Student retention rates at higher education institutions in this country compare very well internationally. The UK ranks fifth in the OECD for first degree completion rates, out of 23 countries who report data in this area. A university education is now open to more students than ever before and the Government are totally committed to providing opportunities for all people to achieve their potential and to maximise their talent.
While there has been a slight increase in non-completion for the 2005/06 academic year, the proportion is lower than for most years for which data are available and is much lower than in the late 1990s.
This has been achieved and maintained during a period when the student population has increased and its diversity widened.
(a) The latest available information on entrants to higher education courses is shown in Table 1. Comparable figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
Academic years Local authority 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 City of London 85 195 220 205 190 235 215 250 180 200 Camden 2,870 3,285 3,420 3,605 3,560 3,880 3,995 4,070 3,960 3,810 Greenwich 2,120 2,465 2,570 2,775 3,125 3,315 3,515 3,620 3,590 3,565 Hackney 2,490 3,005 3,265 3,330 3,615 3,860 3,980 4,265 4,200 4,200 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,810 2,030 2,260 2,345 2,365 2,550 2,725 2,705 2,740 2,560 Islington 2,280 2,975 3,035 3,300 3,230 3,525 3,695 3,780 3,630 3,625 Kensington and Chelsea 1,775 2,080 2,155 2,115 2,220 2,330 2,250 2,390 2,300 2,175 Lambeth 3,510 4,185 4,295 4,415 4,745 5,010 5,005 5,240 5,185 5,080 Lewisham 3,080 3,760 3,925 4,005 4,395 4,625 4,725 4,915 4,810 4,825 Southwark 3,430 4,140 4,140 4,300 4,605 4,820 5,320 5,390 5,075 4,955 Tower Hamlets 1,645 2,115 2,345 2,560 2,795 3,210 3,270 3,420 3,420 3,425 Wandsworth 3,130 3,880 3,905 3,830 3,940 4,450 4,725 4,685 4,505 4,535 Westminster 2,305 2,820 2,940 2,960 3,115 3,455 3,400 3,595 3,365 3,340 Barking and Dagenham 765 1,075 1,005 1,040 1,250 1,605 1,630 1,815 1,875 1,905 Barnet 4,380 5,080 5,320 5,430 5,510 6,110 5,830 6,175 6,195 5,945 Bexley 1,510 1,805 1,755 2,015 2,135 2,185 2,410 2,485 2,610 2,575 Brent 3,660 4,430 4,450 4,715 4,830 4,945 4,890 5,005 4,815 4,725 Bromley 2,690 3,120 3,340 3,435 3,505 3,850 4,000 4,150 4,000 3,910 Croydon 2,870 3,585 3,755 4,115 4,115 4,415 4,580 4,675 4,800 4,765 Ealing 3,715 4,670 4,880 5,030 5,265 5,420 5,280 5,500 5,405 5,355 Enfield 3,125 3,600 3,790 3,920 4,100 4,340 4,420 4,660 4,695 4,480 Haringey 3,265 4,000 3,970 4,025 4,060 4,385 4,340 4,515 4,430 4,320 Harrow 2,820 3,330 3,575 3,590 3,740 3,995 3,950 4,090 3,985 3,895 Havering 1,335 1,730 1,630 1,640 1,730 1,930 2,035 2,420 2,240 2,120 Hillingdon 1,925 2,405 2,650 2,790 2,840 3,095 3,125 3,175 3,265 3,240 Hounslow 2,070 2,670 2,845 3,015 2,940 3,060 3,150 3,245 3,255 3,210 Kingston upon Thames 1,215 1,895 1,950 2,010 2,165 2,405 2,460 2,525 2,585 2,460 Merton 1,765 2,225 2,355 2,470 2,565 2,760 2,825 2,870 2,840 2,770 Newham 2,660 3,210 3,415 3,525 3,960 4,400 4,355 4,410 4,465 4,540 Redbridge 2,685 3,340 3,270 3,375 3,865 4,160 4,105 4,120 4,255 4,255 Richmond upon Thames 1,830 2,405 2,485 2,385 2,540 2,645 2,760 3,050 2,965 2,895 Sutton 1,255 1,730 1,665 1,835 1,935 2,050 2,140 2,300 2,330 2,200 Waltham Forest 2,420 3,110 3,030 3,085 3,515 3,830 3,700 4,030 3,715 3,870 1 Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December to maintain a consistent time series across all years and are rounded to the nearest five. Figures include the Open University but exclude those on writing up, sabbatical or dormant mode of study. 2 Covers entrants to postgraduate and undergraduate HE level courses in UK higher education institutions. 3 London boroughs have been taken to be local authority areas. Students are allocated to local authority area by postcode; figures exclude students with missing or invalid postcodes. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
(b) The standard measure of non-completion is the proportion of UK-domiciled full-time first degree starters of all ages who are projected to neither obtain an award nor transfer to another institution. The available information for higher education institutions in the UK and England are shown in Table 2. This figure is not disaggregated below national level.
Percentage UK England 1997/98 15.7 15.8 1998/99 15.8 15.9 1999/2000 15.8 15.8 2000/01 15.0 15.0 2001/02 14.1 13.8 2002/03 14.4 13.9 2003/04 14.9 14.4 2004/05 14.2 13.8 2005/06 14.1 13.9 Note: The projected outcomes for a cohort are based on the assumption that their patterns of progression will follow those of students currently in the system. A student is assumed to have left with no award if they have been inactive for two years. Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).