College sector overview report 2022 to 2023: Analysis of learner data from 2021 to 2022
SFC produces college performance indicators (PIs) annually for the previous academic year. In addition, SFC produces an accompanying overview report which analyses data patterns and trends over a number of years. The most recent reports can be found on the Scottish Funding Council website.
The purpose of this data and associated indicators is to inform stakeholders about the performance of the sector in relation to learner outcomes. The reported PIs support the evaluation of the performance of learners by level of programme and hours of study, both over time and against other similar colleges. The PIs can be monitored and analysed to compare the performance of groups of learners of specific interest, for example those with protected characteristics or care-experienced learners, thereby supporting the wider college sector improvement.
In response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, measures put in place to protect staff and students were less restrictive than previous years but still had an impact on colleges’ ability to deliver practical learning and teaching in some curriculum areas at the beginning of 2021 to 2022. Some learners who had opted to defer programme completion returned to their college programmes.
Colleges also faced challenges in supporting cohorts of learners who had experienced two years of disrupted schooling. Full consideration should be given to these exceptional circumstances and context when looking at the data and making direct comparisons with pre-pandemic statistics.
The overall profile of the college learner population has changed over time. There has been a significant decline in full-time FE and HE recruitment over the past six years. Recruitment to full-time programmes at FE level increased marginally in 2021 to 2022, but recruitment to full-time HE provision declined. However, these figures do not include learners who deferred enrolment to the following academic year. Fewer female learners enrolled on HE programmes in 2021 to 2022.
Many subject areas experienced a decline in full-time FE enrolments. However, recruitment to languages and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programmes increased compared with the previous year. Construction has also experienced a rise in recruitment on the previous year.
Recruitment to part-time programmes at HE level declined slightly. However, recruitment increased to part-time FE. Over 4,000 young people started a Foundation Apprenticeship, an increase from the previous year.
The numbers of care-experienced learners, learners with a disability and learners under 18 years of age enrolling on college programmes have increased significantly since 2018. There has been a marginal rise in enrolments for the 21- to 24-year-old age group, and for those aged over 40. However, there has been an overall decline in enrolments of learners aged 18 to 40.
Around 60% of learners on full-time programmes left college having achieved their qualification. The remaining 40% of learners left college with no or only partial attainment.
Overall rates of successful completion have declined over time, particularly for full-time programmes.
For 2021 to 2022, full-time learner attainment rates are at the lowest level since 2017 to 2018 for both FE and HE and have declined since the pandemic.
The overall rate of successful completion for full-time FE programmes declined to 59% and was lower than pre-pandemic levels. Overall rates of learner withdrawal were higher than the previous year and higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Rates of learner withdrawal from full-time FE programmes were higher than pre-pandemic levels and were higher compared with the previous year.
Overall rates of completion with partial success for full-time FE learners were in line with the previous year but higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Overall rates of successful completion for part-time FE learners were in line with the previous year but lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Male learners have a higher rate of successful completion for FE programmes compared with female learners.
The overall rate of successful completion for learners on full-time HE programmes declined and was lower than pre-pandemic levels. However, the success rate for part-time HE learners increased. The overall rate of full-time HE learner withdrawal increased significantly from the previous year and was the highest withdrawal rate for full-time HE learners to date. The rate of HE learners completing their programmes with partial success increased.
The gap in attainment between some learner groups and the rest of the learner population widened in 2021 to 2022.
Care-experienced
The overall rate of successful completion for care-experienced learners fell, although rates of completion with partial success remained steady. The number of care-experienced learners who withdrew from their programme increased from the previous year.
Learners from disadvantaged backgrounds
The gap in attainment between learners from the most deprived backgrounds and the rest of the learner population remained constant, but the rate of learner withdrawal for this group increased. The gap in attainment between the most deprived learners and the rest of the learner population varied between colleges.
Ethnic minorities
The rate of successful completion for learners from ethnic minorities fell compared with the previous year. The rate of completion with partial success increased. However, the rate of learner withdrawal decreased slightly from the previous year.
Learners with a disability
The rate of successful completion for learners declaring a disability fell. Rates of partial success and withdrawal increased on the previous year.
Learners by age group
Rates for successful completion for learners in all age groups declined over the past year. Rates of partial success and withdrawal both increased. The biggest decline in successful outcomes was for learners aged 18 to 20.
Successful outcomes for learners aged 20 and under was lower than for those aged 21 and over. Younger learners were more likely to withdraw from their programme or complete with partial success.
Variation in learner retention and attainment rates between colleges remained significant. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these differences for AY 2021-22.
For FE programmes, nine colleges had overall full-time learner attainment rates programmes that were either below or well below the sector average.
For HE programmes, eight colleges had overall full-time learner attainment rates that were either below or well below the sector average.
Five colleges were below the sector average for both full-time FE and HE learner attainment.
Colleges with higher-than-average performance in retention or partial success had higher rates of learner successful completion. Smaller colleges had better-than-average learner retention rates.
Some subject areas had lower national rates of learner successful completion than others. This has been a trend for some time. Several colleges had persistently low learner attainment rates across multiple subjects. It is important to note that these issues pre-date the pandemic in these colleges.
Full-time further education
low overall rates of learner success were seen in:
- social sciences
- science
- sport and leisure
- hospitality and tourism
- business
- management and administration
- hairdressing, beauty and complementary therapies
- computing and ICT
The lowest levels of recruitment and highest levels of learner withdrawal were in:
- hospitality and tourism
- education and training
- science
- business
- management and administration
- care programmes
The rates of attainment for construction, art and design, engineering and English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) were higher.
Full-time higher education
low national successful completion rates were seen in:
- business, management and administration
- social sciences
- sports and leisure
- computing and ICT
- hospitality and tourism
Higher success rates were seen in:
- performing arts
- media
- hairdressing, beauty and complimentary therapies
The highest rates of learner withdrawal were in:
- hospitality and tourism
- land-based industries
- education and training
- social subjects
- care
- business, management and administration
- science programmes
