Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students have (a) started and (b) completed a foundation degree in each of the last 10 years.

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

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 Figures from 2009-10 to 2012-13 are unpublished, but drawn from Regional Profiles analysis of the same population as earlier years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

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

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

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.