representation even more difficult. Disability is not covered by the population census,
and other estimates from National Statistics (e.g.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=795) present sample data in which
serious and mild disabilities are aggregated with long-term illnesses like asthma.
Between 15% and 20% of the child population have reported a disability or long-term
illness in repeated surveys over the past decade. Of these, the majority (over 40%)
suffer from asthma, and others suffer from other illnesses apart from a disability. This
means the proportion of children with a reported disability is very similar to the
proportion of HE students with a disability (6%-7%). The possible under-
representation of the less than 1% of the population with reported ‘serious disabilities’
is too difficult to determine for the same reason as for specific minority ethnic groups.
Table 5 - Percentage of students with dyslexia, UK, 1994/95-2004/05
|
1994/95 |
1999/00 |
2004/05 | |
|
All undergraduates |
0^ |
T |
3 |
|
Full-time first degree |
T |
T |
4^ |
|
Part-time first degree |
0^ |
T |
T |
Source: HESA
One of the simplest classifications, and hence the variable with least missing data of
those covered in this paper, is the sex of the students. The figures from HE and from
the population census strongly suggest that males are under-represented in HE to an
extent that is not true for the available evidence on ethnic minorities, disabled
students, and occupational groups (see below). Since 1994/95, the proportion of
female first degree students in HE has grown considerably, especially among part-
time students in the UK (Table 6). A small part of the explanation may lie in
demographics - there have until recently simply been more women than men in the
relevant age groups of the population. Part of the explanation lies in the purported
underachievement of boys at school (Gorard et al. 2001), and part may be due to
favourable attitudes towards continuing education among young women, especially at
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