Young People in Scotland Survey 2019 - course choice in senior phase: report

A report on the findings from the Young People in Scotland survey that focuses on course choice in the senior phase.


7. Annex

7.1 What reasons do you think will be most important for you in choosing your subjects/courses for the Senior Phase? (All)

Table A.1 - Reasons for Course Choice by All Pupils
Response Total from All Pupils
Enjoying a subject 39%
Needing to do a subject to get into college or university 32%
Needing to do a subject to get the kind of job I want 30%
Needing to do a subject for what I want to study further up in school 26%
My parents advising me to study a subject 24%
Teachers advising me to study a subject 11%
Liking teachers for a subject 7%
To fit my timetable / other subject(s) did not fit timetable 6%
Friends choosing this subject 4%
It being different from the subjects I've done before in school 2%
Other 3%
Don't know 19%
Prefer not to say 5%
Table A.2 - Reasons for Course Choices by Stage
Stage S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
Enjoying a subject 29% 28% 38% 41% 53% 59%
Needing to do a subject to get into college or university 20% 24% 30% 38% 39% 53%
Needing to do a subject to get the kind of job I want 24% 27% 33% 30% 39% 36%
Needing to do a subject for what I want to study further up in school 16% 28% 27% 28% 34% 31%
My parents advising me to study a subject 24% 31% 29% 22% 20% 16%
Teachers advising me to study a subject 9% 12% 11% 13% 13% 10%
Liking teachers for a subject 5% 6% 6% 9% 10% 7%
To fit my timetable / other subject(s) did not fit timetable 3% 3% * 6% 15% 12%
Friends choosing this subject 5% 2% 4% 3% 4% 6%
It being different from the subjects I've done before in school 2% * * 2% * 4%
Other 3% * * 2% * *
Don't know 31% 26% 23% 13% 7% 7%
Prefer not to say 7% 4% 4% 5% * *

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Table A.3 - Reasons for Course Choice by Urban/Rural
Urban/Rural Urban Rural
Enjoying a subject 38% 43%
Needing to do a subject to get into college or university 32% 34%
Needing to do a subject to get the kind of job I want 30% 31%
Needing to do a subject for what I want to study further up in school 26% 26%
My parents advising me to study a subject 25% 21%
Teachers advising me to study a subject 12% 11%
Liking teachers for a subject 7% 8%
To fit my timetable / other subject(s) did not fit timetable 6% 7%
Friends choosing this subject 4% 4%
It being different from the subjects I've done before in school 2% 2%
Other 1% 2%
Don't know 19% 20%
Prefer not to say 5% 5%
Table A.4 - Reasons for Course Choice by SIMD
SIMD 1 (most deprived) 2 3 4 5 (least deprived)
Enjoying a subject 31% 31% 44% 43% 45%
Needing to do a subject to get into college or university 25% 26% 36% 39% 34%
Needing to do a subject to get the kind of job I want 26% 26% 33% 38% 28%
Needing to do a subject for what I want to study further up in school 22% 22% 28% 34% 26%
My parents advising me to study a subject 33% 19% 17% 26% 26%
Teachers advising me to study a subject 15% 9% 12% 10% 11%
Liking teachers for a subject 6% 7% 7% 7% 6%
To fit my timetable / other subject(s) did not fit timetable 4% 5% 7% 8% 5%
Friends choosing this subject 4% 2% 6% 4% 2%
It being different from the subjects I've done before in school * * 3% 2% 1%
Other * * 2% * *
Don't know 21% 27% 15% * *
Prefer not to say 4% 7% 5% 4% 3%

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Table A.5 - Reasons for Course Choice by Gender
Gender Male Female In another way Prefer not to say
Enjoying a subject 39% 40% * *
Needing to do a subject to get into college or university 24% 41% * *
Needing to do a subject to get the kind of job I want 26% 35% 20% 21%
Needing to do a subject for what I want to study further up in school 21% 33% * *
My parents advising me to study a subject 26% 23% * *
Teachers advising me to study a subject 14% 10% * *
Liking teachers for a subject 6% 7% * *
To fit my timetable / other subject(s) did not fit timetable 5% 6% * *
Friends choosing this subject 5% 3% * *
It being different from the subjects I've done before in school 2% 2% * *
Other 2% 1% * *
Don't know 20% 18% 21% 25%
Prefer not to say 5% * * 41%

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

7.2 What guidance, if any, have you received in selecting your courses/subjects for the Senior Phase?

Table A.6 - Guidance Received by All Pupils
Response Total from All Pupils
Any guidance 54%
Class teachers 25%
Pastoral care/Guidance teachers in my school 22%
My own research (e.g. googling, social media) 14%
Career Advisers 14%
Personal Social Education at school 14%
My World of Work website 10%
Option assembly at school 9%
Careers Evening at my school 7%
A mentor in my school 4%
Attending careers fairs 4%
Employer presentation 2%
Other websites 2%
Other 3%
I have not received any guidance 10%
Don't know 30%
Prefer not to say 6%
Table A.7 - Guidance Received by Stage
Stage S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
Any guidance 25% 40% 52% 66% 76% 87%
Class teachers 10% 16% 21% 30% 36% 53%
Pastoral care/Guidance teachers in my school 9% 15% 20% 27% 34% 41%
My own research (e.g. googling, social media) 4% 9% 11% 18% 22% 34%
Career Advisers 4% 9% 11% 21% 21% 21%
Personal Social Education at school 7% 8% 13% 15% 15% 30%
My World of Work website 4% 7% 11% 16% 14% 12%
Option assembly at school 3% 5% 9% 12% 11% 21%
Careers Evening at my school * * 5% 9% 10% 18%
A mentor in my school * * 4% 4% 5% 6%
Attending careers fairs * * 5% 2% 6% 8%
Employer presentation 2% 2% 2% 2% * *
Other websites * 2% 3% 2% 2% *
Other 2% 4% 4% 2% * *
I have not received any guidance 18% 14% 10% 6% 4% 5%
Don't know 48% 42% 31% 22% 16% 7%
Prefer not to say 8% 5% 7% 6% * *

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Table A.8 - Guidance Received by Urban/Rural
Urban/Rural Urban Rural
Any guidance 55% 53%
Class teachers 25% 25%
Pastoral care/Guidance teachers in my school 23% 20%
My own research (e.g. googling, social media) 14% 17%
Career Advisers 13% 15%
Personal Social Education at school 14% 13%
My World of Work website 10% 13%
Option assembly at school 9% 9%
Careers Evening at my school 7% 8%
A mentor in my school 4% 3%
Attending careers fairs 3% 5%
Employer presentation 2% 3%
Other websites * *
Other * *
I have not received any guidance 10% 12%
Don't know 30% 29%
Prefer not to say 6% 5%

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Table A.9 - Guidance Received by SIMD
SIMD 1 (most deprived) 2 3 4 5 (least deprived)
Any guidance 53% 44% 58% 61% 55%
Class teachers 29% 20% 28% 25% 23%
Pastoral care/Guidance teachers in my school 21% 17% 22% 24% 28%
My own research (e.g. googling, social media) 10% 12% 17% 15% 17%
Career Advisers 10% 8% 16% 17% 18%
Personal Social Education at school 9% 10% 14% 17% 17%
My World of Work website 7% 7% 16% 10% 12%
Option assembly at school 8% 7% 12% 10% 8%
Careers Evening at my school 6% 5% 8% 7% 8%
A mentor in my school 7% 4% 4% 4% 2%
Attending careers fairs 2% 2% 5% 4% 5%
Employer presentation * * 4% 2% 2%
Other websites * * 3% * *
Other 3% 3% 2% * *
I have not received any guidance 11% 9% 9% 12% 9%
Don't know 30% 38% 27% 22% 30%
Prefer not to say 6% 8% 5% 5% 6%

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Table A.10 - Guidance Received by Gender
Gender Male Female In another way Prefer not to say
Any guidance 53% 57% * *
Class teachers 23% 28% * *
Pastoral care/Guidance teachers in my school 22% 24% * *
My own research (e.g. googling, social media) 14% 15% * *
Career Advisers 13% 15% * *
Personal Social Education at school 13% 14% * *
My World of Work website 10% 12% * *
Option assembly at school 9% 10% * *
Careers Evening at my school 6% 7% * *
A mentor in my school 4% 4% 24%
Attending careers fairs 4% 4% 2%
Employer presentation 2% 2%
Other websites 2% 2%
Other 2% 3% * *
I have not received any guidance 10% 10% * *
Don't know 30% 28% 28% 46%
Prefer not to say 7% 4% * *

* denotes where the number of pupils is between 1 and 4 inclusive or where if shown, it would be possible to calculate other values to be less than 5

Contact

Email: Social_Research@gov.scot

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