Diversity in the profession: Fast facts

Diversity: gender

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

This data is provided for the purpose of considering the gender diversity of the speech and language therapy profession. All data is rounded according to HESA standard rounding methodology. It remains the property of RCSLT and should not be passed on or published without further permission.

Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18; HESA Student Record 2018/19. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.

Overview

• Overall gender split of the student population has remained relatively steady over the years for which we have data.
• On the face of it there is little difference between the post-graduate and undergraduate routes in terms of gender split, but;
• Almost 83% of male students start their course at the age of 21 or over;
• Use of the Polar 4 socio-economic methodology shows up there is a significantly greater percentage of male SLTs from more disadvantaged areas – though note that polar 4 for over 21s is based on the student’s postcode not the parents’. That said there is a similar trend for 18-21 year olds.
• Male student admission has fallen to 3.4% for those who started in 2018. The absolute number of male admissions was the same in 2017 and 2018 against a backdrop of an increase in overall student numbers.

Speech and language therapy students and admissions

Speech and language therapy students by gender 2014-2019

	2018-19		2017-18		2016-17		2015-16		2014-15
Gender	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Female	2625	96	2530	95.1	2550	94.9	2545	95.2	2580	95.3
Male	110	4	130	4.9	135	5.1	125	4.8	125	4.7
Total*	2735	100	2660	100	2690	100	2670	100	2710	100

* These figures have been rounded up so not all the columns will add up

SLT student admissions 2014 – 2019

	2018-19		2017-18		2016-17		2015-16		2014-15
Gender	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Female	960	96.6	820	95.9	820	94.4	790	94.9	775	94.9
Male	35	3.4	35	4.1	50	5.6	40	5.1	40	5.1
Total*	995	100	855	100	870	100	830	100	820	100

*These figures have been rounded up so not all columns add up.

SLT students by gender and age 2018/19

Age on entry	Female %	Male %	All students %
17-20	40.4	17.3	39.5
21+	59.6	82.7	60.5
All ages	100	100	100

Diversity: ethnicity

This data is provided for the purpose of considering and understanding the ethnic diversity of the speech and language therapy profession. All data is rounded according to HESA standard rounding methodology. It remains the property of RCSLT and should not be passed on or published without further permission.

Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18; HESA Student Record 2018/19. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.

Definitions used in these statistics follow that of ONS used in the UK Census. Only UK domiciled students in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are required to report their ethnic origin.

• White includes White, White – Scottish, Irish Traveller, Gypsy or Traveller, plus Other White background.
• Black includes Black or Black British – Caribbean, Black or Black British – African, and other Black background.
• Asian includes Asian or Asian British – Indian, Asian or Asian British – Pakistani, Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi, Chinese, and other Asian background.
• Mixed includes mixed – White and Black Caribbean, mixed – White and Black African, mixed – White and Asian, other mixed background.
• Other includes Arab and other ethnic background.
• Unknown/Not applicable is used to denote those who are Non-UK domiciled, have an unknown domicile (2014/15 onwards), have refused to give ethnic information or whose ethnicity is unknown.

Students and admissions

Number of speech and language therapy students by ethnicity 2014-19

Ethnicity (Grouped)	2018-19	2017-18	2016-17	2015-16	2014-15
White	2090	2090	2160	2165	2230
Black	75	70	70	55	45
Asian	185	160	140	150	125
Mixed	85	75	70	60	60
Other	20	20	20	15	20
Unknown / Not Applicable	275	240	230	225	230
Total *	2735	2660	2690	2670	2710

* Note numbers may not add up due to rounding

Student ethnicity

SLT student admissions 2014-2019 by ethnicity

Ethnicity (Grouped)	2018-19	2018-17	2016-17	2015-16	2014-15
White	750	640	695	655	645
Black	25	25	35	20	15
Asian	80	65	35	55	50
Mixed	30	30	30	25	10
Other	15	5	5	5	10
Unknown / Not Applicable	95	85	65	60	90
Total *	995	855	890	830	820

* Note numbers may not add up due to rounding

SLT students socio-economic classifications

Definition:*this is the socio-economic background/ occupation of the parents, step-parents or guardian of students aged under 21.

Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.

POLAR4 is based on the combined participation rates of those who entered HE between the academic years 2009-10 and 2013-14, if they entered aged 18, or between 2010-11 and 2014-15 if they entered aged 19. The POLAR4 classification is formed by ranking five groups from quintile 1 areas, with the lowest young participation (most disadvantaged), up to quintile 5 areas with the highest rates (most advantaged), each representing 20 percent of the UK young cohort. Students have been allocated to the neighbourhoods on the basis of their postcode. Those students whose postcode falls within middle layer super output areas with the lowest participation (quintile 1) are denoted as being from a low participation neighbourhood.

Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.

POLAR4 is based on the combined participation rates of those who entered HE between the academic years 2009-10 and 2013-14, if they entered aged 18, or between 2010-11 and 2014-15 if they entered aged 19. The POLAR4 classification is formed by ranking five groups from quintile 1 areas, with the lowest young participation (most disadvantaged), up to quintile 5 areas with the highest rates (most advantaged), each representing 20 percent of the UK young cohort. Students have been allocated to the neighbourhoods on the basis of their postcode. Those students whose postcode falls within middle layer super output areas with the lowest participation (quintile 1) are denoted as being from a low participation neighbourhood.

Sources: HESA Student Record 2015/16; HESA Student Record 2014/15; HESA DLHE Record 2015/16; HESA DLHE Record 2014/15; HESA Student Record 2016/17; HESA DLHE Record 2016/17; HESA Student Record 2017/18. Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information supplied by HESA Services.