Scotland
Without a basic qualification at age 19
Key points
- The proportion of 19-year-olds lacking basic qualifications in Scotland has fluctuated over the last decade but without any clear trend. Overall, between a fifth and a quarter of 19-year-olds lack SVQ2 or equivalent while up to one in ten have no qualifications at all.
- The proportion of 19- to 24-year-olds failing to achieve basic qualifications in Scotland is lower than elsewhere in the UK.
Graph 1: Over time
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Graph 2: Compared to the UK
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Definitions and data sources
The graph shows the proportion of 19-year-olds who lack an SVQ2 or equivalent, with those lacking any Standard Grades at Level 6 or above shown separately.
SVQ2 or equivalent includes those with 5 or more Standard Grades Credit level (Standard Grades 1-2), GNVQ intermediate, RSA diploma, City and Guilds craft, BTEC, SCOTVEC first or general diploma, 'A' levels and 5 or more 'O' Levels/GCSEs grade A-C.
The second graph shows, for the latest year, how the proportion of 19- to 24-year-olds without a basic qualification varies by region (a five year age group being chosen because the same sizes for 19-year-olds only is very small). Again, the data is shown separately for those without SVQ2/NVQ2 or equivalent and those without any Standard Grades at Level 6 or above (or any GCSEs at grade G or above). To improve statistical reliability, the figures are the averages for the years 2004 to 2006.
The data source for both graphs is the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The figures for each year are the average for the four quarters of the relevant year. Respondents who did not answer the questions required to perform the analysis have been excluded from the relevant graphs.
Overall adequacy of the indicator: limited. The LFS is a well-established, quarterly survey designed to be representative of the population as whole. However, a) the sample sizes for 19-year-olds are very small, b) the Department for Education and Skills has recently concluded (see review summary) that, for some reason, LFS appears to overstate academic achievement in comparison with administrative sources, and furthermore that the range and diversity of vocational qualifications has grown in recent year and it is difficult for LFS to accurately capture these. They therefore prefer to use administrative sources to analyse this issue, and conclude that the proportion of 19-year-olds without NVQ2 in England is around a third (rather than a quarter) and that this proportion has been reducing in recent years (rather than being flat).