Current status highest educational or vocational qualification. The information is updated each year to include the most recent qualifications of new entrants and existing panel members. The last highest qualification derived variable is fed forward and then updated with new qualifications obtained. From Wave 2 onward this also includes information fed forward from the BHPS. Note that not all respondents were ever asked the highest educational qualification question (qfhigh); the group is mainly comprised of BHPS respondents and Rising 16s who had a youth interview in Wave 1 and were incorrectly routed out of the initial conditions module in Wave 2. From Wave 6 onwards it also includes members of the Immigrant and Ethnic Minority Boost Sample (IEMB) who provided an adult interview and reported that their highest qualification was obtained abroad (see qfhighoth). Highest qualifications (see qfhigh_dv, nqfhigh_dv and hiqual_dv) may be picked up through QUALNEW or TRQUAL for these groups but may be additional to pre-existing (potentially higher) qualifications. The variable qfhighfl_dv flags whether a respondent has ever been asked the initial conditions highest qualification question (qfhigh).
See look up table hiqual_dv for the corresponding matches between the various highest qualification variables.
Current status highest educational or vocational qualification. The information is updated each year to include the most recent qualifications of new entrants and existing panel members. The last highest qualification derived variable is fed forward and then updated with new qualifications obtained. From Wave 2 onward this also includes information fed forward from the BHPS. Note that not all respondents were ever asked the highest educational qualification question (qfhigh); the group is mainly comprised of BHPS respondents and Rising 16s who had a youth interview in Wave 1 and were incorrectly routed out of the initial conditions module in Wave 2. From Wave 6 onwards it also includes members of the Immigrant and Ethnic Minority Boost Sample (IEMB) who provided an adult interview and reported that their highest qualification was obtained abroad (see qfhighoth). Highest qualifications (see qfhigh_dv, nqfhigh_dv and hiqual_dv) may be picked up through QUALNEW or TRQUAL for these groups but may be additional to pre-existing (potentially higher) qualifications. The variable qfhighfl_dv flags whether a respondent has ever been asked the initial conditions highest qualification question (qfhigh).
See look up table hiqual_dv for the corresponding matches between the various highest qualification variables.
Uses HIQUAL_DV on data file INDRESP Uses NHIQUAL_DV/
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
34
0.1%
inapplicable
-8
820
2.5%
Degree
1
10562
32.15%
Other higher degree
2
3962
12.06%
A-level etc
3
6598
20.09%
GCSE etc
4
6311
19.21%
Other qualification
5
2298
7.0%
No qualification
9
2264
6.89%
Total
32849
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
82
0.23%
inapplicable
-8
990
2.79%
Degree
1
11200
31.58%
Other higher degree
2
4222
11.9%
A-level etc
3
7112
20.05%
GCSE etc
4
6764
19.07%
Other qualification
5
2549
7.19%
No qualification
9
2552
7.19%
Total
35471
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
25
0.09%
inapplicable
-8
424
1.51%
Degree
1
8628
30.82%
Other higher degree
2
3529
12.6%
A-level etc
3
5865
20.95%
GCSE etc
4
5341
19.08%
Other qualification
5
2094
7.48%
No qualification
9
2092
7.47%
Total
27998
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
18
0.06%
inapplicable
-8
393
1.34%
Degree
1
8881
30.34%
Other higher degree
2
3674
12.55%
A-level etc
3
6153
21.02%
GCSE etc
4
5592
19.1%
Other qualification
5
2265
7.74%
No qualification
9
2295
7.84%
Total
29271
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
28
0.09%
inapplicable
-8
463
1.45%
Degree
1
9230
28.84%
Other higher degree
2
3930
12.28%
A-level etc
3
6730
21.03%
GCSE etc
4
6219
19.43%
Other qualification
5
2577
8.05%
No qualification
9
2831
8.84%
Total
32008
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
30
0.09%
inapplicable
-8
595
1.73%
Degree
1
9425
27.46%
Other higher degree
2
4149
12.09%
A-level etc
3
7170
20.89%
GCSE etc
4
6729
19.61%
Other qualification
5
2869
8.36%
No qualification
9
3352
9.77%
Total
34319
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
31
0.09%
inapplicable
-8
676
1.87%
Degree
1
9552
26.49%
Other higher degree
2
4274
11.85%
A-level etc
3
7596
21.07%
GCSE etc
4
7071
19.61%
Other qualification
5
3083
8.55%
No qualification
9
3775
10.47%
Total
36058
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
51
0.13%
inapplicable
-8
807
2.05%
Degree
1
10058
25.6%
Other higher degree
2
4660
11.86%
A-level etc
3
8326
21.19%
GCSE etc
4
7726
19.66%
Other qualification
5
3388
8.62%
No qualification
9
4278
10.89%
Total
39294
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
62
0.15%
inapplicable
-8
1025
2.43%
Degree
1
10404
24.67%
Other higher degree
2
4891
11.6%
A-level etc
3
8985
21.31%
GCSE etc
4
8348
19.8%
Other qualification
5
3653
8.66%
No qualification
9
4802
11.39%
Total
42170
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
1699
3.76%
inapplicable
-8
132
0.29%
Degree
1
10697
23.67%
Other higher degree
2
5067
11.21%
A-level etc
3
9498
21.02%
GCSE etc
4
8878
19.65%
Other qualification
5
3935
8.71%
No qualification
9
5286
11.7%
Total
45192
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
31
0.07%
inapplicable
-8
158
0.35%
Degree
1
10446
23.3%
Other higher degree
2
5061
11.29%
A-level etc
3
9672
21.57%
GCSE etc
4
9362
20.88%
Other qualification
5
4132
9.22%
No qualification
9
5975
13.33%
Total
44837
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
41
0.09%
inapplicable
-8
178
0.38%
Degree
1
10661
22.65%
Other higher degree
2
5303
11.27%
A-level etc
3
9989
21.22%
GCSE etc
4
9934
21.1%
Other qualification
5
4426
9.4%
No qualification
9
6542
13.9%
Total
47074
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
61
0.12%
inapplicable
-8
211
0.42%
Degree
1
10894
21.92%
Other higher degree
2
5513
11.09%
A-level etc
3
10422
20.97%
GCSE etc
4
10487
21.1%
Other qualification
5
4806
9.67%
No qualification
9
7298
14.69%
Total
49692
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
69
0.13%
inapplicable
-8
566
1.04%
Degree
1
11363
20.82%
Other higher degree
2
5937
10.88%
A-level etc
3
11112
20.36%
GCSE etc
4
11462
21.0%
Other qualification
5
5434
9.96%
No qualification
9
8625
15.81%
Total
54568
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
92
0.18%
Degree
1
10954
21.48%
Other higher
2
5537
10.86%
A level etc
3
9591
18.81%
GCSE etc
4
10526
20.64%
Other qual
5
5225
10.25%
No qual
9
9069
17.78%
Total
50994
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
316
2.19%
Degree
1
2146
14.88%
Other higher
2
1198
8.31%
A level etc
3
3358
23.29%
GCSE etc
4
3390
23.51%
Other qualification
5
1443
10.01%
No qualification
9
2568
17.81%
Total
14419
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
337
2.27%
Degree
1
2121
14.26%
Other higher
2
1244
8.36%
A level etc
3
3382
22.74%
GCSE etc
4
3563
23.96%
Other qualification
5
1501
10.09%
No qualification
9
2725
18.32%
Total
14873
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
391
2.54%
Degree
1
2143
13.92%
Other higher
2
1293
8.4%
A level etc
3
3404
22.12%
GCSE etc
4
3689
23.97%
Other qualification
5
1523
9.89%
No qualification
9
2949
19.16%
Total
15392
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
424
2.71%
Degree
1
2127
13.62%
Other higher
2
1305
8.36%
A level etc
3
3385
21.68%
GCSE etc
4
3727
23.87%
Other qualification
5
1535
9.83%
No qualification
9
3114
19.94%
Total
15617
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
404
2.56%
Degree
1
2086
13.21%
Other higher
2
1348
8.54%
A level etc
3
3357
21.26%
GCSE etc
4
3725
23.59%
Other qualification
5
1544
9.78%
No qualification
9
3327
21.07%
Total
15791
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
467
2.88%
Degree
1
2057
12.67%
Other higher
2
1391
8.57%
A level etc
3
3407
20.98%
GCSE etc
4
3791
23.35%
Other qualification
5
1565
9.64%
No qualification
9
3560
21.92%
Total
16238
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
349
2.1%
Degree
1
2062
12.42%
Other higher
2
1408
8.48%
A level etc
3
3385
20.4%
GCSE etc
4
3903
23.52%
Other qualification
5
1623
9.78%
No qualification
9
3867
23.3%
Total
16597
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
462
2.45%
Degree
1
2128
11.28%
Other higher
2
1560
8.27%
A level etc
3
3701
19.62%
GCSE etc
4
4379
23.21%
Other qualification
5
1863
9.87%
No qualification
9
4774
25.3%
Total
18867
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
271
1.74%
Degree
1
1743
11.17%
Other higher
2
1350
8.65%
A level etc
3
3069
19.67%
GCSE etc
4
3714
23.8%
Other qualification
5
1560
10.0%
No qualification
9
3896
24.97%
Total
15603
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
295
1.89%
Degree
1
1644
10.52%
Other higher
2
1346
8.62%
A level etc
3
3006
19.24%
GCSE etc
4
3668
23.48%
Other qualification
5
1553
9.94%
No qualification
9
4111
26.31%
Total
15623
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
191
1.75%
Degree
1
1110
10.18%
Other higher
2
863
7.91%
A level etc
3
2047
18.77%
GCSE etc
4
2719
24.93%
Other qualification
5
1195
10.96%
No qualification
9
2781
25.5%
Total
10906
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
259
2.31%
Degree
1
1048
9.36%
Other higher
2
879
7.85%
A level etc
3
2079
18.57%
GCSE etc
4
2749
24.56%
Other qualification
5
1201
10.73%
No qualification
9
2978
26.61%
Total
11193
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
156
1.65%
Degree
1
956
10.13%
Other higher
2
756
8.01%
A level etc
3
1821
19.29%
GCSE etc
4
2361
25.02%
Other qualification
5
1020
10.81%
No qualification
9
2368
25.09%
Total
9438
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
191
2.07%
Degree
1
889
9.61%
Other higher
2
731
7.9%
A level etc
3
1744
18.86%
GCSE etc
4
2291
24.77%
Other qualification
5
991
10.71%
No qualification
9
2412
26.08%
Total
9249
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
204
2.15%
Degree
1
870
9.18%
Other higher
2
738
7.78%
A level etc
3
1708
18.01%
GCSE etc
4
2322
24.49%
Other qualification
5
1063
11.21%
No qualification
9
2576
27.17%
Total
9481
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
224
2.33%
Degree
1
833
8.68%
Other higher
2
715
7.45%
A level etc
3
1668
17.38%
GCSE etc
4
2371
24.7%
Other qualification
5
1061
11.05%
No qualification
9
2728
28.42%
Total
9600
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
289
2.94%
Degree
1
779
7.91%
Other higher
2
709
7.2%
A level etc
3
1658
16.84%
GCSE etc
4
2358
23.95%
Other qualification
5
1077
10.94%
No qualification
9
2975
30.22%
Total
9845
100.0%
Value label
Value
Absolute frequency
Relative frequency
missing
-9
371
3.61%
Degree
1
720
7.01%
Other higher
2
711
6.93%
A level etc
3
1583
15.42%
GCSE etc
4
2408
23.46%
Other qualification
5
1122
10.93%
No qualification
9
3349
32.63%
Total
10264
100.0%
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The Economic and Social Research Council is the primary funder of the study
The Study is led by a team at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex.