Heading for Uni?

Young Scots from disadvantaged areas are four times less likely to go to university than those from wealthy backgrounds, researchershave found. In England, those from the poorest neighbourhoods are 2.4 times less likely to attend university than people in the richest areas. Those in Northern Ireland and Wales are three times less likely to do so.

Sutton Trust chairman, Sir Peter Lampl said: "Scotland faces a shocking access gap and it is vital that the government appoints a strong independent commissioner without delay.

Over the past decade, Scots were more likely than their English counterparts to enter higher education. But they are less likely to go straight to university, and half who go via college repeat at least one year. Their study showed 90% of growth in higher education places for disadvantaged students came from colleges, not universities. In 2013-14, 55% of Scots entered higher education by the age of 30, 34.1% straight from school and 20.9% going to college first. In England, 46.6% entered higher education, with just 6% starting at colleges and other non-university providers.