academic year from an HEI to study an Honours Programme. Table 3a is not comparable with Table 3b. The figures shown in Table 3a (up to 2009/10) are derived from analysis produced by HEFCE. The data in Table 3b shows qualifiers derived from the HESA standard qualifications obtained population (Table 3b). However, these figures can only be linked forward to study undertaken at a UK HEI (in the following academic year).

Table 3a Foundation Degree qualifiers progressing to an Honours Programme (Sector-wide)

Progression to honours programme (UK-domiciled foundation degree qualifiers registered at HEIs in England)

Full person equivalent (FPE) numbers, which have been rounded to the nearest 5

Note: Progression of qualifiers from HEIs only

Year of foundation degree qualification awarded, progression to honours degree study in the following academic year

Honours programme registered at the same institution

Honours programme registered at a different UK HEI or English FEC

Not on honours programme in following academic year

Number of qualifiers

Proportion

Number of qualifiers

Proportion

Number of qualifiers

Proportion

2003-04, Honours degree in 2004-05

1,140

47%

160

7%

1,110

46%

2004-05, Honours degree in 2005-06

2,260

50%

225

5%

2,080

46%

2005-06, Honours degree in 2006-07

3,385

47%

455

6%

3,385

47%

2006-07, Honours degree in 2007-08

4,415

49%

530

6%

4,050

45%

2007-08, Honours degree in 2008-09

5,290

46%

870

8%

5,275

46%

2008-09, Honours degree in 2009-10

6,530

45%

1,095

8%

6,730

47%

2009-10, Honours degree in 2010-11

8,775

45%

1,130

6%

9,590

49%

Source: HEFCE analysis of the HESA standard qualifiers population at English HEIs, 2003-04 to 2009-10

Note:

1. Figures up to 2007-08 qualifiers are as published in "Foundation degree: Key statistics 2001-02 to 2009-10"

2. Figures are only available for the foundation degree qualifiers from HEIs (only). Figures for qualifiers from FECs who transfer to Honours are not available because of incomplete data qualifications (prior to 2008/09) and disproportionate cost in producing this analysis for FECs (2008/09).

Table 3b - Foundation Degree qualifiers progressing to an Honours Programme (HEI to HEI)

Progression to honours programme (UK-domiciled foundation degree qualifiers registered at HEIs in England)

Full person equivalent (FPE) numbers, which have been rounded to the nearest 5

Note: Progression of qualifiers from HEIs only, into honours programmes at HEIs only

Year of foundation degree qualification awarded, progression to honours degree study in the following academic year

Honours programme registered at any UK HEI

Not on honours programme at any UK HEI in following academic year

Number of qualifiers

Proportion

Number of qualifiers

Proportion

2010-11, Honours degree in 2011-12

12,480

49%

13,090

51%

2011-12, Honours degree in 2012-13

12,660

50%

12,540

50%

Source: HESA standard qualifications obtained population at English HEIs, linked to any honours degree study registered at a UK HEI in the year following qualification awarded

Note:

1. Figures are not directly comparable with those provided above.

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