Social class and sex differences in absolute and relative educational attainment in England, Scotland and Wales since the middle of the twentieth century

Figures & data

Table 1. Sources of data.

Year by which survey referred to in text	Birth year	Age at which highest educational attainment and highest social class measured
1963	1936	27
1982	1946	26 and 36
1991	1958	23 and 33
2000	1970	26 and 30
2014	1975–93	25 to 35

Table 2. Highest educational attainment at age c.30, by survey and nation.

Survey year	Higher degree	Degree	Sub-degree higher education	Senior secondary	Mid-secondary	Low	None	Sample size
England
1982	1	6	8	12	20	8	45	3,315
1991	3	9	15	14	35	14	10	6,236
2000	3	18	11	20	27	9	13	7,975
2014	8	23	10	28	23	3	4	9,385
Scotland
1963	0	5	8	4	16	17	52	1,084
1982	1	6	5	14	12	9	53	498
1991	3	8	16	21	32	2	18	868
2000	4	17	13	20	23	8	14	915
2014	11	21	17	30	16	2	3	1,065
Wales
1982	3	5	5	7	21	13	46	220
1991	4	9	12	10	37	10	18	425
2000	3	18	12	17	26	7	17	590
2014	7	21	11	29	23	4	5	865

Percentages in rows. 1982 and 2014 percentages are weighted.

Table 3. Social class of upbringing, by survey and nation.

Survey year	I	II	III	IV	V	Unclassified
England
1982	2	6	43	22	6	22
1991	6	27	51	11	3	3
2000	7	32	47	7	1	6
2014	11	39	43	7	1	0
Scotland
1963	2	9	54	18	17	0
1982	2	6	38	25	6	22
1991	4	19	55	17	4	2
2000	7	29	49	8	2	6
2014	11	39	42	8	0	0
Wales
1982	1	9	40	15	9	27
1991	6	25	50	11	5	4
2000	5	32	45	11	2	5
2014	9	38	44	9	1	0

Percentages in rows. For sample sizes, see Table 2. 1982 and 2014 percentages are weighted.

Father’s class for 1963 and 1982 surveys; higher of father’s and mother’s class for 1991, 2000 and 2014 surveys.

2014 percentages include imputed data: see text.

Table 4. Social class of destination at age c.30, by survey and nation.

Survey year	I	II	III	IV	V	Unclassified
England
1982	6	21	48	11	1	13
1991	6	32	48	10	2	3
2000	7	34	38	8	1	12
2014	6	36	34	8	2	15
Scotland
1963	4	14	58	15	9	0
1982	4	20	43	14	2	17
1991	6	33	44	12	3	3
2000	7	32	35	9	1	16
2014	7	31	37	10	2	13
Wales
1982	4	22	48	14	2	9
1991	4	29	50	12	2	3
2000	6	31	33	8	2	20
2014	8	30	36	10	4	13

Percentages in rows. For sample sizes, see Table 2. 1982 and 2014 percentages are weighted.

Figure 1. Attainment of full secondary education or better, by sex, class, year and nation.

Average standard error: England, 2.0; Scotland, 4.9; Wales, 6.8. Source: predicted values from Model 3 in Table A1.

Figure 2. Education score (common metric), by sex, class, year and nation.

‘Common metric’ means that the score is measured in the same way in all three nations: see text. Average standard error: England, 1.1; Scotland, 2.8; Wales, 3.6. Source: predicted values from Model 4 in Table A1.

Figure 3. Education score (nationally specific metrics), by sex, class, year and nation.

‘Nationally specific metrics’ means that the score is measured differently in each nation: see text. Average standard error: England, 1.1; Scotland, 2.8; Wales, 3.7. Source predicted values from Model 5 in Table A1.

Figure 4. Attainment of full secondary education or better, by sex, nation, year and class.

Same data as Figure 1.

Figure 5. Attainment of full secondary education or better, by sex, year and class: Scotland only.

Average standard error: 4.8. Source: predicted values from Model 3 in Table A3.

Figure 6. Education score (common metric), by sex, nation, year and class. Same data as Figure 2.

Figure 7. Education score (common metric), by sex, year and class: Scotland only.

‘Common metric’ means that the score is measured in the same way in all three nations: see text. Average standard error: 2.6. Source: predicted values from Model 4 in Table A3.

Figure 8. Entry to managerial and professional class, by sex, class, year and nation:people who attained full secondary education or better.

Average standard error: England, 2.8; Scotland, 5.8; Wales, 7.8. Source: predicted values from Model 3 in Table A2.

Figure 9. Entry to managerial and professional class, by sex, class, year and nation:people who attained university degree.

Average standard error: England, 4.0; Scotland, 7.0; Wales, 9.0. Source: predicted values from Model 1 in Table A2.

Figure 10. Entry to managerial and professional class, by sex, class, year and nation:people at upper quartile of common metric of relative attainment.

‘Common metric’ means that the score is measured in the same way in all three nations: see text. Average standard error: England, 2.5; Scotland, 5.7; Wales, 7.5. Source: predicted values from Model 4 in Table A2.